(Updated 9 June 2010) The 2010 International Climate Change Adaptation Conference will be held on the Gold Coast, Queensland from 29 June to 1 July 2010. 

Themed 'Climate adaptation futures:  Preparing for the unavoidable impacts of climate change', the conference aims to bring together scientists and decision-makers from developed and developing countries to share research approaches, methods and results.  By showcasing leading impacts and adaptation research from around the world, the conference will explore the contribution of adaptation science to planning and policy making, and how robust adaptation decision-making can proceed in the face of uncertainty about climate change and its impacts.

As the meeting will be highly relevent to much of the climate change research being conducted through the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility, the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre will coordinate a special conference session entitled 'Impacts and adaptation in the tropics' to provide opportunities for those working in or on the tropics to share knowledge and thereby increase collective capacity for effective adaptation in tropical regions.  Presenters in this session will discuss climate change impacts on tropical communities and ecosystems in the context of transferable adaptation methods, techniques and information.

MTSRF participants are encouraged to attend.

Access:  NCCARF 2010 Conference Website
Download:  NCCARF 2010 Conference Registration
Download:  NCCARF 2010 Flyer

(1 June 2010) James Cook University researcher Dr David Williamson will discuss the outputs of MTSRF funded research at a community seminar to be held on 10 June.

David will identify the effects of Marine Park zoning on inshore fish species and try to answer such questions as:

• What's happening to the Reef's fish numbers?
• How are the zones different?
• Will trout numbers continue to grow?
• Will they overflow into other zones?
• What questions remain unanswered? 

The seminar will be held from 7:00 to 8:00pm on Thursday, 10 June 2010 at the Mossman Bowls Club, Johnston Road, Mossman, Far North Queensland.  Further information can be obtained by contacting 4098 1536.  Entry is free.

Download:  Seminar Flyer

(1 June 2010) MTSRF funded research will be presented in Townsville this week as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority hosts special seminars by the recipients of its 2009 Science for Management Awards.

James Cook University's Andrew Chin (MTSRF Project 4.8.4s) will present his work on the biology and ecology of the blacktip reef shark and the implications for conservation and management.

The University of Queensland's Tara Clarke (MTSRF Project 1.1.4) will present the outputs of a project that is dating and mapping historical changes in corals of the Great Barrier Reef.

For further information about the seminars, contact Julia Chandler, Communication and Policy Coordination Branch, GBRMPA on 4750 0810.

(15 April 2010) Sharks International will provide a forum for the world's leading shark and ray experts, students and up and coming researchers to exchange and compare their latest research in shark and ray ecology from around the world.  The conference will be the first of its kind in Australia since 1991 and is an opportunity to encourage and develop international links between researchers from various regions.  The event will be held at the Rydges Hotel Esplanade in Cairns from 6 to 11 June, 2010.

Addressing key knowledge gaps for effective shark conservation has been a priority area for the Australian Government's Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF Program 8).  MTSRF-funded researchers from James Cook University will be presenting their latest research results in shark and ray ecology, biology and fisheries of the Great Barrier Reef.  Recognising the international significance of this conference, the critical need to address existing knowledge gaps, and the MTSRF involvement in shark research, the RRRC is proudly sponsoring the event.

Further Information:  Sharks International Conference webpage

(12 April 2010) The FNQ GIS Group Inc. (FUNGIS) invites interested persons to attend a pest and weed management spatial workshop to be held in Cairns.

The workshop aims to round-up current developments, methods and tools for the capture, management and exchange of spatial information relevant to recording and reporting pests and weeds.  It will also include updates on the Annual Pest Distribution Survey and the Spatial Pest Attribute Standard, and introduce the FNQ Pest and Weeds Portal and Pest Central systems.

The morning session is open for updates from organisations across the north.  Presentations of 10-15 minutes are invited.  The afternoon session will provide opportunity to field test the spatial toolbox with practical hands-on demonstrations.

Wednesday, 26 May 2010
8:30am - 4:00pm
Civic Reception, Cairns Regional Council
Spence Street, Cairns

$75.00 includes lunch and morning and afternoon teas
Or $50.00 for presenters and members of FNQ GIS Group and the SSSI

Registration will open in late April and a final program will be released in early May.  To register, visit the FNQ GIS Group website.  Product displays are welcome.

Download: Workshop Information Flyer

General Enquiries to Reuben Sinclair (reubens@fungis.org, 0407 403 296)

(22 March 2010) Australian populations of iconic marine wildlife species (e.g. marine turtles, sharks and rays, large fishes such as potato cod, Maori wrasse and Queensland grouper, whales and dolphins) are under pressure from a range of human related threats. These marine wildlife species are important resources for Reef tourism operators and a significant proportion of tourists' expenditure can be attributed to sightings of these animals and interactions with them. Tourism has the potential to contribute to the conservation of these species whilst providing economic benefits to the local community; however it must be managed to be ecologically sustainable.

A MTSRF-funded James Cook University research project is investigating the social and economic values of iconic marine wildlife species to inform the sustainable management of tourism in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Part of this investigation includes an assessment of the current and potential threats to these highly valued reef species, including any impacts of tourism and evaluation of management tools to help minimise them. To help with this, we are seeking input from experienced Reef tourism industry representatives from Port Douglas, Cairns, Townsville and the Whitsundays to help identify (i) the Reef species most valuable to their operation, (ii) their concerns about impacts and management of these species and their habitats, and (iii) research and management needs to address such impacts.

During March and April 2010, researchers will be conducting interviews with experienced staff from a range of Reef tourism operations in these areas. The issues that arise from these interviews will then be summarised and discussed in a scoping workshop to be held in Cairns in late May 2010, involving industry, management agencies, Reef researchers and other key stakeholders. The outcomes of this workshop will be reported to the participants, Reef managers and the Australian Government via the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF), and will help to identify key areas for new research and issues for the sustainable management of tourism based on these Reef species.

Download further information [PDF 202Kb]

(22 April 2010) The Reef and Rainforest Research Centre invites interested members of the community to attend a special Community 'Essential Science' session to be held on Saturday, 22 May 2010 at The Pier Marketplace in Cairns. The event will take place on the Centre Stage at the Farmgate Markets.

The session will run for two hours from 10:00am and include presentations by some of the MTSRF's key research leaders.  The RRRC will have a stall available from 7:30am to answer questions and distribute flyers and brochures.

Download:  Community 'Essential Science' Flyer 

(15 April 2010) The Reef and Rainforest Research Centre invites interested persons to the next 'Reef Science' session, to be held in Port Douglas.  

The free information session will highlight current reef research funded by the MTSRF.  Topics will include:

• Trends in the health of the Great Barrier Reef
• Impacts of climate change on marine species
• Trends in Great Barrier Reef tourism
• Trends in offshore marine stingers
• The effects of Marine Park zoning on fish populations
• The economic value of key marine species to the tourism industry

Wednesday, 28 April 2010
5:15pm - 6:30pm
Marina Mirage, onboard Wavedancer
Port Douglas

To RSVP, contact Hayley Gorsuch, RRRC on (07) 4050 7400.

Download:  Port Douglas Reef Science Flyer 

(Updated - 8 April 2010) A workshop is being scheduled to bring together practitioners and researchers who have a strong interest in ecological rainforest restoration in the Wet Tropics.  To be hosted by the Regional Landscape Repair & Resilience Working Group and jointly sponsored by the MTSRF, FNQ ROC and Terrain NRM Ltd, the workshop aims to:

• consider the current state of knowledge and research
• identify important knowledge gaps (at both site and landscape scales)
• identify and discuss gaps for which filling requires collaboration between researchers and practitioners

Persons interested in attending the workshop should forward their expression of interest to Debra Harrison, Information Management Officer, Terrain NRM/Griffith University, and include the following information:  Full name, email address, contact phone number, organisation, the nature of your interest in rainforest restoration.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, 22 April 2010 from 8:30am to 3:30pm in Cairns.

(22 March 2010) World renowned expert on sustainable tourism, Professor Bernard Lane, will present a seminar for tourism industry representatives.

James Cook University's Centre for Tropical Tourism Studies invites interested members of the community to attend the seminar to be held on Thursday, 25 March 2010 at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, Wharf Street, Cairns.

To RSVP, contact the James Cook University Faculty of Law, Business and Creative Arts on (07) 4042 1066 or email facultylbca.cnsstaff@jcu.edu.au.

(25 February 2010) The James Cook University School of Marine and Tropical Biology invites interested persons to attend an inaugural lecture byProfessor Steve Williams, who leads MTSRF-funded terrestrial climate change research under Project 2.5ii.4.

The lecture will commence at 5:30pm, Wednesday 24 March 2010 in the Kingstone and Savoy Rooms, Southbank Hotel & Convention Centre, Palmer Street, Townsville.

Download:  Invitation and Abstract

(4 March 2010) On behalf of the RRRC consortium, Dr Suzanne Long and Dr David Souter will speak at a special afternoon seminar at Industry House in Canberra on 10 March 2010.

Suzanne will present and discuss some of the lessons learned from the Australian Government's Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF), an innovative experiment in the management and delivery of applied research programs in regional Australia. David will introduce the e-Atlas, the MTSRF's new online knowledge management system that integrates a range of open-source technologies to provide access to the data and information handling, spatial mapping and analytical tools to collate, integrate, analyse, share and communicate the vast array of biophysical and socio-economic information required to facilitate evidence-based decision making for effective management and long-term sustainable use of Australia's tropical environmental assets.

The session will be held from 2.30pm-3.30 pm on Wednesday 10 March 2010, at Industry House, 10 Binara Street, Canberra ACT.

Contact Matt Stimson (matt.stimson@innovation.gov.au) to register your interest in attending.

(4 March 2010) Three senior MTSRF-funded researchers have been invited to present their work at a special session of the Department of Climate Change's Greenhouse Frontiers Seminar Series on 9 March 2010.

Associate Professor Kevin Parnell from James Cook University will discuss how his work is helping communities in the Torres Strait adapt to climate change. In conjunction with the Torres Strait Regional Authority, he has worked closely with communities on these low-lying islands to generate practical options for managing rising sea levels and shoreline erosion, and is currently exploring how traditional ecological knowledge might be used to help build the resilience of Torres Strait Islanders to climate change. Lessons learned in this region are applicable to managing the problems of vulnerable coastal communities elsewhere in Australia and the world.

Delivering practical options for managing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity is the goal of Professor Steve Williams from James Cook University. Working in the global biodiversity hotspot of the Wet Tropics rainforests of North Queensland, Professor Williams and his MTSRF-funded team are increasing our understanding of the consequences of climate change for tropical biodiversity, and the potential usefulness of climate refuges as management tools.

The release of the MTSRF-funded Monitoring Revegetation Projects in Rainforest Landscapes toolkit has been timely given the rapidly increasing interest in Australia and worldwide in revegetation for both ecological restoration and carbon biosequestration. Toolkit author Associate Professor Carla Catterall from Griffith University will discuss the wider implications of her MTSRF-funded research for managing, monitoring and evaluating the success of investment in ecological restoration and carbon sequestration projects.

The session will be held from 12.30pm-1.30 pm on Tuesday 9 March 2010 at the Department's offices, 2 Constitution Avenue, Canberra ACT.

Anyone interested in attending should contact Conrad Buffier at Conrad.buffier@climatechange.gov.au.

(16 February 2010) The RRRC presents an information session for marine tourism operators and crew.  Find out how MTSRF-generated research outputs are being adopted through the RRRC's unique engagement structure to enhance the sustainability, use and management of the Great Barrier Reef, and how easy it is to access up-to-date, freely available information on reef related research.

The session will shocase MTSRF-funded research highlights on topics including trends in reef health, impacts of climate change on marine species, effects of Marine Park rezoning on fish populations, the economic value of key marine species to the tourism industry, trends in tourism, marine stingers and much more.

Thursday, 4 March 2010
5:30pm - 6:30pm
Reef Fleet Terminal, Marlin Marina, Cairns

To RSVP, contact Hayley Gorsuch, RRRC Cairns or phone (07) 4050 7400.

Download email/poster board flyer.

(19 February 2010) A workshop on invasive fish species in Queensland's Wet Tropics region will be held on Wednesday 10 March in Atherton, hosted by researchers of MTSRF Program 6 from the CSIRO, James Cook University and Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.

Major outputs of the workshop will include an update of the Wet Tropics fish atlas, and a GIS model(s) using critical environmental attributes to identify high-risk areas throughout the Wet Tropics region. 

For further information and/or to register your interest in attending the workshop, contact Dr Frederieke Kroon (CSIRO) or John Russell (DEEDI).  (Photograph courtesy of Frederieke Kroon, CSIRO.)

(13 November 2009) Registrations are now open for the 2009 Ecological Society of Australia Symposium and Annual General Meeting to be held on Friday, 4 December at the Shine Dome, Australian Academy of Sciences, Canberra.

Entitled "Ecology and environmental policy:  Never the two shall meet?", the meeting will use the current, hot topic of bush fires as a case study.  With the intersection of fire science, ecology, landscape management and policy again receiving significant public attention, the symposium will provide opportunity for the ESA, scientists and policy makers to work together to find solutions to contemporary natural resource management challenges.

Download:  ESA Symposium and AGM Flyer
Download:  ESA Symposium and AGM Registration

'Mainstreaming responses to climatic variability and change while improving results-based management', Cairns Convention Centre, 26-29 October 2009

(6 October 2009) The 5th International Waters Conference will facilitate dialogue on how the Global Environment Facility's (GEF) International Waters portfolio can incorporate climate variability and change into current and future project implementation.  This year's conference ('IWC5') will solicit recommendations from the existing portfolio on incorporating climate variability and change in the context of transboundary waters management.  The input will contribute to the discussions for developing the GEF International Waters Strategy for the fifth GEF Replenishment. The conference will also explore mechanisms for greater private sector involvement in public-private partnerships in future GEFIW projects through involvement of private sector participants.

The RRRC is a private sector sponsor of this year's conference. 

For further background information about the GEF, click here.

For further information about the conference, including registration and program, click here.

(21 September 2009) Staff of the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre were out and about in Canberra last week, delivering the message that well-managed scientific research can help to improve the sustainability of management and use of Australia's environmental assets.

The team showcased some of the science solutions that are already emerging from the North Queensland based Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) at the annual Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) Conference at the Australian Academy of Science (15-16 September), as well as meeting and personally briefing a wide variety of government policy and decision makers.

The MTSRF presentation to the CERF Conference was delivered jointly by two consortium members, Dr Ian Poiner (Australian Institute of Marine Science, representing MTSRF research providers, pictured) and Mr Daniel Gschwind (Queensland Tourism Industry Council, representing MTSRF research end users).  They also launched the new Impacts of the MTSRF booklet, which summarises some of the many cases in which MTSRF-generated information is already helping to improve the management and sustainable use of Australia's environmental assets.

To listen the MTSRF presentation, entitled 'Targeted Research, Community Benefit, Value for Money', click here [mp3 36.0 Mb]

(8 October 2009) An Open Day will be held at the Australian Canopy Crane Research Station on Saturday, 10 October 2009 for interested members of the community.

Several leading scientists will present some of their work while early birds will have the opportunity to take a crane tour.  A barbeque lunch will be provided.

For further information and to RSVP, email canopycrane@jcu.edu.au

(8 October 2009) As part of a Q150 supported community-based project, MTSRF-funded researchers from The University of Queensland with support from Kuku Nyungkal people and several project consultants have developed a DVD to celebrate the Kuku Nyungkal community's connections with their country. 

A launch and screening of the DVD will be held on Thursday, 22 October 2009 near Cooktown in far northern Queensland.  Information about the project can be obtained by contacting the RRRC Townsville Office.

(21 September 2009) News of a meeting involving Traditional Owners of the Wet Tropics region and MTSRF-funded researchers to set research priorities for the next six years was received by the RRRC this week.

Jointly hosted by James Cook University and the North Queensland Traditional Owners Land and Sea Management Alliance, the two-day workshop held in Innisfail on 15-16 September enabled Traditional Owners from each of the eighteen Indigenous groups in the Wet Tropics to establish priorities for strategic Indigenous research.

MTSRF Program 9 leader Professor Steve Turton of James Cook University said the workshop marked a new era in engagement between researchers, managers and Indigenous people in the Wet Tropics area.  Some of the issues covered in the workshop included processes for engagement between Traditional Owners and researchers, climate change and its likely impact on the cultural and natural heritage of rainforest Aboriginal people, and research focussing on the unique cultural heritage of the Wet Tropics rainforests.

The RRRC will present a free information evening for marine biologists, reef guides and other interested members of the community on Thursday, 24 September in Cairns.

Participants will find out how MTSRF-funded research outputs are being adopted through the unique engagement framework developed by the RRRC to enhance the sustainability, use and management of the Great Barrier Reef.  The session will also cover the health and status of the Great Barrier Reef, trends in reef tourism, the effects of 'Green' zones on fish populations, the effects of poor water quality on the reef and much more.

The session will start at 5:30pm sharp at the Reef Magic Vessel, Marlin Marina (The Pier Market Place).  To RSVP, contact Hayley.Gorsuch@rrrc.org.au.

Download Reef Science Session Invitation [pdf]

(20/08/2009) James Cook University PhD candidate and MTSRF-funded researcher Mariana Fuentes talks with ABC's Annie Guest from The World Today program about observed changes in Australia's population of green sea turtles - the world's largest - which could threaten the species' future.

Read the transcript and access MP3 download online (The World Today website).

We are now living in a world in which the climate is being substantially modified by human activity.  These changes are leading to a wide range of impacts, one of which is a sustained rise in sea level at a rate that is unprecedented for the last five thousand years.  A major consequence of this rise is an increase in the frequency and probability of flood events from the ocean.

This presentation, part of a national program of informative seminars and training workshops, will summarise the present state of sea-level science and will describe a method of incorporating this knowledge into risk-based planning.  This will enable policy makers, planners and owners of infrastructure to:

• Assess the risks posed to existing coastal infrastucture;

• Set prudent guidelines for infrastructure maintenance; and

• Set appropriate design codes and planning policies for new infrastructure and coastal development.

It is important for effective management of the coastal zone that these altered conditions be addressed.  We should not over-react, however.  Our decisions should be based within an appropriate risk assessment framework.  Such a risk-based solution will be presented at the seminars.

For further information, including date, time and venue, visit the Sea Level Rise website. 

To register to attend the Cairns workshop (8-9 September), click here.

To register to attend the Townsville workshop (10-11 September), click here.

Climate change simulations workshop - Simulations for CMIP5 (IPCC AR5) and the data requirements for Queensland and the wet tropical regions

The CSIRO has been delivering climate change information to stakeholders in Queensland and the tropical regions via both the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) and the Queensland Centre for Climate Change Excellence (QCCCE).  Much of this information stems from the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology 2007 Technical Report which represented a synthesis of data from the (CMIP3) IPCC AR4 climate models.  In partnership with the QCCCE, the CSIRO is preparing to perform some climate change simulations and make the data available for the next AR5 phase.  In addition, it is expected the CSIRO will be looking at new methods for synthesising the latest climate change information when it becomes available.  By then, it is expected that much more advice may be generated about the risks posed by tropical cyclones, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, floods and extreme rainfall events, and droughts - all critical to the North Queensland region.

A climate change modelling and research directions workshop was held in Port Douglas, North Queensland, 20-21 July 2009.  The aim of the workshop was to scope the climate science priorities and challenges relevant to tropical Queensland and to enhance collaboration and delivery of climate change information required for effective planning and management of the enviornmental assets of North Queensland.

Sixteen presentations were given by climate modelling experts, with topics ranging from the impacts of aerosols on tropical Australian climate to dynamic donwscaling of climate simulations.  Presentations were followed by a facilitated discussion between researchers, climate modellers and natural resource managers to identify critical research prirorities and modelling requirements for management.

Outcomes from the workshop form a valuable contribution to the RRRC's extensive consultation process in the review of current environmental research priorities for North Queensland.

James Cook University will host the second annual CESE conference, to be held at Jupiters Hotel and Casino, Townsville, from 14-17 July 2009.

North Queensland is unique in the sense that is possesses two World Heritage Areas - the Wet Tropics rainforests and Great Barrier Reef.  While we can still enjoy the beauty of these areas, we are also starting to observe degradation due to anthropogenic activities.  This conference will enable researchers, policy makers, academics, students and interested members of the community who are active in contributing solutions to the problems posed by these environmental challenges to meet and share their visions.

Further information about the conference including Keynote Speakers, abstract submission and registration is available from the James Cook University website.

Senator The Hon. John Hogg (right) takes a ride in the Australian Canopy Crane gondola with RRRC managing director Sheriden Morris.

Senator The Hon. John Hogg, President of the Senate and Senator for Queensland made a flying visit to North Queensland's spectacular Daintree rainforest on 7 May 2009.  Accompanied by the RRRC's managing director, Sheriden Morris, Senator Hogg first visited James Cook University's Australian Canopy Crane near Cape Tribulation and talked with University researchers who receive funding through the MTSRF program.

One of the major topics of discussion was the likely impact of climate change on the rainforest and surrounding communities, and the climate change mitigation and adaptation options that MTSRF-funded research is working to develop.

"One of the most important features of the MTSRF is that the focus is on research to help government and the tourism industry to manage our rainforests better," reflected Senator Hogg.  "It is exciting to see the scientific resources that are available in North Queensland - such as James Cook University's canopy crane research facility - use to help generate management solutions to the envionmental problems faced by the region."

Senator Hogg also met with local representatives from international NGO Rainforest Rescue, which is putting MTSRF-generated solutions into action in the Daintree, and viewed several revegetation sites in the vicinity of Cow Bay.  The rainforest revegetation toolkit, derived from a productive collaboration between Griffith University, Terrain NRM Ltd and the MTSRF helps non-specialists to improve the success of their rainforest revegetation efforts.  "It's very rewarding to see some of the tools that have been produced through the MTSRF already being picked up and used, by all kinds of organisations, to improve environmental sustainability," said Sheriden.  "In this way all North Queenslanders are becoming beneficiaries of our federally-funded research programs."

"Senator Hogg's visit was a great opportunity for the consortium the RRRC represents.  While guiding the Senator on this visit we were able to really highlight the useful contributions being made by all of our research partners and end users working on climage change and rainforest issues."

The live-aboard dive boat industry in Cairns and Port Douglas is worth at least $16 million per annum to the region, according to scientific research results that will be announced at the 2009 Annual Conference of the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility.

The results also show that live-aboard divers travelling to Osprey Reef valued shark sightings more highly than sightings of other wildlife.

Download the MTSRF Media Release (24 April 2009)

(Right) Snorkellers with Maori Wrasse in the Coral Sea off the Far North Queensland coast (Image courtesy of Matt Curnock, JCU).

North Queensland is home to two incredible World Heritage Areas - the Wet Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef.  Both are areas of high biodiversity and reknowned beauty, and are already showing signs of the impacts of climate change.

The region also supports highly valuable resource operations.  As environmental practitioners, climate change presents great challenges as well as opportunities to harness the unique resources of the region. 

Hosted by the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand - Far North Queensland Division, the World Environment Day Boot Camp was held at the Riverway Centre in Townsville on 5 June 2009.

The RRRC extends its congratulations to Skyrail Rainforest Cableway for their winning of the Qantas Sustainable Tourism Award at the Australian Tourism Awards held in Melbourne on 27 February 2009.  Skyrail is a recognised end-user of the outputs of MTSRF research in North Queensland.  RRRC Managing Director, Sheriden Morris, said the award is a fantastic result for North Queensland's tourism industry.

Pictured:  Premier Anna Bligh with RRRC Managing Director Sheriden Morris at Russell Island, part of the Frankland Islands Group southeast of Cairns.

The Queensland Premier, The Hon. Anna Bligh, visited the Great Barrier Reef on 29 January to see first-hand the negative effects of poor water quality on Queensland's corals.  Guided by staff of the RRRC, the Premier made use of a glass-bottomed boat to inspect healthy and unhealthy inshore reefs.

RRRC Managing Director Sheriden Morris thanked the Premier and her staff for taking the time to visit and witness the problem in the field.  "Sediments and other pollutants - like pesticides and fertilisers - are flowing out of our rivers and causing problems for the inshore areas of the Great Barrier Reef," she said.  "The science is definitive:  there is no doubt that human activities on land are degrading water quality and damaging our Reef."

Download the RRRC Media Release (29 January 2009).

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the problems besetting the Great Barrier Reef. But researchers funded through the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) are not giving up - instead they are working to provide practical solutions for the survival and sustainability of north Queensland’s reef ecosystems, as well as the industries and communities that depend upon them.

Above: Scientific experiments aimed at understanding the mechanisms of coral bleaching. Image courtesy of Gergely Torda (AIMS

In any discussion of the science of reef health, the concept of ecosystem resilience is fundamental. A healthy, resilient coral reef is one that can absorb shocks and recover from stress without loss of biodiversity or complexity. As the changing climate causes global environmental stress levels to increase, only healthy, resilient reefs are likely to survive. Therefore, a major goal of the MTSRF's reef research programs is to find ways to build and maintain the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.

The science clearly demonstrates that reef health is negatively affected by sediments and other pollutants (such as fertilisers and pesticides) flowing out of our rivers. MTSRF researchers from AIMS have shown that corals affected by poor water quality are two to four times more likely to suffer bleaching than reefs bathed in good-quality water. This is a clear indication that, alongside global strategies aimed at minimising climate change, local water quality improvements would enhance the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef. Improvements in water quality will be one of our best strategies to combat coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC) hosted a function at Parliament House in Canberra on 24 November 2008, showcasing the region's emergence as a global hub of tropical environmental expertise.

The effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef sparked a lively, public debate at Port Douglas Community Hall on Saturday night (25 October 2008), as part of the International Year of the Reef Festival.

John Connor, CEO of the Climate Institute, launched the forum with a keynote presentation on future climate projections for the Great Barrier Reef and was joined by a panel including expert scientists shortly thereafter to discuss the future of the Reef with concerned community members and industry representatives. Panel members included Jos Hill (Managing Director, Reef Check Australia), Phil Laycock (Senior Regional Liaison Officer, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority), Dr Tony Ayling (Principal Consultant, Sea Research) and Hayley Gorsuch (Research Manager, Reef and Rainforest Research Centre).

The public forum concluded the two-day festival which was hosted by Undersea Explorer in partnership with GBRMPA, Low Isles Preservation Society, Douglas Shire Sustainability Group, tourism operators and various other community and local groups.

The Saturday had begun with a community beach clean up of Four Mile Beach on the Saturday morning, followed by a range of activities and presentations held Port Douglas Community Hall to celebrate the Great Barrier Reef and increase awareness of the potential impacts of climate change. Information stalls were set up from a variety of management agencies, tourism operations, environmental non-profit organisations and many more.

GARRETT SPEECH: REEF SUMMIT, BRISBANE [Friday 24 October 2008]

THE HON PETER GARRETT AM MP MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND THE ARTS

The Smart Women – Smart State Awards 2008 have recognised two researchers funded by the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) in North Queensland.

Dr Kirsten Heimann won the award for achievements in research science, while Amanda O’Malley won the inaugural Green Award for her PhD project. Both women are based at James Cook University (JCU) in Townsville.

Above: Dr Kirsten Heimann working on a toxin-producing dinoflagellate (Dinophysis caudata) in the laboratory at the North Queensland Algal Identification/Culture Facility, JCU. Photo courtesy of Stanley Hudson/NQAIF.

Fifteen awards were presented at the Smart Women – Smart State ceremony in Brisbane on 2nd September 2008. These awards are well-regarded and this year nominees included women who have made innovative contributions to their communities, those who have excelled at secondary school and university level, as well as those working in industry, business, the community and the public sector.

“Through these awards, the State is valuing the fact that professional women are playing major roles in shaping Queensland’s future,” said Dr Heimann. “I’m honoured that my work has been recognised in this way, and I hope this inspires Queensland women to enter careers in technical fields such as science.”

Above: Amanda O'Malley, releasing a Elseya stirlingi turtle back into the Johnstone River. Photo courtesy of Scott Waugh.

In addition to her busy research and university teaching schedule, Dr Heimann is the Director of JCU’s North Queensland Algal Identification/Culturing Facility, the world’s first such facility to focus on tropical microalgae. Her groundbreaking research is internationally recognised and has applications in the development of biodiesel, climate change and human health.

Among other projects, Dr Heimann is currently investigating the linkages between human health, climate change and dinoflagellates (a special group of marine microalgae). Preliminary results from this MTSRF-funded study indicate that climate change could increase the incidence of dinoflagellate-caused ciguatera poisoning - also known as tropical reef-fish poisoning - in subtropical regions of Queensland.

(Pictured) Ms Sheriden Morris (left) and Dr David Souter from the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC) demonstrated the features of the Reef Atlas for Prime Minister The Hon. Kevin Rudd and Climate Change Minister The Hon. Penny Wong, with Member for Leichhardt Mr Jim Turnour MP and Principal Research Scientist Dr Katharina Fabricius (AIMS) looking on, in Port Douglas on 25 July 2008.  Sheriden Morris, Managing Director of the RRRC, escorted the Prime Minister and Senator Wong on a tour of reefs around the Low Isles, off Port Douglas.

Ms Sheriden Morris and Dr David Souter from the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (left) demonstrate the features of the Reef Atlas for Prime Minister The Hon. Kevin Rudd and Climate Change Minister The Hon. Penny Wong, with Member for Leichhardt Mr Jim Turnour MP and Principal Research Scientist Dr Katharina Fabricius (AIMS) looking on. Port Douglas, 25 July 2008.

On their return to shore, Ms Morris and Dr Souter (RRRC’s Research Director) explained how the Reef Atlas, which is currently being developed collaboratively in the Australian Government's Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and RRRC, will be a useful tool in managing the risks posed to the Great Barrier Reef by climate change. The PM then addressed the press, speaking at length about climate change and its impacts on north Queensland, particularly coral reefs.

World leading Australian research to save the Great Barrier Reef from climate change

The Great Barrier Reef is under threat from climate change, but there is hope: scientists and managers are working together to try to keep the Reef healthy. That was the clear message delivered this morning by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, in Port Douglas, far north Queensland.

The Prime Minister The Hon. Kevin Rudd, and the Minister for Climate Change and Water, The Hon. Penny Wong, standing in front of a banner for the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF), discussing the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef. Port Douglas, 25 July 2008

The Prime Minister and Climate Change Minister were guided by Ms Sheriden Morris, Managing Director of the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, as they inspected some healthy and unhealthy reefs at the Low Isles, just offshore from Port Douglas.

“Climate change is already affecting the Reef,” Ms Morris said. “While it is easy to be overwhelmed by the array of environmental and economic problems that are being caused by climate change, it’s important to remember that there are things we can do to mitigate or avoid these risks.” “Right now we’re developing an innovative tool that is going to be critical in our fight to save the Great Barrier Reef - the Reef Atlas,” she said. [read more]

For further information and media associated with this launch please visit the following external sites:

Australian Prime Minister's Website:
http://www.pm.gov.au/media/interview/2008/interview_0380.cfm

The Cairns Post:
http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2008/07/25/5759_local-news.html

The Courier Mail:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24078032-952,00.html

Magnetic Island News:
http://magnetictimes.com/index.php?ID=2790

(28 April 2008) Many of Australia’s leading environmental and social scientists will be joining industry leaders in Cairns for a four day conference on the environmental risks facing our Reef, Rainforest and the Torres Strait.

The 2008 'Marine and Tropical Science Research Facility (MTSRF) Conference is being held from Monday 28th April until Thursday 1st May 2008. The Conference will provide an opportunity to share information and explore solutions to the threats facing the unique natural systems of North Queensland.

Managing Director, Sheriden Morris, said “Over 300 of Australia’s best scientists are involved in the MTSRF program and are working on answering questions such as what can we do about climate change impacts on tropical rainforests and the reef? How do we fix up poor water quality? How do we deal with a rapidly increasing population in this region and what will the impact be on our surroundings? Will the Cassowary survive? How will recreational fishers respond to more people and less fish? What do we do about sea level rise for the low lying islands in the Torres Strait?”

For the full media release click here.

(March 2008) The Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Ltd (RRRC) has been successful in securing a Forum at Science in Parliament in Canberra on the future of the Great Barrier Reef which is conducted through the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS).

The title of the Forum will be ‘The Great Barrier Reef in 2050’, to be held this Wednesday 19th March 2008 at 4:00pm (for approximately one hour) in the Main Committee Room of the House of Representatives.

Ms Sheriden Morris, Managing Director of RRRC, said “The Forum titled ‘The Great Barrier Reef in 2050’ is a significant event for RRRC and Far North Queensland. The ‘Science in Parliament’ is an annual event and usually four forums are conducted, but this year only one forum was selected and the RRRC were the successful applicants.

For the full media release click here.

Audio files and transcripts from the symposium are available here.

(28 February 2008) Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, today announced nine scholarships for research projects into environmental challenges facing North Queensland. The students will receive funding of $720,000 over three years under the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility Graduate Scholarship Scheme – part of the $100 million Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) program.

“These research projects will give us a better understanding of the environmental pressures on the Wet Tropics rainforest, the Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef,” Mr Garrett said.

For the full media release please click here.

For the full list of scholarships please click here.

The Marine Monitoring Program is a long-term water quality, and ecosystem heath monitoring program carrier out in the inshore Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. The program in an integral component of the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan, that will help to assess the longterm effectiveness of the Reef Plan in reversing the decline in water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is responsible for the design, implementation and reporting of the monitoring program.

The Marine Monitoring Program was established in late 2004. In September 2007, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) in partnership with the Integration and Application Network (IAN) and the Reef Water Quality Partnership (RWQP) held a workshop to facilitate the integration of indicators and available data collected as part of the monitoring program. Key participants of the workshop included, current water quality and ecosystem health monitoring providers, leading marine research experts, State and Federal government representatives and members from the RWQP Scientific Advisory Panel.

To view the full Reef Plan Monitoring: Marine Water Quality Impacts newsletter click here.

(January 2008) The RRRC congratulates Professor Terry Hughes on being the 2008 recipient of the Darwin Medal. The Darwin Medal, presented every four years, is the most prestigious award given by the International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS) and recognises Hughes' worldwide contributions to coral reef science throughout his prestigious career. Professor Hughes brings his experience to the MTSRF as Project Leader for research developing an understanding of the connectivity and resilience of GBR reefs in the face of issues such as climate change (Project 4.8.1). To learn more about this work click here.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority invites applications from students for the Science for Management Awards 2008, closing date for applications is 31 January 2008.

The Science for Management Awards are intended to assist the research projects of students working towards a Doctorate or Masters degree, which make a contribution to the management of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

For more information please visit the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority website here.

(16 October 2007) The Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Chairman, Richard Ireland, today announced Sheriden Morris as the Centre’s new Managing Director. Sheriden is a North Queenslander with a background in local agriculture with extensive experience of scientific research and management in marine and coastal systems. She will guide the Centre’s management of a $20m per year tropical environmental research program called the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF). This program is an initiative of the Australian Government, designed to support both conservation and sustainable use of the reef and rainforest in North Queensland. 

Download the Media Release.

(3 October 2007) The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Malcolm Turnbull announced on 3 October the appointment of Dr Russell Reichelt as the Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority effective from November 2007.  Dr Reichelt has been the Managing Director of the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre since 2006 and was previously Chief Executive Officer of both the CRC Reef Research Centre and the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Access the Minister's Media Release (link to external website).

(25 September 2007) The Townsville office of the RRRC has relocated to the James Cook University campus in Douglas, Townsville.  Visitors to the Townsville office can obtain directions to the office from the University Gatehouse on Angus Smith Drive (CSR Building, Building 61).  Townsville staff may be contacted on (07) 4781 6311.

(September 2007) Representatives of Queensland's major environmental research and government agencies gathered in Townsville in September to consider how components of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Monitoring Program can be better integrated to enable an assessment of overall marine ecosystem health in relation to water quality characteristics.  Coordinated by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Marine Monitoring Program will help assess the long-term effectiveness of the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan in reversing the decline in water quality runoff originating from Queensland's reef catchments.

Forty participants met over three days to consider the key aspects of the Monitoring Program as well as a number of projects currently funded by the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility and other initiatives that are developing a composite system of water quality specific indicators for inshore coral reefs and seagrass meadows.  The desired outcome will be a fully integrated program of data sharing and coordination that contributes to the marine and catchment reporting mechanisms currently in place in Queensland.

Download the Workshop Background Document

(3 September 2007) James Cook University researcher and MTSRF Project Leader, Dr Steve Williams, was presented with the Principal Investigator of the Year Recognition Award by Earthwatch Australia at its annual dinner in August.

The Award recognises Dr Williams' contribution to the Earthwatch community volunteer program, involving up to fifty volunteers in annual fieldwork trips to collect data on rainforest animals.  Williams is shown here with North Queensland Field Conservation Director Ms Suzanne Jenkins at the Award Dinner.

 
Above:  Steve Williams and Suzanne Jenkins at the annual Award Dinner in Melbourne.

(21 August 2007) James Cook University and MTSRF researcher, Professor Terry Hughes, was awarded the 2007 Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research in August.

Regarded by some as the world's leading coral reef scientist, Hughes was awarded the prestigious prize for his life's work on coral reef ecology.  Hughes heads the Australian Research Council's Centre for Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, based at James Cook University's Townsville campus.  The Centre is a partnership of James Cook University, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, The Australian National University, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and The University of Queensland. 

(September 2007) A new partnership involving BHP Billiton, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and the Australian Institute of Marine Science will allow three Australian reef sites to be studied as part of CReefs, a global research initiative to document and assess the diversity of coral reef ecosystems.  A $3.4 million project will run over four years and will enable marine scientists and taxonomists to collect and identify samples during a series of field trips to the Great Barrier Reef's Heron and Lizard Islands and Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.  The partnership is delivering urgently needed private funding into the reef research sector. 

Launched in late 2005, CReefs is the coral reef component of the Census of Marine Life, a global network of researchers in more than eighty nations engaged in a ten-year initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine life in oceans - past, present and future.

(August 2007) Reef Check is the United Nations' official community-based coral reef monitoring program.  Reef Check Australia (RCA) is a part of this global network of volunteers who regularly monitor and report on reef health.  RCA is seeking volunteer coral reef surveyors to undertake regular monitoring of sites within the Great Barrier Reef.  As a RCA volunteer, you will join a community of coral reef surveyors, learn how to monitor coral reef health, improve your underwater knowledge and skills, build your diving experience and have the opportunity to participate in free survey expeditions on the Great Barrier Reef.

Two part-time training courses are on offer:

• Townsville:  3-30 September 2007; and

• Cairns:  12-28 October 2007.

In addition, a full-time training course will be held in Townsville in early 2008.

For further information, contact Reef Check Australia on (07) 4724 3950 or email support@reefcheckaustralia.org.

(3 August 2007) Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, officially launched the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility in Cairns on Friday 3 August 2007.  Mr Turnbull announced more than $7.6 million in research funding for the North Queensland region for the Facility's second year of operation.  Some of Australia's leading research organisations will match the Australian Government's funding with up to $10 million in-kind resources.  Download the Ministerial Media Release.

 
Above left and right:  Minister Turnbull with staff of the Cairns Rainforest Dome.

Above:  Minister Turnbull officially launches the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility with RRRC Managing Director Dr Russell Reichelt (right).

(July 2007) Impacts of Cyclones on Terrestrial Tropical Ecosystems: Insights from Severe Cyclones Larry and Monica

To be held in Cairns in September 2007, this two day seminar will showcase the findings of scientific research undertaken in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Larry, which hit North Queensland in March 2006, and Tropical Cyclone Monica, which passed over Cape York and Arnhem Land one month later. The seminar will inform environmental scientists, tropical land managers and other interested members of the community about:

• The short and long term impacts of the cyclones on birds, mammals and other wildlife;

• The extent, distribution and severity of damage to vegetation;

• The spread of invasive weeds since the cyclones;

• A review of international knowledge on the ecological role and impacts of cyclones; and

• Living with cyclones - lessons for land managers.

Attendance is free of change however numbers are limited. To register, contact Trish O'Reilly, James Cook University on (07) 4042 1246 or download and fax the registration form.  Download Program (31 August 2007).

(June 2007) The Torres Strait Marine Research Repository contains marine related research reports, papers, metadata (with available data) and other intellectual property (IP) lodged by stakeholders committed to sustaining the marine resources of the Torres Strait.

The repository was initially established to disseminate reports and data resulting from activities of the CRC Torres Strait . Repository holdings are permanently maintained by the CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (CMAR) Data Centre.

(9 May 2007) RRRC Managing Director and Chairman of the IMarEST North Queensland Branch, Russell Reichelt, received the ANZSPAC Division President's Award from the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) on 9 May for exceptional work in the field of and contribution to marine science within the Australian New Zealand and South Pacific region. Russell is shown here (right) with Greg Hellesy, President of IMarEST Australia.

Right:  Dr Russell Reichelt receives the President's Award.

(May 2007) The MTSRF has been listed on the 2007 Australian Competitive Grants Register for funding receiving in 2006. The Register lists qualifying, nationally competitive research schemes in Australia. Click here for further information.