After previously being informed about the area by different local stakeholders (Marine Scientists, Marine parks officers and cultural custodians), the students from Margaret River Primary School’s Year 5 and 6 classes have chosen their EMA sites along Prevelly/Gnaradup coastline. Each participating class (4 in total) is to manage one patch of coast situated at Fraggle Rock, Riflebutts, Gnaradup and Gnarabup back beach.
On the 25th May, teachers, students, EMA program leader (Kim Lema) and coordinator Tracy Muir (Nature Conservation), went all together to the chosen sites. Kids’ missions were to start surveying the species associated with their studied environment and to assess the different pressures linked to human activities. This was a great day to learn about coastal biodiversity, interactions between species and the environmental usage by wildlife and humans!
“The kids loved observing and getting to know their sites, which are all very different from each other. This means kids will focus on different aspects according to the particularities of their EMA site." says Kim Lema.
This is an essential step in the management of an Educational Marine Area (EMA), where students can build ownership of the EMA and understand the environmental issues occurring in the area. Further steps will involve defining objectives for the management of their EMA and identifying future actions.
More work to come! Good luck to our local coastal custodians 😊
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