Newcastle provides conservation training to Southeast Asia

Wednesday 9 November 2005

Seven young environmental scientists from Southeast Asia will visit the University of Newcastle this week as part of an international conservation training program.

The scientists from Indonesia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore will join a research team led by the University's Dr Michael Mahony. They will monitor the status of several critically endangered species and communities from the Barrington Ranges National Parks to the Border Ranges National Park in north east NSW.

Dr Mahony says the scientists will participate in field research projects that investigate and report on the state of the environment in Australia’s world heritage areas.

"The skills and methods they learn in the field are designed to assist in the development of research and monitoring projects in their home countries," says Dr Mahony.

The team will work in remote field sites and gain first hand experience of how Australian scientists research, monitor and report on the state of our environment. Learning will be by the transfer of skills and knowledge and it is expected there will be a considerable degree of swapping of ideas and challenges.

The project is coordinated by the International Field Research Institute (Earthwatch Australia) and the young scientists have been nominated by government environmental agencies and non-government environmental agencies in their home countries.

Photo Opportunity

The scientists involved in the training program will be in Newcastle from 12.30pm on Wednesday 9 November 2005. They will visit the Shortland Wetlands Centre and Kooragang Island on Thursday 10 November 2005.

For interviews or to organise a photo opportunity contact Dr Michael Mahony on (02) 4921 6014.