Wednesday 13 October 2010

Students from Reef Guardian Schools across the Tully region will take part in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's "Sustaining Biodiversity" Future Leaders Eco Challenge on Thursday to celebrate the International Year for Biodiversity and the Education Queensland Year of Sustainability.

Reef Guardian Schools Program Manager Megan Sperring said this year's Future Leaders Eco Challenge would encourage students to become wetland ecologists by combining workshop style catchment-based activities and investigative science to predict, observe and explain the ecosystem's health.

"Students and teachers will explore the biodiversity of the Mitchell Park ecosystem and look at what is there, why it is important, and who is responsible for looking after it," she said.

"The activity has been designed to challenge students and teachers to understand linkages between ecosystems, sustainability and water quality for a greater understanding of the role that wetland's play in the Great Barrier Reef catchment area and the Reef's current and future resilience.

"More than 20 students from five different schools will learn about riparian revegetation, water quality monitoring, weed management while also participating in an insect safari."

Twelve of the 15 Future Leaders Eco Challenges have now been completed with over 700 participants from over 90 Great Barrier Reef catchment schools taking part in the events.

The Reef Guardian Schools program is an education initiative of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority that develops partnerships between schools and their communities to work towards a sustainable future for the Great Barrier Reef.

There are approximately 60 000 students across Queensland who are working on various environmental and sustainability projects throughout the year within their classrooms and playgrounds and in their local communities.

The key objective of the Reef Guardian Schools program is to create awareness, understanding and appreciation for the Reef and connected ecosystems.

It is designed to empower students and give them a sense of involvement in the bigger picture and the belief that they really can make a positive difference.

The Future Leader Eco Challenge in the Tully region could not have been possible without the assistance from a number of groups including Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Daradgee Environmental Education Centre, Education Queensland's Science Spark and Earth Smart Science Programs.

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