Episode 6: Lucy Friend On Airports And Mangroves

Episode 6: Lucy Friend On Airports And Mangroves

Author: James Donaldson, Wet Tropics Waterways January 23, 2019 Duration: 17:13

The Cairns Airport is nestled behind an extensive mangrove wetland to the south and bordered by the Barron River and Redden Island to the north. This system is home to multiple species of mangroves and provides habitat for many animals from crabs to fish and even some endangered bird species.

Cairns Airport is among the busiest in the country and is the gateway for domestic and international tourists who visit the area largely to experience the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage Rainforest. The airport takes environmental management seriously, as Environmental Manager Lucy Friend explains in this episode.

Cairns Airport has recently upgraded it's environmental management system EMS), undertaken cleanups of the mangrove areas and is hosting a mangrove walk on World Wetland Day, 2 Feb 2019.  


There's a vital, living connection between the lush, rainforested rivers of Far North Queensland and the vast blue expanse of the Great Barrier Reef. What happens in one profoundly affects the other. Hosted by James Donaldson from Wet Tropics Waterways, the Reef And Rivers Podcast explores this intricate relationship by giving a voice to the people who know it best. Each conversation moves beyond abstract science to ground-level stories, offering a direct line to farmers, Traditional Owners, researchers, and community volunteers who are actively engaged with the landscape. You'll hear about the specific critters-from tiny insects to majestic fish-that indicate a waterway's health, and learn about the practical, often ingenious projects aimed at protecting them. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's an ongoing audio documentary about the interdependence of an entire region's lifestyle, economy, and environment. By tuning into this podcast, you gain an understanding of how everyday actions on land ripple out to the reef, and more importantly, how collective effort is working to ensure both these iconic systems thrive for generations to come. The discussions are grounded, hopeful, and filled with the kind of specific details that only come from firsthand experience.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 72

Reef And Rivers Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Season 2 Episode 8: The Evolution of Environmental Report Cards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:00
Bill Dennison and Simon Costanza from the University of Maryland talk about the history and evolution of environmental report cards as a process for galvanising communities to improve environmental conditions.