This assignment contains a detailed analysis of the Toadbuster program.
Ian Cowley
31 October 2005.
Case Study Analysis: Gladstone Toadbusters.
This essay explores the nature and effectiveness of the Gladstone Toadbusters program with regard to its incorporation of environmental education, participation and communication principles.
1.0 Description of the program.
Gladstone Toadbusters had its genesis in 1999 via the Port Curtis Waterwatch Program and Port Curtis Catchment Coordinating Committee (PCCCC). Committee members had expressed concern regarding the numbers of Cane Toads (Bufo marinus) that inhabited Gladstone, in particular the Reg Tanna Park. Since their release in 1935, the cane toad has become a major pest species in Queensland that threatens endemic wildlife via predation (Covacevich and Archer, 1970) or competition (Van Beurden, 1980). The park comprises of three connected lakes and surrounding open forest covering 30ha (anonymous, 2005). The lakes formed the original town water supply for Gladstone and are located within walking distance of the commercial centre of the city. The park is an important recreation resource for residents. This area supports a surprising diversity of aquatic life including freshwater eels and barramundi.
The idea was floated that a catch and kill program could be initiated by encouraging local residents to be involved in reducing the population of toads in this area. The objective is to reduce the impact toads have on native species. This objective is in line with Australian ESD principles (Commonwealth of Australia, 1992). The program takes place over the summer months when toads are most active. Table 1 contains a summary of levels of participation and number of toads collected. Reg Tanna Park was not the only site to be targeted by the program. Other sites in Gladstone were targeted as well. Reg Tanna Park also hosted a reed planting day to support frog habitiat. Once collected, toads are disposed of humanely by freezing and incineration.
Table 1. Toadbuster Statistics
Year: 2002
No of sessions held: 16
Average number of participants: 8.5
Numbers of Toads collected: 1983
Year: 2002-3
No of sessions held: 25
Average number of participants: 8
Numbers of Toads collected: 2358
Year: 2003-4
No of sessions held: 21
Average number of participants: 6
Numbers of Toads collected: 2639
Year: 2004-5
No of sessions held: 13
Average number of participants: 23
Numbers of Toads collected: 4785
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the toad size is now decreasing as the populations of the larger toads are being removed from the system (Hitchcock, pers comm). It is also suggested that improved participation rates is partly due to a National Heritage Fund Grant of $12,800 to Gladstone City Council during the 2002 -3 round of funding (National Heritage Trust, 2005). This money allowed for purchase of safety gear, (gloves glasses) printing of flyers, posters, purchase of plants for planting and media exposure. The local media have printed seven articles from December 2004 to April 2005 with the program being given front page status in the Gladstone Observer on 21 December 2004. It has taken some time for the program to expand. The 2004 -5 season was particularly successful with average participation rates increasing by nearly 400% and toad captures nearly doubling. A primary driver in the expansion is participation of children spreading the program by word of mouth (Hitchcock, pers comm) and increased media exposure. This would seem logical as the waterwatch coordinator doubles as the toadbusters coordinator and outreaches into the community through the primary schools of the district. From the information supplied, the program appears to be gathering momentum.
2.0 Educative Processes
It is well recognized that the scientific community alone can not change the public’s perception of environmental issues. If solutions to environmental problems need to be addressed then all sectors of society need to be involved. Primary environmental ‘mission statement’ documents such as the Belgrade Charter of 1976 and Tbilisi Declaration of 1977 note the importance of environmental education. The Belgrade charter states that environmental education should be ‘lifelong’ (p 70) in scope (UNESCO, 1976) and the Tbilisi Declaration comments:‘ Environmental education should be provided for all ages , at all levels and in both formal and non formal education’ (UNESCO 1977). The toadbusters project is the type of project that would be encouraged under the UN’s “Agenda 21” (UNCED, 1993) that is, a local community taking control of their own environmental issues.
While a good percentage of effort and emphasis has been placed on environmental education in schools, children can influence their parents attitudes. An informed and motivated populace can improve the social, political and environmental outcomes in their respective communities (Clover et al, 1998). If Clover’s 1998 work is taken as a basis of an effective environmental educative program then the toadbusters program must have the following features as noted below.
The program must be socially critical, acknowledge nature and natural systems as a teacher, critically examine the basis of the specific environmental problem, be a fun experience, use the communities local knowledge to produce solutions and be action based and therefore reduce community inertia and apathy towards problem solving.
If one uses the criteria noted above, then Toadbusters is a reasonably successful program. The areas that need further examination are in the area of wider environmental concerns, the social and political aspects. It is difficult to ascertain what impact this program will have on local communities outlook regarding toads. Most Queensland communities acknowledge that cane toads are here to stay unless there is a major control breakthrough. Although generally reviled, there is a certain amount of grudging respect to the point of the cane toad being the Queensland Rugby League football team mascot.
The cane toad problem has been widely publicised. Anecdotal evidence suggests levels of knowledge regarding the origin of the problem is generally good, that is, the toad was introduced to improve sugar cane production. High profile agencies such as the CSIRO continue to work on developing an effective method of control and the current threat to world heritage areas such as Kakadu National Park help keep the issue in the news media.
As a concept, toadbusters can be looked at as an experience where the participant is active in learning. If we utilize Freire’s popular education model of dialogue, searching for understanding, action, reflection and back to dialogue we can see this type of learning model in action. It is a team approach to learning where both organizer and locals who turn up can learn from each other (Bartlett, 2005). Locals may have information on where toads have been congregating and this can be incorporated in later toadbusting nights.
A piece written by a participant in toadbusters described the activity as ‘great fun’ (Lauren, 2005). This conforms to clover et al (1998) and the fact that the program was a local initiative also stands the program in good stead. It is an ‘active’ program, in that toadbusters have to get out and gets participants hands ‘dirty’. Figures from the first 2 years of the program’s operation suggest a high degree of repeat participation, with a small but dedicated core of volunteers turning up.
Toadbusters certainly falls into the field of non formal learning that encourages people to work together for change (Clover, 1996) and is similar in structure and form noted in some of the examples discussed by Bishop and Gibson, (1996) in that a small group of people are generating change and growing a sense of solidarity in dealing with the toad problem (Bishop and Gibson, 1996). It may also fall into what Dovers describes as ‘community based policy’ (Dovers, 1999; p13). This initiative also utilizes existing resources in the community to impact on the local environment (Clark, 1984). The toadbusters program has some common features noted in McPhee’s 1996 work with the Plumstead Common Environment Group. The lessons learned by the group could be applied to the toadbusters initiative with the exception of income generation (Mc Phee, 1996)
On a separate but similar level, academics such as Fien (1993) and Tilbury (1995) note that environmental education can occur on three levels, education ‘in’ ‘about’ and ‘for’ the environment. This type of program sits comfortably with all three levels of education being carried out. The evenings are carried out by the waterwatch coordinator. New participants are briefed on safety procedures and given safety equipment and given identification information on the cane toad that differentiates the toad from similar native frog species. If possible, new people are teamed with either the coordinator or ‘veteran’ toadbusters.
3.0 Participatory Models
The NSW EPA has published a model of project planning for use by community groups to plan and implement community based projects. In simplified form it is an 8 step model and has the following features:
Problem analyses
Identification of Stakeholders
Identification and knowledge of your target group
Project objectives and desired outcomes
Methods to achieve your objectives
Resource needs
Action planning and implementation
Monitoring and evaluation
(NSW EPA, 1997)
Using this model it can be determined that the toadbusters project has a number of features that conform to the above model. Currently the project is in the implementation and monitoring phases.
The Toadbusters project is very much a grass roots participatory project. Without public participation this project would have limited effectiveness in reducing toad numbers. While the project’s ‘brain’ is the coordinator, the actual arms and legs of the project are those of the community who turn up to evening sessions in collecting toads. It is a mix of adults and children, with the children hearing about the project via primary schools involvement in the waterwatch program. The children encourage their parents to be involved and tell their friends that it is a fun activity. It is this word of mouth and media coverage that appears to have widened participation levels.
From the information supplied it is somewhat problematic to determine the amount of control participants have in promulgating the program. The level of decision making is rather limited. The objective of the program is fixed, that is, reduction in toad numbers. There has been some broadening of the program and the original Reg Tanna Park site is not the only site targeted, but it is unknown if this has been due to availability of people willing to undertake work in their own ‘catchment’ or being driven by the constraints of the coordinators time limitations. It has to be noted that this program does not appear to be a permanently funded position for the coordinator but voluntary in nature. It has been noted in academic circles that effective community participation is the basis of environmental education (Clover, 1997; Maser and Kirk, 1996). In this case, it is probable that without the drive of the coordinator leading the program, the program would not contain the critical mass to be self perpetuating.
While the program relies on participation, the driver is not the community itself. The success of toadbusters relies on the communities power to act and impact on the environment in a positive manner. Pretty, (1994) would classify this type of situation as ‘functional participation’ (p 41). By this, most of the planning has already been undertaken and the community ‘just turn up’ and participate in the activity. The prognosis for the group under Pretty’s definition is somewhat equivocal. The group may continue to function independently but this is not guaranteed and would appear to rely on the external structure and leadership of the current coordinator and the support of PCCCC. However, this situation may change provided interest and increasing participation rates in the toadbusters program continues to grow. Provided that interest in the program continues to be strong it may have enough ‘critical mass’ to become an independent entity. Conversely, there is the possibility of the program succeeding in its aims and the toad population reduces to the point where the reason for the group existing ceases. This is not to say that there may be a need for the group to re constitute after a period of time when toad numbers start to rise. The time period between resurrecting the activity, the availability of someone to coordinate and general organisational issues such as public liability may well inhibit any attempt at reforming.
4.0 Communication Models.
The human ability to communicate with each other is one of our species defining traits. Our ability to communicate has allowed us to build human society to where it is today. We communicate on varying levels with other via verbal and non verbal means and communicating the right message in a means that is understood by the receiver is vital to education and establishing and maintaining relationships (Jones-Walters, 2000). Keliher (1997) notes that high levels of public involvement in projects come about when the public are motivated and informed. The public will only be motivated if the issues are clearly communicated. A planned approach to communicating what you want the community to know should be a priority for any environmental campaign or project (Keliher, 1997).
From the information supplied, the local newspaper (Gladstone Observer) has been very supportive of the project, providing editorial content and advertising toadbusting nights on a regular basis. This support has been consistent from 2004 to early 2005 when the program has been active during the summer months. This promotion has also correlated to increasing participation rates. Gladstone City Council (GCC) advertises the Toadbusters project on its website as part of its environmental achievements and corporate plan (GCC, 2005a; GCC, 2005b).
ABC local radio, has also run a story on toadbusters in November 2003, although very brief , allowed widespread exposure throughout the region and, as a transcript, worldwide exposure (ABC Capricornia, 2003).
While mass media campaigns are significant, interpersonal communication networks play a significant role. As noted previously, direct outreach into local schools via waterwatch appears to have had an impact in encouraging participation and meets criteria for successful change campaigns as noted in Cosgrove et al, (undated). In order to encourage participants, personalised certificates of participation are given to those who register.
5.0 Summary
From the information supplied it is difficult to definitively determine the success of the toadbusters project with regard to its incorporation of environmental education, participation and communication principles. There are, however a number of features that hold the program in good stead. Increasing participation rates, support from local government and growing community profile via media coverage combine to give to program a good chance of being a long term community activity. The broad cross section of ages that are attracted to the activity also are of benefit, in that learning is occurring across the generations and hopefully changing attitudes towards native frogs.
6.0 References
ABC Capricornia, 2003. ‘Gladstone Targets Cane Toads’. (online) Viewed 20/10/05.
http://abc.net.au/centralqld/news/200311/s981826.htm
Anonymous, 2005. Reg Tanna Park also called the Duck Pond. (online) Viewed 12/10/05
http://www.gladstone-online.com.au/duckpond.htmArnstein, S. 1969. ‘A ladder of Citizen Participation’. AIP Journal, July, pp216-224.
Bartlett, L. 2005. ‘Dialogue, Knowledge and Teacher-Student Relations: Freirean Pedagogy in Theory and Practice’. Comparative Education Review Vol 49, No 3. pp344-428
Bishop, M and Gibson, G. 1996. ‘For a Common Cause: Case Studies in Communities and Environmental Change’. AGPS, Canberra.
Clark, P.A. 1984. ‘A challenge: A global Definition of Community Education, International Community Education Association Newsletter, Vol 6 (1)m 7-11
Clover, D. 1996. ‘Developing International Environmental Adult Education’. In Filho, L., Murphy, Z. and O’Loan, K. (eds), ‘A Source for Environmental Education’.
Parthenon Publishing, London.
Clover, D. 1997. ‘The Greening of Education’. UNESCO Sources, No 91.
Clover, D., Follen, S. and Hall, B. 1998. ‘The Nature of Transformation: Environmental, Adult and Education’. Department of Adult education, Ontario. Chapter 1.
Commonwealth of Australia. 1992. ‘National Strategy for Ecologicaly Sustainable Development’. AGPS, Canberra.
Cosgrove, L., Evans, D. and Protacio, P. Undated. ‘Environmetal Change Campaigns’. Paper No 50. Victoria. pp 4-12.
Covacevich, J. and Archer, M. 1970. ‘The distribution of the cane toads Bufo marinus in Australia and effects on indigenous vertebrate’s’. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 17,305-20.
Dovers, S. 1999. ‘Education and Sustainability: Repositioning Environmental Education at the Core of Policy Through an “Environmental Crises”’. Unpublidhed paper presented at “Southern Crossings: Pointers for Change”, International Conference of Environmental Education, Sydney, 14-18 January.
Fien, J. 1993. ‘Ideology, Critique and Environmental Education, Education for the Environment’ Deakin University Press, Geelong. pp14-49.
Gladstone City Council, 2005a. ‘Gladstone City Council Towards 2010. Draft Corporate Plan 2005 -2010’. pp 49 (Online) viewed 10/10/05.
http://www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/gcc/media/new_corporate_plan.pdfGladstone City Council, 2005b. ‘Tidy Towns, History of Gladstone’s Achievements Keep Australia Beautiful Awards’. (online) Viewed 10/10/05
http://www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/gcc/index.asp?id=231Jones-Walters, L. 2000. ‘Communication: The Basics’. In Rientjes, S. (ed.) “Communicating Nature Conservation: A Manual for Using Communication in Support of Nature Conservation Policy and Action”. European Centre for Nature Conservation, Tilberg, Ch 1.
Lauren, 2005. ’Toad Busters in Gladstone’. (online) viewed 7/10/05. http://www.aussiekidsturningthetide.com/comments.php?id=20_0_1_0_C
Maser, C. and Kirk, C. 1996. ‘Local Community Development’ In Maser, C. (ed.) Resolving Environmental Conflict: Towards Sustainable Community Development. St Lucie Press, Florida. Chaprter 11, pp 167-200.
McPhee, E, 1996. ‘Community Environmental Action: The Plumstead Common Experience, Local Environment Vol. 1, No. 2, pp183-196.
National Heritage Trust. 2005.
“National Heritage Trust Round 1 (First call for 2002-2003) Australian Government Envirofund Projects Regional listing – Queensland”. (online) Viewed 10/10/05
http://www.nht.gov.au/envirofund/2002-2003/round1/qld-regions.htmlNew South Wales Environmental Protection Authority, 1997. ‘What We Need is a Community Education Project: an Eight Step Guide to Running a Community Education Project’. NSW EPA and NSW LWRC, Sydney. pp 10-30.
Pretty, J. 1994. ‘A Typology of Participation: How People Participate in Development Programmes and Projects’. In ‘Alternative Systems of Inquiry for Sustainable Agriculture’ IDS Bulletin Vol 25, No 2. pp 37-48.
Tilbury, D. 1995. ‘Environmental Education for Sustainability: Defining the New Focus of Environmental Education in the 1990s’. Environmental Education Research, 1(2), pp195-212
UNCED. 1993. ‘Agenda 21: Programme of Action for Sustainable Development’ UNCED, Geneva.
UNESCO. 1976. ‘The Belgrade Charter’. Connect, 1(1), pp 69-77.
UNESCO. 1977. ‘The Tbilisi Declaration’. Connect, 3(1), pp 1-9.
Van Beurden, E. 1980. ‘Report on the results of stage 3 of an ecological and physiological study of the Queensland cane toad Bufo marinus’. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service Report, pp. 86-156.
7.0 Personal Communications:
Hitchcock, A. Phone Conversation 10/10/05.
8.0 Appendix 1
Gladstone Observer Articles (hardcopies only – can be sent if required)
