Environmental Education and river monitoring: a look at the Cachoeira River Basin, Joinville (SC, Brazil)

Abstract

Water is essential for life, and ensuring its quality and availability depends on the engagement of the entire society. In this context, the “Monitoring the Rivers” Project aims to mobilize students and the school community around environmental issues, promoting the conservation and preservation of water resources through educational activities and socio-environmental training. Initiated in 2018, the project is implemented in public schools in Joinville (SC, Brazil), located in the Cachoeira River Watershed area, and is targeted at students from the 4th to 6th grades of elementary school. So far, the project has reached 583 students who have been certified as “water quality monitors,” having acquired knowledge throughout the sessions about the importance of water resources, water quality parameters, the impacts of human activities on nature, and, most importantly, conservation practices. As a result of their participation in the project, students develop socio-environmental competencies, strengthen their sense of collective responsibility, and act as multiplying agents within their communities, disseminating the knowledge and best practices they have learned.