Share the Science – it’s Science Week!

Science encompasses a broad range of subjects, methods, and abilities. Engaging with STEM is so vital for people of all ages, which is why the National Science Week site has an enticing array of activities to encourage all Australians to get involved. Following the science is instrumental to Wildlife Queensland’s efforts to provide a voice for wildlife.

• Our project teams implement measurable, long-term, data-driven conservation projects based on available scientific knowledge and best practice. Ecological, biological and environmental science informs our efforts to conserve the spotted-tailed quoll, Richmond birdwing butterfly, platypus, echidna, and threatened gliding mammals, such as the greater glider and yellow-bellied glider.
• Our student placement program encourages students from various educational institutions to gain experience in policy development, environmental management, communicating research, and hands-on wildlife monitoring.
• Our volunteers give their time to help us educate communities and also participate in citizen science projects, providing data that would otherwise be extremely costly, time-consuming or prohibitive to obtain.
• Our policies and campaigns manager, council members and branch managers influence decision-makers and sit on boards and advisory bodies—whether government, charitable or corporate—to ensure future planning and policy-making takes into account peer-reviewed research and environmental science.
• Our managers, communicators, editors, designers and educators engage with the research conducted, interpreting and disseminating it to inform members and the general public about imminent threats to our native flora and fauna and what we must do to provide solutions and preserve populations.

Science: Everywhere and for Everyone

For us, science is a serious business. But we also believe science is seriously cool. Those without a formal scientific background can help unravel the mysteries of this blue planet, even outside the confines of a university, through citizen science.

Recently, Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast Branch’s Winter Backyard Bioblitz added some 200 observations of 150 species to the iNaturalist website, everything from lace monitors to Saunder’s case moth to sea cucumbers! In addition, the Australian Citizen Science Association includes some excellent citizen science projects, or you can try some DIY Science at home.

Whether the ‘Predator, Prey and Pollination’ virtual wildlife tour (2:00 pm Thursday 19 August), getting the kids to build a solar system, or following our instructions on how to build a frog pond, there are plenty of ways to get hands-on this Science Week.

The scientific method is the most reliable tool we have for examining and understanding the world around us and the role we play in it, so this week be sure to share the science.

To get involved with Wildlife Queensland as a volunteer and receive notifications of new opportunities to become involved in citizen science in your area, contact your local branch and subscribe to our free My Wildlife eBulletin.

Related articles and information:

• Wildlife Queensland Scores Citizen Science Grant to Conserve Queensland’s Elusive Platypus