Upcoming Events
Living Oceans Society presents:
The Great Barrier Reef: How Communities can Influence Decisions about our Oceans
Two speakers from Australia are coming to the North Island and Central
Coast to share their experiences drawn from one of the world’s best
examples of community engagement in action – the re-zoning of
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Living Oceans Society is hosting the
tour from March 25 to April 4 (see tour schedule below) that
will feature presentations by Russell Butler and Graham Scott who will
share the successes and challenges that they faced as community
residents, First Nations and fishermen working to rezone the Great
Barrier Reef. Because a marine planning process known as the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA) is getting underway in British Columbia, coastal residents can benefit from Butler's and Scott's experiences.
Graham Scott lives and works in Rock-
hampton, Queensland, on the Tropic of Capricorn, adjacent to the Southern end of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). In addition to having his own civil engineering consulting firm, Graham and his wife Sharyn commenced a charter boat company in Keppel Bay and the southern Great Barrier Reef. Graham’s love of the water started early, with childhood holidays spent camping on the GBR islands or exploring coastal creeks with parents and grandparents. He was actively involved in the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef and was one of a number of community leaders that became involved in the early stages to act as “honest brokers”, connecting stakeholders to planners and dispelling mistrust and misinformation. The rezoning result in his area is recognized as one of the best because of early stakeholder involvement. He currently chairs his Local Marine Advisory Committee, as well as CAPREEF, a community-based monitoring program that continues to engage communities in the monitoring and management of the Reef. |
Russell Butler is a Bandjin Traditional Owner who was actively involved in the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.Bandjin sea country includes Hinchinbrook Island and the surrounding northern islands out to the Barrier Reef.Russell says being a Bandjin Traditional Owner is about following in the footsteps of his ancestors.
“It’s a good feeling to know we can go back there and know that it’s our home - a place where we belong.” Russell enjoys taking special interest groups, from kindergarten kids to university students, to Bandjin country to show them his cultural heritage. He is pleased that Bandjin people are having a say in their sea country and managing it. In addition to mentoring and teaching his culture, Russell is active in helping street kids, and spends time talking to young people in the prison system. He is also active in documenting the Bandjin language, and will soon be putting his knowledge into book form so the language can be better looked after and taught to kids. |
Speaking Tour Dates:
March 25th: Northwest Community College, Prince Rupert, B.C.
March 26th: Haida Heritage Centre, Skidegate, B.C.
March 28th: CE Centre, Bella Coola, B.C.
March 31st: GE Darby United Church, Bella Bella, B.C. and Quarterdeck Inn, Port Hardy, B.C.
April 1st: ICNRC, Alert Bay, B.C.
April 2nd: Maritime Heritage Centre, Campbell River, B.C.
April 3rd: Black Bear Resort, Port McNeill, B.C.
April 4th: Fire Hall, Sointula, B.C.
For further information, please contact Lara Renehan at 250-973-6580. For a copy of the poster, click here .
Past Events
Sointula Beach Clean-up, September 2007
Over 30 volunteers came out for the annual Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up September 15th, 2007 in Sointula, BC. It was organized by Living Oceans Society and the Lions Club, with food donated by the Sointula Recreation Association. A little rain didn't deter volunteers, who over the course of 9km collected 3764lbs of marine debris.
