Reef Beat education series: working together today for a healthier Reef tomorrow

Abstract

The 2011 Reef Beat education series – Working Together Today for a Healthier Reef Tomorrow, is an innovative teaching resource that includes activities and challenges to inspire students and teachers to take action to improve their school’s sustainability. The teaching and learning opportunities are designed to raise student's awareness of the world’s environmental values and engage and encourage them to explore how they can assist in improving the environment and in particular, the Great Barrier Reef, now and into the future. Reef Guardians is a voluntary stewardship program that aims to showcase the environmental actions already being undertaken within coastal communities and industries both in the Great Barrier Reef catchment and in the Marine Park. It is an important vehicle for behaviour change and the uptake of practices that can ultimately improve the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef. Through this resource and its associated activities, we aim to show that everyone, everywhere can be a Reef Guardian, by looking after their local environment.