Program 4: Applications of Research, Communication and Extension

The Extension and Training Program has consolidated the work begun in 1994/95 using a variety of methods to distribute research results to tourist operators, Reef management agencies, and recreational and commercial fishing interests, as well as to the scientific community and the general public in Australia and overseas.

An actor dressed as a Crown-of-thorns starfish drew large crowds to a live performance at the Australian Science Festival in Canberra. Photo: CRC Reef

The objective of the Program remains the facilitation of interactive communication with key Centre stakeholders and the distribution of research results. The strategy and performance of the communications team has been independently reviewed by Environmental Communications specialist company, Econnect. Their findings of the effectiveness of our products and services will be incorporated into a revised Extension strategy during next year.

A major initiative organised by the Centre was the inaugural meeting in Brisbane in December 1995 of personnel responsible for communications from 12 environmental CRCs. This meeting was the catalyst for an initiative from the CRC Directors' Association to more actively promote the national CRC Program.

The publishing activities of the Program have increased markedly:

Seven refereed Technical Reports distributed to Reef managers, scientists, tourism operators, librarians and academics, which make up the basis of each Centre task final report.

A series of 14 flyers aimed at promoting science in general and particular research projects, either completed or in progress, to the public at large. Topics range from Seagrass Gardening to the Impact of Cyclones on the Reef. Positive feedback has been received on the series by the Centre's client groups.

Fifty thousand pocket-sized colour pamphlets explaining the fresh outbreak of Crown-of-thorns starfish, distributed to tourist information centres and boats carrying visitors to the Reef in a concerted public awareness campaign.

The bi-monthly newsletter increased in circulation from 300 to approximately 550.

Major extension activities in the Effects of Line Fishing project saw the production of two newsletters for the fishing industry explaining the design and progress of the research, a full colour, 12 page booklet on the biology of Coral Trout and three newsletters especially for spear fishers on the Great Barrier Reef.

Regular contributions to GBRMPA's Reef Research, to JCU's Campus News, and to the newsletters published by other organisations relevant to the Reef, such as Australasian Science, Environmental Business, Green and Gold and Scuba Diver.

Support has also been given to the production of a number of other publications listed in Section 9.

All parties to the Centre contributed to the production of a radio series titled Reef Brief. Sixty, one-minute episodes about various aspects of reef science and facts about the biology, management, history and wise use of the Reef were broadcast on local commercial radio stations along the Queensland coast throughout the year as free community service announcements.

Facilitation of a new display about the history of Crown-of-thorns outbreaks for GBRMPA's Aquarium which includes two live starfish.

A joint GBRMPA, Aquarium and AIMS marine science display at the Australian Science Festival, Canberra, including wall posters, information kits and drama performances which were seen by approximately 50,000 people over five days.

The Centre had researchers present at the Cairns and Townsville Boatshows, and the Townsville Boating & Fishing Expo.

A mobile display system and corporate poster display to support regional conferences, expos and festivals.

Helped support its partners' lunchtime seminar programs for staff, by developing a plan for increased presentations, training researchers to give more effective presentations and increasing opportunities for a wider audience group. A Seminar Advisory Group, with representatives of all agencies including the Department of Environment and Heritage met to coordinate this activity. Personal presentations are an effective way to transfer information, debate issues and receive feedback on research.

Presentations and seminars to other regions outside of Townsville, such as evening talks to anglers, Marine Parks day-to-day management staff, fisheries Zonal Advisory Committees, and Regional Marine Resources Advisory Committees providing many new links with community groups and further dissemination of research findings.

Two major conferences were organised during the year, the combined CRC/GBRMPA Researcher Days in September attended by well over 100 participants on both days, and a Postgraduate Researcher day at JCU in October. The best student postgraduate presenter was awarded a prize of the cost of attending the International Coral Reef Society Conference in Panama, and the best runner-up the cost of attending a conference of the student's choice in Australia.

The Centre organised a prize for marine science feature writing open to undergraduate students at James Cook and Central Queensland Universities, and awarded $1000 to a student from Bundaberg.

Established an Internet site on the World Wide Web, CRC Reef Research Online, which provides another avenue for accessing all published outputs from the Centre. Reef Research Online is linked to the Centre's partners' web sites and was extensively launched at several international reef science and management conferences with very positive responses.

Training courses in presentation skills and in media skills continued to be offered through the Extension Program, reflected in the increasing level of media achievements. Two media skills training courses and two presentation courses were held with several additional briefings given to researchers during the year.

Heritage and Interpretive Training

The Extension and Training Program has continued to support a Heritage and Interpretive Training Course, developed by the North Queensland tourist industry and regional TAFE colleges. The course, now offered in eight colleges throughout Queensland and several secondary schools, is providing ecotourism guide training for approximately 100 students a year. The Centre, with Cairns TAFE, was successful in securing a $55,000 grant from the Federal Department of Tourism's "National Ecotourism Program" for further development of the course.

The Federal Government's National Ecotourism Program also granted $64,000 towards a pilot project to study the ways in which tourists can produce useful scientific data while holidaying on the Reef. Under a program becoming known as Reef Watchers, tour operators, especially those engaged in diving, and community groups learn how to monitor and record changes in marine life and water quality in the reefs they visit.

Media Achievements

Accurate and positive publicity initiated by the Centre, 1 July 1995 to 30 June 1996

*Local: includes newspapers such as the Townsville Bulletin, Cairns Post, Mackay Mercury, Radio 4CA Cairns or 4TO Townsville, and WIN TV covering Cairns to Gladstone.

+State/National: includes The Canberra Times, the Australian and magazine features, syndicated ABC Radio, and ABC and National Nine television news.

#International: includes New Scientist, The Daily Telegraph, the Newsletter of the International Public Affairs Branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Radio Australia and BBC World Service; Qantas Inflight News and BBC TV News.

Hugh Sweatman was interviewed on Kelso Reef by the North Queensland ABC TV crew about his research into the impacts of artifically feeding fish at tourist pontoons (he found no detectable ill effects). The segment was subsequently broadcast nationally. Photo: CRC Reef

Media Monitors are contracted to collect print stories about the Centre, and the Extension Program tracks electronic interviews given by researchers where possible. Some coverage may be missed when features are printed in specialist or international magazines not covered by Media Monitors (such as Ozone News) and when stories recorded by a local ABC station are syndicated across Australia and potentially to Radio Australia. A radio story is counted only once, although it may feature in news bulletins in updated forms for several days. While the number of local radio interviews given by Centre personnel is about the same as last year (on average, every second week), the uptake of syndicated features has increased.

A noticeable rise in the number of requests for interviews and comments coming from journalists is a result of a greater awareness of the expertise and products represented in the Centre, and increased willingness of researchers to offer scientific opinion on environmental matters. Several respected national science writers have been assisted to report on Reef research projects, further helping to publicise the benefits of marine science. The Centre has now acquired a reputation as a scientific authority on the Reef, reflected in almost double the number of print references this year.

While the Centre actively drives a positive image for it's partner organisations and research programs, its high profile and ground-breaking research requires sensitive news management. An example of this was the balanced coverage of the fresh Crown-of-thorns starfish outbreak.

Particular highlights of the year included wide international publicity about an environmentally benign grouted screw anchor developed by a Townsville-based marine company; the start of a project to test the most effective means of treating ballast water, jointly funded by the Ports Corporation of Queensland; the discovery of vast seagrass beds off Cape York, and on-going explanations and publicity surrounding the Effects of Line Fishing project directed at the commercial and recreational fishermen whose cooperation is vital to a successful outcome. Preliminary results of the re-opening of Bramble Reef to fishing on July 1, 1996 were delivered extensively in November to stakeholders in that particular reef, commercial fishermen, the community of Hinchinbrook and to the local Bramble Reef Advisory Committee.

Many of these projects provided opportunities for cooperative links with communications personnel in partner agencies, such as with GBRMPA on the announcement of the COTS outbreak, and with DPI on the discovery of seagrass beds. The PR/Media Group met five times during the year to plan and discuss joint opportunities for media coverage.

In the coming year, depending on the outcome of the Communication Performance Review, Program 4 will continue its strategy of directly informing stakeholders of useful research results, while ensuring the accurate communication of science processes and outcomes, the national CRC Program and the activities of this Centre to the wider community.

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