The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) wants to see your favourite pictures of the magnificent Great Barrier Reef!
The group, which has been campaigning for the Reef’s protection since its inception in 1965, is compiling a huge digital picture petition of love for the global icon, to build pride in and support for the solutions that will save it.
AMCS Great Barrier Reef campaign manager Dr Lissa Schindler said while the latest bleaching event was devastating for anyone who loves the Reef, there is still so much worth fighting for and solutions that tackle its main threats like global heating, water pollution and poor fishing practices are still within reach.
“We want to compile a digital gallery of pictures that will remind Australians and the international community just how incredible our Reef is and why it is still worth fighting for,” she said.
“We want people to send us their favourite picture of the Reef – it could be a view under or over the waves, and it might have some of their favourite people in it. All the pictures will show how much north Queenslanders love the Reef and recognise its importance to the community.
“We are hoping this photo album will collect pictures and stories from all over the globe so we might even break the world record for the biggest digital picture gallery ever assembled, which currently stands at around 120,000 pics.”
“We’ll then present this massive visual petition to decision makers in the new Australian government and the World Heritage Committee in the coming months, urging them to protect our beloved Reef.”
Dr Schindler said the Reef is sadly facing a difficult future with warming temperatures driving the damaging bleaching events we’ve seen in recent years. Water pollution in inshore areas is threatening important reef habitats like seagrass meadows and poor fishing practices are putting pressure on threatened and endangered species, she added.
“The good news is we have the solutions to the problems the Reef faces, such as transitioning rapidly from the burning of fossil fuels, which drives bleaching events, to renewable energy. We hope this collection will also help raise awareness of the opportunities these solutions can bring to North Queensland and we will be encouraging contributors to ask their federal election candidates what they and their parties are doing to help.”
People can share their image and the short story behind it via a dedicated website. While there, they will also be able to browse through other contributions and find out how they can advocate in small ways for the Reef.
Please gain the permission of anyone identifiable in the pics before sharing via the website.