Public Administration News
Share
 |
Australia Engages Citizens in US$27 Million Great Barrier Reef Project |
| Source: |
futuregov.asia |
| Source Date: |
Thursday, March 01, 2012 |
| Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
|
| Country: |
Australia |
| Created: |
Mar 05, 2012 |
|
The Australian and Queensland governments have joined forces to create a deeper knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef under a US$27 million (AUD$25 million) citizen engagement program.
This program brings together government and industry partners under a project called eReefs.
The eReefs project combines customised e-portals, mobile communications, as well as modelling and forecasting technologies to engage citizens and other stakeholders to protect and manage the reef.
Among eReefs apps, “citizen scientists” can monitor marine and coral life. They can also track what is happening today and likely to happen in future, while learning about and reporting on fish, coral and other species they may see.
The eReef project spans the entire Great Barrier Reef — from catchment to ocean. It will help streamline decision-making, communications and reporting through an integrated use of e-portals, mobile communications, pictures, maps, and other modelling data.
“It is not currently possible to visualise, model, understand and communicate the whole-of-the-reef system due to its vast scale and complexity,” says Dr John Schubert, Chair of the eReefs Project Board.
“eReefs will be world-leading, applicable in Australia and for coral reefs and coastal environments globally.”
The eReefs project harnesses Australian innovation, together with governments’ commitment to reef protection, as well as world-class science, and investment from high-profile Australian businesses.
Russell Reichelt, Chairman, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, says the project provides marine managers with expanded, improved, and finer-scale information on how land-based activities affect the marine environment.
The Great Barrier Reef lies off the coast of Queensland. This heritage-listed area features the world’s largest coral reef — with a unique array of marine and coral life.
More than 3000 individual reef systems, coral cays, and pristine tropical islands and beaches make up this fragile eco-system.
Australia’s peak operational and research agencies are involved in the eReefs initiative. These agencies include the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Science and Industry Endowment Fund, and Reef Managers (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority).
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Tag This |
Australia Engages Citizens in US$27 Million Great Barrier Reef Project The Australian and Queensland governments have joined forces to create a deeper knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef under a US$27 million AUD$25 million citizen engagement program
 Tell A Friend |
|
 del.icio.us digg this Slashdot |
| Rate: |
0 ratings
|
Views: |
40 |
| Comments: |
0 |
Favorited: |
0 |
Bookmarked: |
0 |
Tagged: |
0 |
|
|
|
|