Budding young ornithologists from schools across Logan will use artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor the city’s bird life.
Local high school students will build a census of all the bird species at their schools using special AI devices they built themselves, which are also capable of identifying and tracking the noises of other animals like gliders, koalas and frogs.
The pilot study will run for two years at Beenleigh State High, Flagstone Community College, Kingston State College, Loganlea State High, Mabel Park State High, Park Ridge State High, Shailer Park State High, Woodstock Flexible Learning Centre and Yarrabilba State Secondary College.
It will be led by the ENABLE Sustainability Network, which is a partnership between 14 local high schools, and funded by Logan City Council.
ENABLE co-chair and Park Ridge State High School associate principal Stuart Douglas said the group aimed to increase bird populations over time.
“Our long-term aim is to use the information to plant more appropriate tree species at each school, based on the data we collect and in consultation with conservation experts,” he said.
“We’re hoping to see the planting result in greater bird visitors over the longer term as a direct result of the work the students are doing to identify species and improve their campuses.”
Yarrabilba student Glorie Nyamujangwa said the project would help his studies in ecology.
“It’s exciting to be constructing something for our school that will also help with learning, and in my Year 12 assessment next year,” he said.
“It’s exciting to have a program that could develop into the future for other students, and inspire more learning opportunities in biology.”
