Page 16 - Port Douglas Magazine 28

CITIZEN SCIENCE

Local reef companies work with scientific researchers to
breathe new life into the Great Barrier Reef

WORDS by Rosie Wang

Coral Polyps, Procreating and Pampering in Port Douglas Wavelength with UTS Sydney - Genetics and Propagation
The world was shocked when breaking news globally declared that Ecotourism leader, Wavelength has teamed up with UTS (University
the Great Barrier Reef had died, apparently bleached into a white of Technology, Sydney). After winning a SBIR (Small Business
shroud of rubble. Innovation in Research) grant they are now working together to
The true picture at the coal face (the irony of clichés) painted a totally develop a more efficient way of attaching young corals to the reef.
different picture. Yes, some corals had died at the northern end of its The core of this development has entailed inventing a spring clip that
2300km length, but a majority of healthy, vibrant reefs survived. But makes attaching the juvenile corals to empty sections of reef easier
it was a wake-up call. A jolt to realise that it wasn’t too late and to and more durable. Quicker ‘planting’ and higher survival rates for
start work on safeguarding the Great Barrier Reef’s future. the nursery areas have already been achieved and the results are
Port Douglas is not only the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef but is speaking for themselves.
also now at the epicentre of a range of exciting research projects to In only the first eight weeks of 2019 they out-planted a staggering
ensure that our reefs, and the precious eco systems that it supports, 5000 corals onto the reef and set up two nurseries. From these
are ahead of the game. nurseries corals will be ‘out-planted’ or used as ‘parents’ for more
Many Government bodies, tour operators and Australian universities are colonies (which are genetically identical). Mind-blowing to think
now working together to ensure the Great Barrier Reef remains healthy, what will be achieved in the remaining 44 weeks of 2019!
continues to flourish and has safeguard measures in place to increase its
ability to deal with anything that nature, or otherwise may ask of it.

16 tourismportdouglas.com.au