Gascoyne Region schools

Carnarvon Senior High School monitors local inlet

Students from the Senior Science group at Carnarvon Senior High School monitor various water quality parameters of the water in the local Fascine monthly, with outcomes linked to the senior science curriculum.

The extended investigation has exposed students to real science outside the classroom and developed their environmental awareness of the local area.

Students have written major reports discussing the health of the Fascine and provided a complex analysis of the environmental issues in the surrounding area.

Long-term monitoring data collected prior to the introduction of any current and future activities that may occur in or along the Fascine, will provide a base for comparison in the assessment of the Fascine's water quality.

Incoming Year 11 students will continue the existing monitoring program, while outgoing Year 11 students continuing into Year 12 will create a rehabilitation or development program for the site with the aim of implementing it.

This will hone their skills as environmental investigators as well as their ability to design and implement practical solutions to environmental problems, and create a consultation process between the students and the wider community.

It is hoped that improvement of the Fascine will create better recreational opportunities for locals, while developing its appeal as a tourist attraction for fishing and boating activities.

Summing up the value of their involvement in the Ribbons of Blue program, through the use of a feedback questionnaire, the students said they had:

• increased their awareness of how their environment works
• gained an understanding of how pollution from the stormwater pipe in Carnarvon affects the Fascine
• gained an appreciation for the relevance of water surveys and environmental monitoring
• gained an ability to use various test kits and other scientific equipment
• developed plans to start a revegetation project enhancing the natural values of the mangrove habitats along the shore.

In a small community where many senior high school students leave to complete their education in Perth, these students are developing a greater understanding of the importance of their local surroundings.

"I value learning more about the environment of Carnarvon and helping to maintain the quality of the fascine," said Year 11 student Hayley Weeks.

By gaining experience in hands-on science, students discover the relevance of their data and their ability to make a difference through involvement in the management and care of their local aquatic environment.