Expanding a partnership between Tangaroa Blue, Department of Agriculture and the Yirrganydji Rangers provided an opportunity to head out to local Wangetti Beach last week for some marine debris and exotic pest training.
The group of Yirrganydji rangers met with two of our Tangaroa Blue coordinators and a representative from the Cairns Northern Australian Quarantine Service to clean Wangetti Beach north of Cairns, and learn how to collect data using the CyberTracker software on handheld digital devices.
After a thorough introduction into marine debris and the methodology of the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, the group headed along the beach and recorded everything they found. Little impacted by marine debris, this beach is rather a spot for local party litter and illegal camps. But when you want to learn more about the country you are living on you cannot just record rubbish, but also significant trees or even bones from wild animals scattered in the dunes. In the end the new rangers immersed themselves quickly in the categories of the Australian Marine Debris Database and in exchange taught the Tangaroa Blue crew about traditional names and uses for plants and animals living in the habitat that we all share.
Thanks to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority through Reef Trust and the Reef Programme Land and Sea Country Partnerships Program for supporting this event.
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