From the Green Lake in Ratingen to the Mediterranean Sea – how community science combines diving, education and nature conservation!
Foto: Colourbox
Acting together in times of biodiversity crisis
Biodiversity crisis, plastic waste and the increasingly poor condition of many bodies of water present us with major challenges. But the crucial question is: what concrete steps can we take to protect our environment? This is precisely where the Community Science Diver project, presented by biology student Sara Concellón, comes in.
Community Science Diver – diving meets science
In her presentation, Sara Concellón introduces a new i.a.c. certification that combines diving, science and education in an innovative way. Using the example of the Green Lake in Ratingen, she shows how divers work together with schoolchildren to systematically collect data, document species and thus actively contribute to water protection. The citizen science approach makes scientific methods accessible to people of all ages and enables environmental research to be experienced first-hand.
From idea to implementation – Sara Concellón
Sara Concellón is studying for a Master of Education at the University of Wuppertal. She is particularly passionate about environmental research and knowledge transfer. In her bachelor's thesis, she had the opportunity to implement her own project, in which she dealt intensively with the water quality of the Green Lake and successfully integrated a citizen science approach. The certification programme for diving in line with ESD presented here is a further development of her bachelor's thesis.
Successful pilot project with a future
The results of the pilot project are promising: they not only provide valuable insights into the biodiversity of the lake, but also form the basis for expansion to other lakes and for i.a.c. Community Science Diver Freshwater certification. But the project is much more than just certification. Diving centres are developing into extracurricular learning locations where practical learning meaningfully complements school lessons and sustainable environmental education comes to life. And the focus is already extending beyond freshwater – with Community Science Diver Ocean, the project will also be continued in the Mediterranean in the future.
