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| REEF CHECK AUSTRALIA CHECK-UP |
MARCH 2011 |
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Dear %%Firstname%%
With all the recent natural disasters there have been a few extra challenges for Reef Check to overcome before getting down to work. Our South-East Queensland Project Manager, Jenn Loder, saw the floods come right to her door in Brisbane, and our Acting MD, Pete Faulkner, witnessed the power of Cyclone Yasi from his home in Mission Beach. Fortunately, everyone and their property escaped relatively unscathed, and we hope all our supporters and friends fared as well.
This March issue once again brings news of many changes with most importantly the impending handover to Jenn Loder as our new General Manager, and the moving of our main base from Townsville to Brisbane. We want to reassure our North Queensland volunteers and supporters that we intend to keep a strong presence in the region, and will be carrying on training courses and our GBR survey season. We will not have a full-time office in Townsville however for the time being, but hope to reinstate an office in the not too distant future. Unfortunately due to current funding constraints we are unable to keep both offices going. We believe Jenn will make a wonderful new General Manager and look forward to her taking on the new role.
In further news, our GBR survey season has started after a few delays, and our new Adopt a Reef Corporate Sponsorship program is progressing fantastically. During our GBR survey season we will be looking out for the effects of Yasi (and hoping they are not too bad!) and look forward to seeing some of our North Queensland volunteers underwater on the GBR in the upcoming months.
 Board Chair
Jo Roberts
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THINGS ARE CHANGING AT REEF CHECK AUSTRALIA
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The past few months have been ones of dramatic and exciting change at RCA. Following a review of the company's current position the Board met in late February when some major decisions were made.
As a result of that review process the Board has decided that RCA's head office will be relocated to Brisbane. This was a decision that was not taken lightly and the plan is to maintain a part-time presence in Townsville until such time as financial conditions allow for a more permanent return to the city.
Along with the move to Brisbane, we are delighted to announce that Jenn Loder will be appointed as RCA's new General Manager. Jenn has spent the last few years building our base in SEQ but also has extensive knowledge of the GBR region having spent many years in Townsville. Part of Jenn's job will be to ensure that the GBR area remains as active as ever with a full survey season (from 2012) and training calendar each year.
We have a wonderful network of volunteers in the GBR region who will give Jenn all the assistance she needs to make sure that RCA continues its great work on the GBR.
We thank you all for your patience and understanding as we make these changes. We firmly believe that in the long run they are for the best of ALL of Reef Check Australia.
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LOTS OF NEWS FROM SEQ
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Our December 2010 training course on N. Stradbroke Island welcomed six new SEQ surveyors to the team. However, after uncooperative summer weather and the January 2011 floods, the SEQ season was put on hold. Although our dedicated volunteers have been anxious to hop in and survey to see how Moreton Bay reefs have fared, water conditions have kept our teams land-bound. Volunteers collected data on 16 different sites during our 2010 SEQ season and there are three more that we would like to reach soon. We are still actively seeking funding for some post-flood monitoring and we will keep you posted about progress. Despite the best intentions for a Clean Up Australia Day event with several local dive shops, community organisations and research groups, the windy weather wasn’t keen and it’s another dive to add to the reschedule list!
We’re going on an Expedition! Ok, well Ben Southall, Tourism Queensland’s The Best Job in the World Global Tourism Ambassador and former Island Caretaker is embarking on The Best Expedition in the World, travelling up the length of the Great Barrier Reef to showcase what exactly makes it great… and RCA is tagging along! We will be helping to facilitate community engagement experiences through a brand new public program currently in development as well as coordinated reef health surveys, educational experiences and community events. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to get involved.
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GBR survey news
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The personnel changes at the end of 2010 and then Tropical Cyclone Yasi and floods in Far North Queensland have caused us plenty of problems with the start of the GBR survey season this year.
We're sorry about that but, rest assured, GBR surveys are continuing and we are hoping to get a season's worth completed!
At the end of March a team will be spending the weekend in Port Douglas with Calypso and Quicksilver getting the season underway (and in the process Louise Bernstein, one of the team members, will be logging her 1000th dive!). After that Mark Nilsen (RCA Board Director) and Paul Markey (ex-Project Officer) have agreed to work closely with Jenn to keep the survey momentum going and get more completed. Keep an eye on your email inbox for further details as these surveys get organised...some are in the pipeline already!
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New adopt a reef corporate giving program
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 We are delighted to have teamed up with Tourism Queensland's "Best Expedition in the World" promotion to launch our new Adopt a Reef Corprate Giving Program.
The program gives corporate supporters the chance to not only help RCA with our work out on the reefs, but also get heaps of great exposure from the Best Expedition in the World. Ben Southall (the guy who was lucky enough to get the Best Job in the World) will be kayaking up the GBR highlighting issues related to its protection as he goes.
Reef Check Australia were selected by Tourism Queensland as the perfect community engagement partner for the trip.
Full details of the Adopt a Reef Program can be found on the website.
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RCA townsville training course
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 In late March we welcomed 5 new surveyors to the ranks of our wonderful volunteers. We were delighted to be working with new Townsville dive operator Splash Watersports who provided all the logistical support we needed for the intensive four day course including classroom, tanks, and boat. The weather Gods smiled on us (for once) and everyone enjoyed a challenging but rewarding 4 days, and improved their low-viz skills at the same time! Congratulations to our new surveyors!
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GREY NURSE SHARK WATCH..SEEKING YOUR HELP!
 Conservation Groups, Government Departments and scientists have joined forces to carry out a research and community engagement program to increase our understanding of the critically endangered Grey Nurse Shark’s movements and numbers along the east coast of Australia.
If you’re a dive company, or an avid diver/photographer that regularly dives where Grey Nurse Sharks frequent, you can help contribute to this monitoring program.
RCA is excited to be the host of the new Grey Nurse Shark Watch program’s public database. Check out the website to find out how YOU can get involved in the upcoming winter survey season and contribute to GNS research and management!
> For more information, visit www.reefcheckaustralia.org
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Reef Check Australia is a registered not for profit organisation and is a registered Environmental Organisation. Reef Check Australia is entitled under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 item 6.1.1 of subsection 30-55(1) to receive tax deductible donations. Any individual, company, trust or charity that makes a donation will receive a receipt for use in the preparation of their tax return.
PO Box 404, Townsville, QLD 4810. Tel +61 7 4724 3950. Reef Check Foundation Ltd. (Australia) ABN: 46 108 200 933. Registered Australian charity with tax deductible gift recipient status.
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