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Living labs, a laboratory on a South African river

What if we move the laboratory to the river? That was the question they asked at Cedar House school, in Cape Town, when they decided to hold a living lab to mark World Water Day.

To ensure the success of the event, the school had the support of the Freshwater Research Centre. This organization does research into river and lake ecology and performs activities to monitor rivers and wetland areas.

On 22 March, pupils from Cedar House and researchers from the Freshwater Research Institute joined forces in a day of fieldwork to monitor Cape Town’s Liesbeek River.

Researchers from the Living Labs environmental education node took the children to carry out a range of tests to gauge the state of the middle Liesbeek River.

Field study activities of this sort show that the natural environment can provide the perfect laboratory and also help raise awareness of the state of ecosystems and the need to preserve them.

This answers to the need for pupils to understand the effects of problems like water shortage or water pollution, in order to raise awareness and promote sustainable use of water.
Did you do anything in the way of activities to celebrate this day at your school? You can find out about the activities held all over the world during World Water Day here.