River workshop
inspires Culdaff students
19.10.23
THE Inishowen Rivers Trust
(IRT), in collaboration with The Local Authority Waters
Programme (LAWPRO), recently engaged in a compelling
initiative by taking 23 students from St. Boden’s
National School on an educational journey into the world
of river heritage and citizen science.
On a crisp autumn morning, Wednesday, October 11th, the
young Culdaff children immersed themselves in the rich
history and environmental importance of their local
river. The day offered the students a chance to step out
of the classroom and into their wellies, encouraging
them to discover more about the river's past, its
biodiversity, and how they can actively contribute to
its preservation. |
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Citizen Scientists from
St. Boden’s National School completing the River’s Trust
Big River Watch survey. |
The outing began at the
historic old mill in Culdaff where the students were
informed about the river's role in producing food for
the village throughout history. With the pupils
organised in groups based on the names of famous
international rivers, they discussed the role of rivers
from food to transportation and defence.
Under the guidance of headteacher Charlene Henderson and
class teacher Linda McGonagle, the students walked
through the village to a route to the river, provided by
local landowner and councillor Johnny McGuinness, who
ensured safe access behind McGuinness’ Bar and Shop. |
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Mill River Conservation
Group’s Tomas Lawrance collecting samples from the
Culdaff River whilst St. Boden’s pupils watch on. |
Once by the river's banks,
the students rotated in examining the insects found in
the river using the Citizen Science Stream Index,
discovering how the presence or absence of specific
aquatic invertebrates serves as a vital indicator of the
river's health. They also had the opportunity to
contribute to the Rivers Trust’s national data set
building a picture of river health throughout Ireland.
Armed with clipboards and pencils, Culdaff’s budding
citizen scientists reported on the river flow, the
plants, wildlife, and the appearance of the river. The
students were also asked to express their emotions in
one word about being by the river, with responses
ranging from "good" and "happy" to "hungry" and "cold."
In addition to their scientific observations, the
students had the chance to identify trees, plants, and
wildlife along the riverbank, including a frog playfully
named "George Washington" by one group. |
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Examining the
invertebrates of the Culdaff River to assess water
quality. |
Carlene Lyttle, Project
Officer at the Inishowen Rivers Trust, expressed the
significance of the workshop: "The school's workshop is
part of our ongoing efforts to engage children with
their local environment, creating awareness about the
importance of water quality while offering fun and
educational ways for them to get involved."
The Inishowen Rivers Trust has been actively working
with the Culdaff community and landowners for several
years. Notably, the CRiBZ (Culdaff Riparian Buffer
Zones) project has encouraged riverbank planting to
mitigate flooding, absorb pesticides and chemicals, and
reduce sedimentation by preventing livestock access to
watercourses.
In August, the Inishowen Rivers Trust facilitated an
event at the Wee Hall to share the stories of the
heritage of the Culdaff River, which has been nominated
for a national award from the Heritage Council. The
Inishowen Rivers Trust expressed deep gratitude to LAWPRO for their support and funding, which made this
inspiring and educational workshop possible. |
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