The Human Impact on the Natural Environment

IB attributes: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers

Every year, students in the Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) class head out to Montreal’s Mount Royal Park for some hands-on science investigations, an ideal opportunity for inquiry-based learning and exploration of the environment.

Through guided walks and sampling of plant and animal species, students learn how human interaction with the environment impacts our social structure and fragile ecosystem. They explore water and soil pollution, and use monitoring techniques and sampling methods to measure the diversity and abundance of species in a community.

So, what did they discover? Their findings suggest that there is a statistically significant decrease in biodiversity in areas where there is a lot of traffic, as compared to the less travelled forest trails. This fieldwork encourages students to evaluate and recommend improvements to our strategies that aim to reduce the harmful effects that humans have on the environment.

ETTORE ZUCCHEROSO, Science Teacher