EVENTS June / July

Ambassador

CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR REEFS

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2019

In this newsletter 3rd Ambassador workshop MoretonBayResearchStation

Open Day EducationconferenceThailand SchoolvisitsBundaberg Upcomingopportunities

EVENTS November 2019

3rd Ambassador workshop 21-25 November, Lady Elliot IslandWehadaverysuccesfullworkshoponLadyElliot,training14newambassadorstohelpspreadawarenessaboutthereef.

Ambassadorlocations:Bundaberg(2),Bowen(2),LennoxHeads(1),Brisbane(6),andBrisbaneBayside(3).Ambassadordemographics:Highschoolteachers(2),distanceeducationteacher(1),civilengineer(1),UQstudents(marineandenvironmentalstudies)(6),coralcollectionindustry(1),diving/tourismindustry(2),andinterpretiveranger(1).

Duringtheactualworkshop,theinitialproposedapplicantideaswereexecutedintoindividualAmbassadorplans.Ambassadorprojectsvaryfrom:Socialmediavideospresentingreefsciencetopics,VirtualRealityexcursions,remoteunderwatercamerasystemstoshowpeoplewhatisbelowthesurface,lessonplansgrade5-8onimpactsoflandontheocean/reef,displayat2020FilmFestival,socialnightsatDiveClub,communitydaypromotinglocalsreefsofMoretonBay,infoboothatopendays,marketsandfestivals,reefencountersanddatacollection,offeringcitizensciencetoreef

Ambassadors just arrived

Ambassadors after 4 days

visitors,schoolvisits,andoutreachprojectsoverseasinHawaii.CoralWatchwilldelivermaterials,expertiseandassistanceinplanningandimplementationoftheseandotherfutureevents.

OurAmbassadorworkshophasbeenproudlysupportedbytheQueenslandGovernmentQueenslandCitizenScienceGrants(44%,7Ambassadors),PortofBrisbanecommunitygrantsprogram(29%,5Ambassadors)andthepartnershipbetweentheAustralianGovernment’sReefTrustandtheGreatBarrierReefFoundation(12%,2Ambassadors).AdditionalsupporthasbeenprovidedbyTheUniversityofQueenslandVCStrategicFunding(15%workshopplusstaff)andQueenslandGovernment–DepartmentofEnvironmentandScience(staff),andin-kindsupportthroughCoralWatchandQueenslandBrainInstitute,TheUniversityofQueensland,andLadyElliotIslandEcoResort.

EVENTS November 2019

Resort Presentation - Act to Protect the GBR24 November, Lady Elliot ResortPresenttoresortguests,educatingthemabouttheimportanceofcoralreefs,thethreatsourreefsarefacing,basiccoralbiology,whatCoralWatchisandhowdataiscollected,andhowpeoplecanhelpsavetheGBR.Thepresentationransmoothly,guestsseemedtobeinterestedthroughoutthepresentation.Therewerenotmanyquestionsattheend,perhapsinsteadofaskingifthere’sanyquestions,askacouplefromtheaudience(veryshortquiz).Assessretentionofinfobytheguests.

Outreach: 17 people, 14 AmbassadorsJess, Hanna, Diana

Reefwalk - Collecting CoralWatch Data24 November, Lady Elliot ResortCoralWatchAmbassadorstookguestsfromtheresortoutonaguidedreefwalkinsmallgroups.TheideaofthewalkwastoteachguestshowtosurveycoralsusingtheCoralWatchhealthchart.Wealsoeducatedtheguestsoncoralbiology,climatechange,reefthreatsandfunfactsaboutthereef. Splittingintosmallergroupswithafewambassadorspergroupensuredoneononeconversationandtheabilitytomakeaconnectionwiththeguests.Teachingpeopleaboutcoralbiologyandhowthereefworksinstilledasenseofexcitementandenthusiasmintheguestswhichwasempoweringtoobserve.Itwasgreatsafe,convenientandfunwaytoraiseawarenessandeducateguestsaboutthereefs.Itwaschildren-friendlyaswell.Someoftheguestsenteredtheirowndataaswell,allotherdatawasenteredbyAmbassadors.Outreach:26adults,6children Ambassadors in training

CoralWatch Display23-24 November, Lady Elliot ResortAstallwassetupwithachildren’sactivitystation,CoralWatchinformationsheets,avirtualreefandVRheadsets.Thiswasdesignedtoengagewithresortguestsandinvitethemtoourreefwalkandtalkthefollowingday.ThelocationofLadyElliotResortwasgoodforgettingpeopleoutonthereefcollectingCoralWatchdataasmostpeopleareherebecausetheyareinterestedinthereefandplanongoingsnorkelling.Surprisingly,theVRwasstillabigahitasitwasatactileactivityanddrewingueststoengaginginmoreconversation.Whatdidnotworksowellwasthetiming,alotofpeoplewerearrivingatdinnerandsaidtheywouldreturnlaterbutsometimesdidn’t.Thestalldefinitelyhadmuchbettersuccessafterdinnerandaftertalksattheeducationcentre.Perhapsbreakfasttimewouldworkwelltoowhenpeoplearemakingplansfortheday.Outreach:40adults Ambassadors in training

CoralWatch Data collection and briefing22-24 November, Lady Elliot ResortThroughroleplayandLEIgueststhatattendedthereefwalk,allAmbassadorspractisedaninstructionalbriefingforreefvisitorskeentoparticipateinCoralWatch. Datawascollectedrandomlyatthefollowingsites:LighthouseReef,ReefySeconds,CoralGarden,theLagoonandtheCoralWatchpermanenttransect.WeupdatedourLEIreefmonitoringinfobooklet,withnewphotos,locationandsizeinfoontheseindividualcoralsthatwetrackovertime.Availableonourwebsiteearlynextyear. Ambassadors in training

Reef Monitoring ProgramLady Elliot Island - Great Barrier Reef - Australia

Get involved in Citizen ScienceHelp collect valuable reef data

EVENTS November 2019

Conference poster session3-7 November, World Environmental Education Congress, Bangkok, ThailandTheWorldEnvironmentalEducationCongress(WEEC)isaninternationalcongressfocusingoneducationforenvironmentandsustainabilityandthis10thWorldEnvironmentalEducationCongressisthefirstofitskindtobeheldinAsia.Internationalattendantsprovidedinnovativeideas,powerandenergytodeveloptheenvironmentinordertoreachthegoalofmakingtheworldbecomeabetterplacetolive.Davehisposter‘Buildingsocialcapitalforenvironmentalactionthroughcitizenscience:CoralWatch,anAustralianexample’turnedouttobehighlyeffectiveasaconversationstarter.

Number of participants at event: 5000, direct outreach 100Dave

CoralWatch Data collection29 September, Small World Journeys,Fitzroy IslandWeorganisedforaschoolgroupof21 girlsfromSydneytogoouttoFitzroyIslandaspartofaschooltriptoFarNorthQueenslandanddoCoralWatchasoneoftheiractivities.

28 October, Wollengong HS, Fitzroy IslandStudygoals:reef,rainforestandaboriginalstudies27 pax (22 students, 3 teachers and 2 staff)60coralssurveyed

4 December, Bulli HS, Fitzroy IslandStudygoals:marinestudies50 pax (42 students, 4 teachers and 4 staff)109coralssurveyed

Laurie

Brisbane Boys College Interact Club dinner1 November, Toowong Bowls Club, BrisbaneTheeventwastheBrisbaneBoysCollegeannualInteractClubdinner.Eachyeartheclubholdsanannualdinnerandauctiontoraisefundsforanominatedcause.Afunnightwashadbyallandtheeventwasasuccess.ThisyeartheInteractClubsupportedthe“AustralianConservationFoundation”andtheboysandrotaryclubmembertogethersuccessfullyraised$1.500forthisworthycause.AstheresidentBBCCoralwatchadvocateIwasaskedtobeguestspeakerattheeventandtalkedtothemembersabouttheimportanceofprotectingtheenvironmentandcoralreefs.IwasassistedbyoneoftheyoungestBBCstudentswhodidawonderfuljobofdemonstratingthedifferentcoraltypes.AfewRotaryclubmembersexpressedaninterestinhostingafutureCoralWatchpresentationandinteractiveevent.

Number of participants at event: 45Maria

Dave collaborates with Lishu Chen of the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology in Taiwan. Lishu has organised already 5 CW workshops and she has helped to translate CW instructions into Taiwanese. Also Dave his poster has been translated into Taiwanese and Lishu presented this at the International Conference on Environmental Education Academia & Practices in Taiwan in September.

EVENTS November / December 2019Display Moreton Bay Open Day30 November, N. Stradbroke Island, MBRSCoralWatchAmbassadorshostedastallattheMBRSopenday.Wehadfamiliesandvisitorscomethroughandpassedonrelevantinformationaboutourorganisation.Informationwasgivenintheformofpamphletsandhealthcharts.Wealsohadthevirtualrealityheadsetssetupwhichwereagreathitaswellasthe‘quiz’whichhadanassociatedprizeforthosewhojoinedin.

Attimes,thestallgotincrediblybusyandbustlinganditwashardtomakesurewewerehavingaconversationwitheveryonethatwentby.Inparticular,thelinefortheVRheadsetswouldgetquitelongandeveryonewantedtoexperiencethefulllengthoftheVRvideo.WealsohadaveryinterestingconversationwiththecoordinatoroftheIndigenousJuniorRangersofStradbrokeIslandwhoparticularlyorganisesrangerdutiesthroughthePrimarySchool.WeexchangedinformationandheseemedverykeentoorganiseaneventwiththeJuniorRangersandCoralWatch.

Ithoughtitwasgreatwaytoraiseawarenessandeducateguestsaboutthereefsandourorganisation.Itwaschildren-friendlyaswell.Wehadplentyofpeoplewhowereverykeenandinterested.However,thiseventdidnotreachthenon-convertedasmostpeoplewhovisitedtheopendayhadsomepriorinterestinthemarineenvironment.

Number of participants at event: 120 Dini, Devil, Amber, Maria

School visit: Year 7 Science Excel Workshop5 December, Bundaberg State High School, BundabergThestudentshadalreadybeenouttoLadyMusgraveIslandwithAmbassadorNataliesothisworkshopwastofollowupaftertheirreefexperience.Ifacilitatedtheclasstobrainstormwayswecouldhelpthereefwithactionsathomeandschool.Studentswerethenaskedtoprepareaposterforthereef–eithertheirfavouritereefcreature,whyit’simportant,threatsandhowtohelp;threatstothereefandhowtohelp.BestpostermaybedisplayedontheLadyMusgraveReefEmpressandtheteacherofferedsomesmallincentivestostudentsaswell.Studentscouldworkasanindividualorgroup.Ireceivedfiveposterstojudgewhichwereallfantastic.WealsodidabrainstormingsessionfordifferentideastohelptheclassapplytobecomeaReefGuardianSchool.

Number of participants at event: 22Rebecca

Some great posters were made during the workshop.

STEM Day5 December 2019, Brisbane Boys College, BrisbaneTheSTEMDaywasanend-of-yeareventfortheMiddleandSeniorSchoolSTEMClubboys(grades7-12)toparticipateinavarietyofSTEM-basedactivitiesincludingaPlasticArtChallenge,Create-a-Planet,ForensicScienceandofcourseCoralWatch,whichlaunchedtheday’sactivities.TheCoralWatchinteractivedisplay,quizandVRactivitiesreallyengagedthestudentssparkingideasofhowtheycouldhelptomakeadifferenceandprotectthemarineenvironment.ThewinnerofthequizlovedthebookCoralReefsandClimateChange.

Number of participants at event: 30Maria

CoralWatch Media and Grants

MEDIA MaddieDavey,Ambassadorsince2017hasbeenfeaturedintheNationalGeographic“Youeasilyfeelhelplessandoverwhelmed”:Whatit’slikebeingayoungpersonstudyingtheGreatBarrierReef.

AmbassadorNataliewasinterviewedbyNewsmail

Bundabergabouthernew‘MarineBiologistforaday’programonboardtheLadyMusgraveExperience.

WomenofWater,AmbassadorAmalyaVallehasbeenfeaturedinDivelogmagazineDecember2019issue(MoinqueinAugust2019).

Podcast series OurAmbassadorAmalyaislookingforsomeonetowrite

alittleblurponhow/whybeinvolvedwithCoralWatchforhernewPodcastseriesinJan2020.IknowwehaveawriterinthenewCoralWatchAmbassadorgroup(areyoukeen?),butanyoneiswelcometohelpherout(old/newAmbassadors).PleaseletusorAmalyaknow!

GRANTS Anothergrantsubmitted,National Science Week

2020,toparticipatein3sciencefestivals:NewScientistLiveinMelbourne,BrisbaneStreetScienceandUQSustainabilityweek,andtocreateandprintthe‘WhatcanIdo’actionbooklet.

School visit, Great Barrier Reef presentation 11 December, Years 4,5&6, Bundaberg North State Primary School, Bundaberg IpreparedandpresentedapowerpointpresentationonTheGreatBarrierReef,corals,threatstothereef,coralbleaching,howtohelpathome,CoralWatchandtheCoralHealthChartandhowtheschoolcanhelp.TheYear6studentsthengotpracticewiththechartonthevirtualreef.AmbassadorNatalieinitiatedthiseventandhasbeenworkingwiththeschoolalready,sheprovidedsomeofthematerialssuchasthebig virtualreef.

Number of participants at event: 140Rebecca

EVENTS December 2019

Other- Amberheadedupnorthtoworkasdiveinstructorin

PortDouglasforafewweeksandhastakenCoralWatchmaterials.

- MelindawillbepresentingonThursday19DecembertostaffoftheSchoolofDistanceEducationinBalina.

- BenisassistingtoconvertourCoralReefsandClimateChangeDVDseriesintotherightformatforYouTubesowecansharethemonline.

School visit6 December, Fig Tree Pocket, BrisbaneYear6studentstookpartin4activities;snorkellingtheGBRthroughVirtualReality,learningaboutcoralbiology,avirtualCoralWatchsurvey,andacoralrelatedquiz.StudentsalsolistenedtoashortpresentationtolearnmoreaboutCoralWatchandcoralbleaching.TworepresentativesfromThePortofBrisbanewerealsoinattendance.

Itworkedreallywelldividingstudentsinto4smallergroups.StudentslovedtheVR.Therewasslightlytoomuchtimeatsomestations(i.e.coralbiology/claystation).Perhapsincludeanotheractivityatthisstation.E.g.haveadevicewithsomesavedvideosofcorals:feeding,competing,spawning,bleaching.Orifpossible,amicroscopewithsomepre-madeslides(e.g.closeupofarealskeleton,zooxanthellae).Studentscantaketurnslookingthrough.

Number of participants at event: 68Hanna, Dini, Lindsey, Karen, Erin

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES 2020Please let us know if you are keen to help with any of our upcoming activities:

Experience Science at UQThursday23rdJanuary(room09-218,MichieBuilding)3workshops–50mineach,presentationandrotatingactivities• 11.30am-12.20pm(ExperienceScience)• 2.00pm-2.50pm(InspireUSTEMCamp)• 3.00pm-3.50pm(ExperienceScience)

Friday24thJanuary(ParnellBuilding)3workshops–50mineach,presentationandrotatingactivities• 10.30am-11.20am(ExperienceScience)• 11.30am-12.20pm(ExperienceScience)• 1.00pm-1.50pm07-326(ExperienceScience)

World Science Festival - CoralWatch display26-29 March 2018, QLD Museum, BrisbaneCoralWatchwillsetupadisplaywithcoralskeletons,claycoralreefandourvirtualreefatthemuseum.Theeventissustainabilityfocussedandwewillbethere4days(Thu,Fri,Sat,Sunfrom9am-5pmandFri,Sat5-9pm)withthepotentialoflotsofpublicengagement.Pleaseletusknowifyouareavailabletohelpforallorpartofit.Dependingonnumberofvolunteersthereisstillscopeforadditionalactivities.

Bues Festival 9-13 April 2020, Byron BayWehavesubmittedourapplicationforourstall.Ifaccepted,5spotswillbeavailableoverthefull5dayperiod.

Ambassador Return Workshop23-24 May 2018, MBRS, N. Stradbroke IslandPleasenotethatthedateshavechanged,furtherplanningandarrangementswillstartinJanuary.

And then it will be XMAS ....

Enjoy XMAS and all the best for 2020 from the CoralWatch team!

I rather be CoralWatching ...PostedbyMelanieontheCoralWatchAmbassadorfacebookpage.