Chapter 7 Sharing Our Knowledge

In recognising the importance of community understanding and knowledge in achieving its objectives, the CRC for Freshwater Ecology places a strong emphasis on communicating its research activities and findings to a broad audience. The CRCFE has been very successful in achieving a high profile within water industry. It is recognised by government agencies and politicians as a reputable source of information and makes a significant contribution community understanding through training presentations and discussions with community groups such as Landcare and Streamwatch. Sue Cunningham (right) explains how ‘bugs’ are being used to assess the health of rivers throughout 7.1Public awareness to community representatives who attended the launch of the ACT Government’s Stormwater kit, held at the CRC for Freshwater Ecology. Public Displays Photo: Karen Markwort

The Lower Basin Laboratory (LBL) staff The Murray-Darling Freshwater Research attended the Wentworth Show with a display Centre opened its doors to the public and on bug identification, carp tasting and general secondary schools on November 28–29. A information, August 23–24. reception was held for local dignitaries on the • The LBL held a display of native fish at the 28th. Mildura Plaza, October 11. • MDFRC staff attended the Hume Weir • Ben Gawne participated in the launch of a Open Day with a display profiling the carp cook book by the Department of Land CRCFE’s activities and products. and Water Conservation. The launch was • MDFRC staff also took part in the Catch-A- held at the Fish Markets during Carp activities held in Albury as part of August. National Water Week (October 25–26).

ANNUAL REPORT 1997–98 page 115 School students at the 1998 Science Festival hunting Richard Norris (back) and Sue Nichols on the for bugs. Photo: Karen Markwort AusRivAS set with comic Vince Sorrenti (seated) and director, Steve Christiansen. Photo: Karen Markwort • The CRC for Freshwater Ecology hosted the launch of an education kit, Stormwater- Catchment management and Landcare, by 7.2Communicating ACT Minister for the Environment Land through the media and Planning, Gary Humphries. The kit, The media continues to be a powerful tool that produced by Environment ACT and the the CRCFE uses in order to get its messages to Natural Heritage Trust, was distributed free a wide audience. to regional schools, CIT and key agency staff who work with community groups. Six staff have undertaken media skills training About 40 representatives from ACT during the year so that through an Government, natural resource agencies and understanding of how the media operates they community groups attended the launch, as may use this medium more effectively to well as the media. inform target stakeholders of their research activities and successes. • The CRCFE also presented a display in the refectory during the University of About 180 media hits were recorded during the ’s Environment Awareness Week. year. • ’ s Open Day, Radio 63 September 13. Television 16 Newspaper 68 • National Science Week Amazing World of Newsletters/magazine 53 Science Exhibition, May 2–6. • ScienceNOW-held at the Media releases issued Exhibition Centre with the Great Australian Science Show (GASS), May • July 2 Rural sustainability - can it 7–10. The CRCFE took part in a joint exist? (Peter Cullen) display that was hosted by Melbourne • July 29 Ridding rivers of the roach- Water. study looks at water levels and carp breeding (Gawne) • July 29 Burrinjuck study to focus on algal triggers (Lawrence) • August 7 Study looks at algal blooms triggers (Oliver)

Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology page 116 Learning the art of the 15-second ‘grab’. Richard Belconnen Landcare coordinator Mary Ormay with Norris (right) being interviewed by WIN TV reporter, ACT Minister for Environment. Land and Planning Jeremy Lasek during a media training course.Toss Gary Humphries at the launch of the stormwater kit, Gascoigne on camera. Photo: Karen Markwort Stormwater-Catchment management and landcare conducted at the CRC for Freshwater Ecology, • August 13 Humphries launches University of Canberra.About 60 government and stormwater kit (Cullen) community representatives as well as the Canberra media attended the launch. Photo: Karen Markwort • August 18 ‘Seize the day’, river health expert urges NSW • April 29 River health expert says NSW Government (Cullen) water reforms a ‘first step’ • August 19 Water Reforms welcomed (Cullen) (Cullen) • April Australian river monitoring • September 24 Fischer to open inland waters program goes international congress in Albury (Norris) • September 29 Murray cod science • April ‘Dam’ let me through: a misrepresented (Harris) migratory fish’s lament • October 30 River health-what does it (Harris) mean? (Norris) • April River survey continues • December 10 Forum to examine science (Harris) used to NSW water reforms • June 24 Research centre puts up its (Cullen) hand for another $100 million • December 15 Scientists give water reform (Cullen) process the thumbs up In addition to these media releases, the (Cullen) journalists in both metropolitan and regional • December Scientists to survey 90 new areas are kept informed of CRCFE activities sites in NSW rivers (Harris) and research findings through the distribution • February A decade of bug discovery of Watershed. (Hawking) Watershed articles have subsequently been • March 19 Improving river health featured in the regional and national through scientific newspapers and magazines, including the management (Norris) Bulletin. • April 6 Floods lift researcher to national awards (Nielsen)

ANNUAL REPORT 1997–98 page 117 7.3CRCFE extension produced for the Murray-Darling Basin publications Commission under its Natural Resource Manage- ment Strategy (NRMS) Ecology Flows Program. Living on Floodplains - produced in cooperation The book will contain up-to-date knowledge with the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, written by ecologists for the general this book was written by freelance science community - in particular, managers. The journalist, David Mussared, for a non-technical handbook, which will aid government decision audience. This full-colour publication has been making, has involved close consultation with distributed to more than 1500 stakeholders and end users of the book-regional agency/ has received favourable feedback from both the departmental managers, TCM groups, policy recipients and media reviewers. makers, scientists, broader community interest Watershed - industry newsletter distribution has groups. The book will also identify knowledge increased to almost 3,000, five editions gaps for future research. CRCFE representatives produced. on the editorial committee include Craig Fish and Rivers in Stress brochure Schiller, John Harris, Terry Hillman, Peter Campaspe Flows brochure Cullen and Dianne Flett. Chaffey Dam brochure-Improving water quality in reservoirs 7.4Web world AusRivAS training video The CRCFE is continuing to upgrade its Home CRCFE wall posters Page on the World Wide Web. An interactive CRCFE ‘Don’t mess with my river’ stickers multimedia presentation, the brain child of Exploring CRC Research - a cooperative Terry Hillman, is being developed through the production between environmental CRCs Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre. A number of CRCFE staff also participated in Other extension publications the interactive, 'ecogame', Murder under the Microscope, which was presented by the Freshwater algae in Australia-funded by the RE University of Sydney in collaboration with the Ross Trust, this publication was supported by Opening Training and Education Network, the the Australian Society for Limnology, the Royal NSW Department of Land and Water Botanic Gardens, Melbourne and the CRC for Conservation and the Year of the Reef. Freshwater Ecology. CRCFE staff member Jason Sonneman co-authored the book, along with 7.5 Tim Entwisle and Simon Lewis. FASTS presidency John Hawking, MDFRC, contributed to the Through his presidency of the Federation of Gould League publication, Australian guide to Australian Science and Technological Societies pondlife, edited by B. Withers. In addition to (FASTS), CRCFE Director, Peter Cullen, has assisting with the editing, John provided been in a position to make a major numerous photographs for the colour contribution to the general and political publication. awareness of scientific issues as well as to Also contributed to Along Bush Tracks produced policy development. Media activities by the Monument Hill Parklands Association conducted through FASTS have served to and Albury-Wodonga Field Naturalists. heighten awareness of scientific issues, such as reduced enrolments in science courses at Ecology flows handbook university level, diminishing career The CRCFE is also working on a joint opportunities for young scientists and funding. publication with CSIRO Land and Water. The This media exposure has, of course, had flow- publication, Ecology flows handbook, is being on benefits for the CRCFE.

Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology page 118 The Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC). CRCFE Director, Peter Cullen (back row: third from left) holds a seat on this Council in his capacity as president of FASTS. Photo:AUSPIC

Activities conducted on behalf of 200 participants from throughout Australia as FASTS during the year include: well as the USA, South Africa, England and New Zealand. Three international speakers • Membership of the Prime Ministers Science attended: Prof James Karr, University of and Engineering and Innovation Council. Washington; Prof Colin Townsend, University • Development of the FASTS policy of Otago; and Prof Kevin Rogers, University of document and discussions with DIST Witwatersrand. The outcomes of this regarding its implications. conference will be featured in a special edition • National forum: University Science: Crisis or of the international journal, Freshwater Biology. crossroads? March 19. Attended by 120 people and televised nationally as a Press Science of environmental flows Club lunch address. The CRC, in collaboration with NSW EPA presented a one-day seminar in Sydney on • Member of coordinating committee or December 11 on the science behind the river organise national science forum. flow settings. This was a research seminar, and academics from a number of universities 7.6Communication attended, as did a number of agency staff. summer student Carp control workshop This year’s Communication Summer Scholarship Researchers from the Vertebrate Biocontrol was awarded to Laura Snedden, a Canberra CRC and the CRC for Freshwater Ecology met Institute of Technology science-communication at the University of Canberra during August to student who had previously undertaken discuss collaborative options for carp control. volunteer work on the CRCFE’s turtle research. The meeting, coordinated by Prof Bob Kearney, resulted in a draft proposal for a project aimed at investigating carp control options. 7.7Workshops sponsored River restoration by the CRCFE Internationally respected river ecologists, Prof International river health conference James Gore, presented two workshops on river restoration, one in Albury and the other at Hosted at the University of Canberra this Monash University during May. The workshops international conference attracted more than

ANNUAL REPORT 1997–98 page 119 attracted more than 100 participants from the 7.8Other conferences and water industry, community groups and the workshops research community. Prof Gore was in Australia to review the CRCFE Campaspe University of Western Sydney River environmental flows project. (Hawkesbury) AWWA-CRCFE catchment Ian Lawrence ran a workshop of Design of management course Ponds and Wetlands, as part of the UWS The course, held February 2–4, was attended Short Course on Wetland Design. by 26 participants, covering catchment Australian Society for Limnology managers, community leaders, state Annual Conference government water agencies, regulators, local The CRCFE co-sponsored ASL’s Albury government, consultants and academics. conference which featured international guest Taiwanese environmental officers speakers. Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer training course opened the conference. Presented in association with CRC for Water AWWA Environmental flows Quality and Treatment, this course provided workshop participants with an overview of catchment and The workshop, Recent approaches to providing water management strategies being implemented and assessing environmental flows, was held in in Australia as well as facility design and Brisbane in conjunction with the AWWA assessment. University of Canberra, March 3. annual conference during April and attended Environmental sampling and analysis by Craig Schiller and Martin Thoms. The aim workshop of the workshop was to evaluate the strengths Bill Maher coordinated a workshop by Dr LH and weaknesses of different approaches to Keith on the latest and future developments in environmental flows. environmental sampling at the University of Improving understanding, measurement Canberra, November 18. and research strategies for conservation Chaffey Dam workshop of biodiversity in Australia About 40 staff from the Department of Land Hosted by the Special Centre for Research on and Water Conservation (DLWC) as well as the Ecological Impacts of Coastal Cities, this researchers from the CRC for Water Quality workshop was attended by Sam Lake, Terry and Treatment attended a one-day workshop at Hillman, Rhonda Butcher, Richard Norris, Peter the DLWC offices in Parramatta. The Gehrke, Ben Gawne and Chris Walsh. It was workshop was aimed at informing DLWC staff, held at by the University of Sydney, April 16–17. and other stakeholders, about the outcomes of World Bank explores Australian water the Chaffey Dam project. The workshop also reforms provided a forum to brief agency staff on other CRCFE researchers briefed about 50 World CRCFE activities, including the Campaspe Bank experts during their visit to Australia in River flows project. April. The visit was organised by the Water Algal workshops Services Association of Australia (WSAA) and Dr Colin Reynolds presented three workshops the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. on algal growth and its determinants on behalf of the CRCFE during October. The workshops held in Albury, Melbourne and Canberra were all well attended.

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