Ellie leads study into sea-bed life (From Penarth Times)

Ellie leads study into sea-bed life

A PENARTH student at Oxford University is currently leading a seabed study in Papua New Guinea which could help to establish legislation to protect the country's environment.

Ellie Latrobe-Bateman, 21, formerly a pupil of Stanwell School, is one of eight students from Oxford University involved in a two-month research project off the Tigak Island and Iavongi in New Ireland province.

Governor Ian Ling-Stuckey welcomed the delegation on behalf of the New Ireland provincial government.

Mr Ling-Stuckey told the students that his province desperately needed to access the research and intellectual pool at Oxford to assist the provincial government in drafting legislation to establish fauna and flora reserves along the lines of national parks found in most countries.

He said the province's environment needed to be protected from unscrupulous timber and fishing companies.

Ellie, who studied at Hartford College, Oxford, gained an upper second-class honours degree in biological science from Oxford earlier this year and will now return to the university to do a master's degree. During her time at university, Ellie received an award from Hartford College for her outstanding zoological fieldwork.

In 2003, Ellie was involved in a study of coral reefs off Madagascar which helped to maintain a sustainable fishery as part of an Oxford University coral awareness and research expedition.

Mr Ling-Stuckey also said his family was prepared to offer Lemus Island as a base for annual visits as part of the Ling-Stuckey foundation's ongoing commitment to promoting environmental awareness throughout the province.

The students - both graduates and undergraduates - visited Lemus Island two weeks ago and observed first hand proceedings of the province's inaugural education forum.