04 February 2008

School is back and with the start of 2008, thousands of students and teachers along the Queensland coast are expected to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Now in its sixth year, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s (GBRMPA) Reef Guardian Schools programme supports schools that are working towards reducing their ecological footprint and thereby helping to protect the Reef.

Reef Education Coordinator Megan Sperring said she is looking forward to an exciting year in which students will develop innovative projects and activities to improve environmental sustainability in and around their schools.

“With this year being the International Year of the Reef, we are expecting big things from our schools.

“Some of the exciting projects in the pipelines include water quality testing in the Burdekin, sustainable fishing camps in the Mossman area, turtle nesting research in Mackay and one of our schools in Gladstone is looking to convert to 100 per cent solar energy.

“Many of the schools have been a part of the programme since its inception in 2003 and each year they build on the projects they have been doing and make them bigger and better or they take on a completely new focus,” Ms Sperring said.

This year the Reef Guardian Schools programme will offer new resources and training such as teachers workshops along the Great Barrier Reef coastline and will continue to support successful programmes like the Future Leaders Eco Challenges where students from various schools meet to workshop environmental issues in their regions.

“This year we are really looking to help schools to take the next step in their journey as Reef Guardians and to share their important messages of sustainability with others.

“The marine environment is facing continuing pressure as the population increases along the Great Barrier Reef catchment.

“More and more schools are taking ownership of their local environments and are having a positive impact within their community, actively working towards a sustainable future for the Great Barrier Reef.

For more information on how to get involved in the Reef Guardian Schools programme contact the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority on 07 4750 0700 or visit www.reefed.edu.au