Reg Godwin: Inspiring schools to dive into freshwater citizen science
Added: 18th July 2024
FreshWater Watch is our citizen science programme that gives communities fresh water testing tools to monitor water quality, identify problems and fight for improvements in their local water bodies. Hear from our FreshWater Watch Champion, Reg Godwin, and Alice Mills from Exeter Science Centre how they have joined forces to introduce schools to the power of freshwater citizen science.
Reg Godwin
I’m an environmental scientist, supporting water testing labs and environmental labs across the UK, and Ireland. In the past, I worked for the Environment Agency in a lab in Devon, testing all the major water bodies and rivers across the country.
Last October, I joined Holsworthy Church of England Primary School as a governor and saw an opportunity there to get the children more involved in science, conducting a real scientific study with our local river, the River Deer.
I signed up to Earthwatch Europe’s FreshWater Watch programme and set up the Holsworthy Kingfishers group. Our focus is on introducing primary school age groups to citizen science. In collaboration with Exeter Science Centre, we are trying to get even more schools involved.
Alice Mills
I’m one of the directors of Exeter Science Centre. We are an educational charity aiming to connect people with the science behind global issues, but on a local level.
We focus on different project themes, for example, we do a lot in climate science but we are also really getting interested in water quality.
Since Reg approached us, we’ve been spending a few months together trying to find partners, funders and more local schools interested in getting on board with this project.
Why we need more freshwater education
REG: I think it’s important to build an understanding of environmental science and environmental monitoring early on, and to diversify the curriculum. In my opinion, we don’t spend enough time on science in education. At the same time, there is a real need for more scientists joining the industry here in the UK.
Recognising the educational need for the next generation to better understand our natural environment and the challenges it faces was my main motivation to join Earthwatch Europe’s FreshWater Watch community.
REG: We must acknowledge the challenges that the children attending school today will face in the future, most importantly the climate crisis and how it impacts our natural resources such as fresh water. I find it shocking that children in school now will not know a time when there haven’t been extreme weather conditions! Also seeing the dire state of our rivers… The government funding cuts for the Environment Agency and for national water monitoring have made me think that we need to do something to counter this. We need to start enabling change and get communities involved!
We aim to offer this opportunity especially to schools in underserved areas. For example, some are smaller schools in rural areas in Devon with less access to this kind of science outreach. Some schools have a high percentage of free school meals recipients, and in some of the schools there is a high percentage of children with special educational needs.
People can help us reach even more school communities by donating to our fundraising page.
Joining the global FreshWater Watch community
ALICE: We think the FreshWater Watch project by Earthwatch Europe is fantastic, because it’s just so important that we recognise the ability of citizens (of all ages!) to do their bit. The schools often go down pond or river dipping, but they are not always aware of what’s in the water. What’s great about the FreshWater Watch testing is the fact it’s in situ testing. The samples don’t have to be sent away to be tested – with FreshWater Watch they can see an instant result.
FreshWater Watch water testing kit used by our citizen scientists
Getting involved in the testing is a great opportunity for school communities to expand their knowledge, their connection to their local nature and for the children to see themselves as citizen scientists. Ideally, all the schools we work with will become part of the FreshWater Watch community and contribute to Earthwatch’s global database. We also want to create resources for schools that go with the water monitoring experience to build a wider understanding of the whole ecosystem of streams and rivers and our role within that.
REG: The school communities we work with will be sampling their local river over several months. From spring and summer to autumn and winter, they will see the changes that happen, also in wildlife and the wider natural surroundings. We look at different pollution sources and discuss those, such as sewage and agricultural run-off but also plastic and litter. So it gives them a good understanding of how the river is used and the challenges it faces.
Everyone can be a (citizen) scientist!
REG: I believe that everybody is born a scientist – we all have this intrigue into our natural environment. But some of us lose that. So it’s about activating and inspiring those school children and wider communities to get involved in citizen science, showing them how they can contribute valuable data and information.
One of the advantages of going into schools is that there will always be children who do not see themselves as “sciency people”. So they wouldn’t seek out those opportunities on their own. We’re passionate about giving those young people the opportunity to see that they can be involved, they can enjoy it and contribute.
REG: There has been a stigma in the past that citizen science isn’t very accurate and therefore not relevant. That isn’t the case anymore! Through my professional background, I know what accurate testing and good quality data look like and how to analyse that data.
Citizen science is powerful! A large number of people trained in citizen science have a much higher capacity for monitoring than any organisation or institution can provide on their own. In rural communities, for example, on small streams, there can be issues which either aren’t being recognised or aren’t monitored due to a lack of capacity.
ALICE: Local people are also more likely to spot smaller changes and differences in their river and wider natural environment over time.
Why fresh water matters
ALICE: I really love swimming in rivers. I live in North Devon, and there’s lots of wild swimmers and cold water swimmers here.
More and more people are experiencing problems with pollution, with feeling poorly after being in the water, which is worrying and sad. I think rivers are a refuge for all life!
ALICE: On a hot day just seeing every age enjoy splashing about in a river is such a wonderful thing. I’m sure it’s true for a huge number of people living near a river or lake that it becomes central to a lot of their activities. And for so many people, rivers and streams are places which have a really positive impact on their mental health.
REG: Rivers are our lifeblood. Communities are built around rivers, look at London and the River Thames. All the water passing through our rivers will be going through treatment works and will come out of our taps. Sadly, we tend to undervalue water. We just see it as something that’s always there to be used. We don’t seem to make that link between what’s in the river, and our own health and the wider ecosystem. The more polluted our natural water resources are, the more treatment they will need, which in turn can negatively impact the wildlife living in and around these rivers.
Woman wild swimming in a lake in the UK (credit: Canva)
How our data will make a difference
REG: We are still in the initial stages. We are taking routine samples with our different groups, usually taking down six to seven children at a time. At the moment, we’re just observing fluctuations, realising that those levels of nitrates and phosphates in the water do vary a lot depending on what’s going on in and around the river. For example, further downstream, we’re aware of the treatment works and we know that Devon is actually one of the worst regions for spills. There’s agricultural run-off as well. After six months of sampling, I think we should have an event where we share the data. The dream would be an event at Exeter University where our schools can present their monitoring results.
ALICE: Initially, the pupils will present the results to their own school communities. This could be through mini science fairs, for example, which parents can attend during pick-up time. It will be great for the children to show their families what they have been doing!
The wellbeing benefits of water and taking action for nature
REG: The wellbeing benefits of being around water are well-documented. This is something that also really benefits the children who get involved in the monitoring.
ALICE: The change in behaviour of children when they are in nature compared to sitting in the classroom is amazing! Being by the river, experiencing a different type of learning and engaging in an activity that is meaningful to them… There are so many benefits! Even on days when it was raining heavily, the children were well-behaved, worked collaboratively and there were no complaints.
REG: It’s really great to see the energy and enthusiasm the pupils bring! They really want to contribute to positive change.
Child engaging in pond dipping (credit: John Hunt)
What we want to see from policymakers
REG: From the new government, I would really like to see increased funding to tackle water pollution issues nationally, but also giving more attention to local issues such as in rural areas that may have been overlooked for a while. Councils need to look more closely at planning decisions, so that we’re not just building more and more houses in the wrong places. Can we plant more trees next to our rivers instead? And really using the environmental data that has been gathered to support the decision-making process.
Why other people should get involved in the fight for fresh water
REG: To people out there who want to take action themselves I would say: go for it, do it! If you are concerned, if you appreciate the environment and how every single one of us is connected to it, then get involved in a citizen science project like FreshWater Watch. Your contribution and the data that you record will be really valuable! It can enable real change – we’ve seen this in some communities here in Devon in the Southwest where data has helped identify environmental issues and influenced decision-making.
ALICE: I think we all need to firmly believe that we can collectively make a difference and yes, every small act matters! We’ve been doing some work on eco-anxiety and a huge part of solving that problem and making people feel less paralysed and hopeless is to give them a chance to practically do something. The value of being involved in citizen science and saying “yes, there are lots of bad things going on, there are lots of global issues and we’re seeing the local effects of these but I am actually doing something about it” is huge!
Reg and his own children, Rowan and Hazel
Do you want to join the fight for healthy fresh water in the UK? Join our Great UK WaterBlitz in September 2024.
Discover more about FreshWater Watch and how to join or set up your own water monitoring group.
Find out what Reg is currently doing with his Kingfishers Citizen Science project on Facebook.