newsletter_2008_1.pdf - 5.84 MB - The Baltic Sea Project

Lunch break with entertainment
During the conference, the participants had the opportunity
to visit fish landing sites, fishermen camps, an international
fish market, wetlands, a dumping site, and a waste
water treatment plant. In these areas, the participants
gained a clear picture on the extent of pollution in Lake
Victoria, the over fishing of the Nile perch, the problem of
plastic bags, which are out of control in the dumping site,
the re-use of fish waste in chicken feed, the overcrowding
of people in fishermen camps, which has resulted in
the spread of HIV/AIDS in the area. The situation that the
participants faced in this study visit in Mwanza was said
to be similar to Kenya and Uganda. Thus, the study visit
challenged the participants to deal with the situation in a
better way in the better future.
The next conference, one year later in Entebbe, was
opened by Mr. Patrick Ssembele from the Uganda Ministry
of Education who stressed the importance of a new educational
policy in the East African region, especially in
the fields of environmental sciences, which should promote
practical research and learning by doing. This vision
became the guiding theme of the conference “Lake
City parade in Entebbe.
vARIA
City parade in Entebbe
Victoria - Our Concern” focusing on the development of
a common program for investigations and activities in
order to strengthen the common goals of the network and
empowering its young members. This time, seminars and
workshops were to a much greater extent prepared and
led by students and young environmentalists.
The students were trained in measuring chlorophyll in
order to assess the grade of eutrophication, to take and
handle tissue samples for analysis of heavy metals, and to
watch and identify birds and use bird inventories for environmental
mapping. The student delegates also spent their
time producing their own handbook for young environmentalists
and debating on how to correctly practice their
democratic rights in order to protect the environment. For
example, DDT against malaria will be allowed in Uganda,
and students learnt to evaluate the risk of toxic biomagnifiaction
and discussed optional antimalaria methods and
ways to stop the use of DDT.
The three scientific programs, chlorophyll measurements,
heavy metal sampling, and bird inventory will be
run parallel in all schools all around the lake and provide
the students with a common foundation for data, discussions,
and analysis. Newsletters, policy handbooks, learner
guides, national gatherings, and regional conferences will
be arenas for making joint conclusions and future plans.
Rolf Erikson
Teacher
Nacka Gymnasium, Griffelvägen17, 131 40 Nacka, Sweden
E-mail: rolf.c.eriksson@nacka.se
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