|
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
Program 4: Communication and ExtensionActivities and planning have confirmed the view established in the initial development phase that Centre products would be intellectual property in the form of information and skills. This property will enter public domain with only key databases remaining under commercial constraint. In effect, information contributing to public good and 'people-skills' are the major resources for commercialisation. The establishment of an Extension and Training Program this year has been a major achievement towards these goals. Following earlier development and consultation by Prof David Hopley (JCU), Mr Don Alcock was appointed Program Leader. ObjectiveTo facilitate interactive communication with key Centre stakeholders and distribute research results to scientific, education, management, policy, media and user groups. StrategyAn Extension and Training Program strategy has been developed in consultation with Centre parties and stakeholder groups covering three main objectives:
The Program promotes a distinctive and positive image for the Centre through the media and its client groups, as well as identifies new marketing opportunities and collaborative projects. Most projects are developed collaboratively through a strong research network alliance, realising that the Centre's structures and programs are made up of its Parties. ACHIEVEMENTSRegular publicity in the media and various industry newsletters increased during the year. A simple media monitoring service for the year reflects the growth in research publicity, such as news stories and features initiated by the Centre:
Various industry newsletters including Reef Research regularly distributed information about developments within the Centre's research programs. The internal CRC Newsletter, distributed bi-monthly to nearly 300 people, keeps staff and supporters up to date about progress within the Centre's overall program. Feature articles have been published in scientific journals (Coral Reef Newsletter), nationally (The Australian, Geo) and internationally (Asian Diver); in marine industry tourism and fishing journals (SCUBA Diver, Queensland Fisherman); in educational journals (JCU Campus News, Australasian Science); and in government agency newsletters (Source, GDEH News, Tropical Topics, Environment Business, Reef Connections, Ocean Rescue 2000). The high level of publicity about the Centre has raised its national profile and helped increase the commitment from industry stakeholder groups to support new research initiatives.
The involvement of the Centre's Board Members and the Director in various scientific and management advisory committees has also expanded the Centre's influence with client groups. Members encourage linkages and provide advice in a variety of policy areas to regional, state, commonwealth and international government and non-government organisations. The Public Relations and Media Advisory Group continued to coordinate publicity about the Centre's research programs. The Group, comprising staff from GBRMPA, AIMS, JCU and DPI, successfully promoted many Reef research issues such as water quality, crown of thorns starfish, effects of fishing, tourism and engineering into mainstream media, including regular stories in The Australian newspaper. The Group also helped organise a communication planning workshop for Project Leaders, led by CSIRO professionals, and several short media skills training courses for Centre staff. This workshop set communication priorities for many research teams and boosted the Centre's overall publicity effort. A Seminar and Workshop Working Group established a coordinated series of scientific presentations between the Centre's partner organisations and the public. A strategic plan was prepared between AIMS, GBRMPA, DPI and Centre staff to conduct monthly in-house seminars to further integrate research outcomes with management policy. Public seminars have been conducted extensively in Cairns and the Whitsunday regions, and at Questacon and the National Convention Centre in Canberra. There is greater cooperation now in sharing new research findings between Centre parties and with regional interest groups. New management programs are increasingly involving CRC researchers in consultation and participation during the planning process. The re-opening of Bramble Reef after three years closure, for example, involved several social scientists working with resource managers and local anglers to survey community attitudes in conjunction with biological catch and effort tracking. The Centre has financially assisted several conferences and workshops including the combined Australian Coral Reef Society/Australian Marine Science Association/International Society for Reef Studies Conference in July 1994; and a Marine Pollution Workshop in June 1995. This support enhances scientific representation and discussion about critical Reefal issues. The CRC-supported Heritage and Interpretive Tourism certificate course expanded into four new Queensland regions: Townsville, Airlie Beach, Rockhampton and Hervey Bay, with assistance from the Extension Program. Full-time and part-time courses are now available through TAFE colleges for trainee guides specialising in marine, rainforest and outback tourism operations. Each region developed an industry advisory committee to oversee and assist with the course administration. The Extension Program leader is working closely with each regional committee to secure on-going funding for course coordinators, to increase in-kind industry support and to prepare submissions to the National Ecotourism Strategy for further training materials.
An Eco-Diver course was developed with Dive Queensland to train instructors to offer one, two and three day diver courses in Reef ecology, conservation and sustainable diving techniques. The course was developed by GBRMPA, JCU and Queensland Museum staff in consultation with local dive instructors. The pilot dive instructor course was postponed from March for six months to allow further industry input, revision and marketing. Most Centre staff presenters at conferences, workshops and public meetings are invited to display research projects, ranging from simple posters to interactive scientific equipment. Displays were produced to support many presentations about CRC tasks including the Crown-of-thorns starfish, coral rehabilitation, mooring systems and fisheries biology, with a major CRC joint display involving AIMS and GBRMPA held at the National Science Festival in Canberra during May. More than 45,000 people attended the Festival. One major development is a CRC Marine Science Journalism Prize for tertiary students at both James Cook and Central Queensland Universities, launched in February. The $1,000 prize encourages professionalism in science communication, and is offered annually to students who write the best feature story on a research issue about the Great Barrier Reef. As press media coverage about Australian science and technology is limited, this initiative will help encourage younger science writers to communicate Reef research topics to wider audiences. Other links have been formed with the Australian Science Communicators Association to improve science promotion and media coverage at major conferences and with non-technical publications. Several information kits were produced and distributed to Reef user and interest groups including a CRC Reef Research information slide pack and brochure, an Effects of Fishing bulletin, a control manual on Crown-of-thorns starfish and workshop papers. These products play a strong role in disseminating information and provide an improved scientific basis for Reef management and decision making. A Technical Report on Restoration of Coral Habitats (Task 2.3.1) is receiving interest from tourist operators and volunteer groups in the Whitsunday Islands who want to rehabilitate some fringing reefs affected by anchors. Internationally, the Director, Professor Chris Crossland, participated in a tourism think-tank at Portugal about contemporary trends and initiatives in environmental management and assessment. He also attended a set of Integrated Coastal Management Workshops in Indonesia and in three regions of Malaysia in April, organised by Australian Marine Science and Technology (AMSAT) and funded by the Department of Industry, Science and Technology. The Extension Leader, Don Alcock, funded by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), helped lead a workshop on community education as a tool for managing marine and coastal areas in the Philippines during February. Extensive statewide consultation about the effects of line fishing experiment has occurred with commercial and recreational fishing groups. Regional meetings with representatives from the QCFO and QSRFC (Sunfish) and members of the public were held to discuss the proposed experiment. Management agencies including QFMA, GBRMPA and DPI were involved. As a result the research design has been widely accepted and considerable volunteer support is being provided to help undertake the experiment. A research project to identify and compile early historical films about the Reef has been set up with the National Film and Sound Archive. Several copies of old films, produced between the 1920s and 1950s, have been acquired for modern scientific comparison and interpretive purposes. Two Researcher Days were organised in Townsville by the Centre and GBRMPA during September to provide a forum for information exchange about management related research and developments within the cooperative research programs. Approximately 30 marine scientists presented their research findings to 100 participants, and debated bio-physical and socio-economic topics affecting the science, management and conservation of the Marine Park. The annual presentations are an excellent way for resource managers to learn about contemporary Reef research and new scientific initiatives. The Centre's first Technical Report Experimental test of the effects of methods of attachment and handling on the rapid transplantation of corals was produced. |
