Empowering people to save our reefs and oceans

Reef Check Australia Checkup  
REEF CHECK AUSTRALIA CHECK-UP SEPTEMBER 2011


Dear %%First_Name%%

We know it's been a bit quiet. Thanks for bearing with us as we took some time to migrate and settle in to our new Head Quarters in Brisbane. A big thanks to SEQ Catchments for accommodating all of our boxes! After the usual challenges that come with moving a whole office we've jumped right in and been busily working on lots of new projects.

May saw the launch of REEFSearch, our new community engagement program, at Lady Elliot Island as part of Tourism Queensland's Best Expedition in the World. We've been continuing to pilot our new REEFSearch program ever since and it's going along swimmingly, with the help from some great partners. June was the launch of the new Grey Nurse Shark Watch program, hosted by Reef Check Australia. This program helps volunteers actively contribute to a community-based photographic identification program to better protect this critically endangered species. July saw another successful volunteer training course in Townsville--we're pleased to welcome some new surveyors to the team! In August I had the opportunity to visit Reef Check headquarters in LA and discuss how we can continue to contribute to the worldwide program. This month we showing off the data collected by our fabulous volunteers... and going global! We're presenting our data at the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity in Aberdeen, Scotland. What's to come next month? Reef Check will be showing our stuff and giving a seminar at the Oceanic Dive and Ecotourism Expo in Brisbane. Come join us! We'll also be kicking off numerous surveys in both North and Southeast Queensland, thanks to some newly acquired funding. Looking forward to keeping you posted on our new adventures and hope to see many of you over the next few months as we're out and about!

General Manager
Jennifer Loder








ReefSearch and the Best Expedition in the World








  Over the past several months we’ve    
  been piloting our new community 
  engagement program, REEFSearch, on
  Tourism Queensland’s Best Expedition 
  in the World. We’ve collected feedback
  from Lady Elliot Island visitors, University
  of the Sunshine Coast business students, Brisbane dive clubbers, travelers to Magnetic Island and Bwgcolman Community School on Palm Island. The positive feedback has been overwhelming! Stay tuned for more project updates as we work to fully implement REEFSearch. This project was made possible with support from Adopt a Reef sponsor AirAsia and in-kind donations from Red Crayon and Cardzilla.








ODEX 2011








From October 7 to 9 at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane, Reef Check Australia will be taking part in ODEX – the Oceania Dive and Ecotourism Expo 2011. We will have a huge exhibit booth at the event and Jenn will be presenting a talk on Saturday afternoon showcasing Reef Check Australia and the Best Expedition in the World. We look forward to seeing lots of you there, so don’t forget to stop by and say hi!









Grey Nurse shark watch








It’s a great time to be get out and see Grey Nurse Sharks as they migrate north from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast and beyond. You can help Grey Nurse Shark Watch by becoming a site custodian and submitting your reports. Check out the Dive Sites with a great NEW feature through Google Earth!









Worldwide data

Reef Check Australia will be sharing our findings at the World Conference   on Marine Biodiversity in September. Former Science Operations Mangager and ever-dedicated Reef Checker, Dr. Marie-Lise Schläppy (now Senior Researcher for Uni Environment in Norway), will be presenting A comparison of the marine biodiversity of Queensland’s tropical and subtropical reef habitats by the Reef Check Australia community monitoring program as well as a digital presentation highlighting what Reef Check Australia is all about. Want to see for yourself? It's currently being finalized and will be available online through our website and SciVee very soon.

Adopt a coral polyp








To compliment our corporate Adopt a Reef campaign, Reef Check Australia has now launched an Adopt a Coral Polyp campaign! For just $10 you can adopt your very own coral polyp, a perfect present for a friend or family member. Join our growing list of supporters building a bigger, better Reef Check, one polyp at a time. First, visit the website to take our new fun quiz and find out what type of coral you are... then pass it on to your friends!






SURVEY SEASON


We're gearing up to kick-start more surveys all along the Queensland Coast. Thanks to a three-year grant from Sunshine Coast Council's Community Partnership Funding Program, we've can ensure the framework for long-
term Reef Check monitoring on 10 local fringing reef sites and numerous opportunities for volunteer engagement. An Australian Government Caring
for Our Country grant through Townsville City Council's Creek to Coral program will support the efforts of our North Queensland survey teams to monitor and report on the inshore and midshelf reefs around the Townsville region. This will be particularly important to watch reef recovery after
Cyclone Yasi.


TRAINING

 
Since May, we've run two new volunteer training courses and welcomed 12 new volunteers to our GBR & SEQ survey teams... these surveyors will be joining the thousands of volunteers collecting data all around the world. Welcome to the Reef Check Family!

FIND US ON FACEBOOK


You can now follow Reef Check Australia on our new and improved
Facebook page. Receive regular updates on what we are up to and get connected to other Reef Check volunteers and activities.
"Like" us (you know you want to)!
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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 13204 George St, Brisbane QLD 4003. Tel +61 7 4724 3950. Reef Check Foundation Ltd. (Australia)   ABN: 46 108 200 933. Registered Australian charity with tax deductible gift recipient status.