Enjoy wandering about on Magnetic Island's beaches and mudflats? If the answer is yes then you may also enjoy doing the same thing with a scientific and environmentally useful purpose. Seagrass Watch is the biggest community based seagrass monitoring program in the world and it is something you can participate in right here on Magnetic Island.

On Sunday July 18 and Monday 19th Seagrass Watch volunteers will be visiting two important seagrass locations on Magnetic Island. These will be the first opportunities for Islanders and visitors to join in with the Island locations.

Co-ordinator, Vivien McConnell told Magnetic Times, "Jane Mellor from Department of Primary Industry will lead the Cockle Bay group on Sunday and anybody who wants to come along and see what happens is welcome."

A Townsville-based group is expected to arrive at Cockle Bay between 10.30am and 11am to begin the monitoring during the low tide period which follows."

Vivien will be leading the group to Picnic Bay on Monday They will meet on the grass in front of Fred's Restaurant also between 10.30am and 11am before heading towards the Butlers Creek (northern) end of the beach where the monitoring site is located.

The Seagrass-Watch program has a simple philosophy of involving those who are concerned, and involves collaboration/partnerships between community, qualified scientists and the data users (environment management agencies). People involved in the program develop a deep sense of custodianship and understanding of their local marine environments that reaches throughout the wider community.

Since it's genesis in 1998 in Australia, Seagrass-Watch has expanded to the Indo and western Pacific, with volunteers in Micronesia, Palau, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji. Monitoring is now occurring at approximately 150 sites.

For more information about Seagrass Watch phone Vivien on 0414 699 264 or email her at: vivien.danis@jcu.edu.au