Marine conservation education

UWCSEA STORIES

Marine conservation education

turning the tide

Oceans are the foundation of life on Earth, producing over half of the world’s oxygen, creating the weather, stabilising the climate. Home to the largest ecosystem on our planet and rapidly becoming acidic, oceans are essential to study and appreciate so that they may be protected and restored. With the support of a generous donor, marine conservation at UWCSEA is now in its third year of activity with a new, permanent aquarium at Dover. In previous years, the funding was used for a mini marine conservation course at the IDEAS Hub and to purchase a wave simulation tank for the Dover Geography Department. The aquarium is approximately 192 litres and is home to clownfish, corals and an anemone among other species. It is located in the Science Library, a casual space in the Science Department, where many student societies congregate for their weekly meetings and is open to all students. In 2019/2020, High School Marine Science Society students were pleased to welcome Grade 3 classes (about 140 students) for a one-hour learning session about marine conservation. Half of the session was spent learning about the aquarium, marine ecosystems and the effects of plastic pollution and ocean acidification on corals. The second half was an outdoor activity that involved a game simulating bioaccumulation and biomagnification of toxins. At the end of each session, students wrote a personal goal to change their behaviour to improve the conservation of marine ecosystems.

“I learned that if one fish has plastic in it, it can carry it to the other fish when it gets eaten.” “The Marine Life Center was really fun and I learned why the oceans need us. The games were awesome.”

On East Campus, a Marine Conservation Service activity was launched and they are hoping to install a significant tank system in 2020/2021. Once safe distancing measures are relaxed, students are looking forward to developing partnerships with the National Marine Laboratory on St. John’s Island to discuss how they can help with ethical coral fragmentation and replanting in Singapore. Corals are home to about 25% of marine wildlife but cover less than 1% of the ocean floor and are essential in protecting coastlines against erosion and flooding, so it is vital to learn how to preserve and regrow this precious resource. There are also plans to work with Conservation International to develop and deliver a curriculum related to marine wildlife conservation, particularly related to whale shark research and protection efforts. Thanks to our generous donor, students have a unique opportunity to build their knowledge and appreciation for our planet’s precious marine ecosystems and raise awareness amongst fellow students to take meaningful action.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Staff, parents and alumni generously give their time, treasure and talent to the College. Collectively, they bring the UWC mission to life, building a more peaceful and sustainable world through their dedication, service and generosity.