Who’s who in the rainforest

Dr Sarah Pye. (Amber Grant)

Our next Friday Forum will be a truly special day with a children’s workshop. Join award-winning author Dr Sarah Pye, author of Wildlife Wong and the Fig Wasp, and learn about the inhabitants of the rainforest, from sun bears and orangutans to one of the tiniest unsung heroes. With a new appreciation for the importance of biodiversity, teams will build a quadrat (a grid which scientists use to count flora and fauna) then head outside as citizen scientists to use it. Who knows what they will find! This hands-on workshop is suitable for children from six-14 years old who must be accompanied by an adult.

Award-winning author (and avid traveller) Dr Sarah Pye met Malaysian ecologist Dr Wong in 2012. She asked what she could do to help him save the rainforest.

He replied, “do what you do best”. Those five powerful words sparked a Doctor of Creative Arts degree, an enduring friendship, and a series of Wildlife Wong narrative nonfiction chapter books, each which include a real-life adventure story, cool animal facts, and experiments.

Sarah visits schools and presents at literary festivals both nationally and internationally with her engaging presentations and workshops, and she is often joined by her puppet side-kick, Pongo the orangutan. Sarah’s books will be available for sale, payable by credit card.

Join the Friday Forum on 27 September at the Noosa Parks Association Environment Centre, 5 Wallace Drive, Noosaville with morning tea available at 10-10.25 am and then the workshop starting at 10:30 am. Entry is free, but a donation of $5 by tap and go at the door would be greatly appreciated.

Join the bird observers at 8.30am in the carpark for interpretive birding.

For more information: noosaparks.org.au