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Message from our Executive Director
Embarking on a project of the size and complexity of discovery and exploration. With the help of university
PODS is certainly ambitious and has required a great students and academics, as well as experts from
deal of planning and forethought, but the Lagoon around the world, we look forward to investigating the
Society is used to taking on big challenges. None of intricacies of our extraordinary ecosystems, and, most
this would have come about if it hadn’t been for the importantly, determining how to protect and preserve
long journey we started back in 2012 by hosting the them in perpetuity. Equally, we need to celebrate our
1st Sunshine Coast Biodiversity Summit. This amazing good fortunes and pass our fi ndings on to others with
event attracted over 100 stakeholders from all walks music, song, and dance!
of life, including many scientists specializing in
freshwater and marine research, who met for four days How can any of us sit by and witness the consequences
to discuss how best to conserve and preferably enhance of global warming, ocean acidifi cation, and global
biodiversity on the Sunshine Coast and to create a plastics pollution, without feeling we should be trying
strategy for moving forward. This gathering of minds to do something about it? Should we just be standing
eventually resulted in the publication of the Sunshine by watching our resident orca population go extinct,
Coast Biodiversity Strategy (Evelyn and Jackson 2015). keeping our fi ngers crossed that we will be able to eat
One overriding conclusion of our discussions was that shellfi sh without ingesting micro-plastics, or relying
there was a desperate shortage of aquatic monitoring on hearsay that our children will be able to keep on
and research. enjoying what we have taken for granted? There has
never been a time in human history when it was so
I believe the progress we have made in the intervening important to choose to act to preserve and enhance the
seven years is indicative of the amazing spirit of Pender precious natural assets we all depend upon.
Harbour, which is quite simply legendary. How many
other small communities have come together to PODS will be like a lighthouse, protecting our coastal
embrace building their own Community Health Centre, waters from degradation and destruction and making
their own Golf Course, and two of their own Provincial sure we look after our watersheds and all the amazing
Parks? We certainly could never have gotten this far natural processes that give us clean air, pure water,
without the wholehearted support of so many people, and a healthy environment for generations to come.
businesses, NGO’s, and charities who all work so PODS will be a beacon for the future and another
tirelessly to make Pender Harbour so special. PODS is wonderful example of what makes the spirit of Pender
our way of showing, yet again, just how much we truly Harbour so special. Thank you all for helping us to
care for this place, and demonstrating our commitment make our vision a reality!
to safeguarding the future for our children.
PODS will bring a special additional value to Pender
Harbour. For decades to come, it will benefi t all of
us who live here, as well as wider Sunshine Coast
community and visitors from around the world. In this
crazy world of super high-speed internet, and constant Michael Jackson - Executive Director
data overload, PODS will provide a place where we
can all gather and enjoy quietly mingling together and
learning more about where we live and how best to
protect the amazing biodiversity that surrounds us.
Everyone will be welcome to join in our voyage of