PCG - A New Citizens Science Network!

GREAT Institute established the first-ever citizens’ science programme for environmental monitoring along the River Gambia in 2021 to get an in-depth understanding of the dynamics and functioning of the river. A recent addition to GREAT Institute’s programmes was developed to understand the tributaries along the River Gambia. These tributaries connect smaller streams to the main river and play an important role in the ecological functioning of the river. Monitoring tributaries will help assess the dynamics of the river, analyse trends, make informed decisions, and develop strategies to improve water quality, ensure the water meets its designated use, and aid community development. 

Using the citizen science approach, the Promoting Conservation in The Gambia (PCG) through the Establishment of a Coastal Citizen Science Programme was developed specifically to facilitate sustainable conservation efforts to protect the prime mangrove forest along the River Gambia and its tributaries. The River Gambia is low-lying, making it vulnerable to saltwater intrusion causing biodiversity loss, mangrove dieback, food insecurity, and alteration in the river’s water quality. Therefore, there is a need for a participatory approach using citizen science to contribute to the conservation of the nation’s most prominent feature.

The citizen science programme presents a collaborative approach to enhance community engagement and build on an expanding network of citizen scientists, research, and practice to contribute to marine conservation. The PCG programme engages Community Science Leaders (CSLs) who are students from the University of The Gambia, Community Focal Points (CFPs) who are oyster harvesters belonging to the TRY Oyster Women’s Association, and Community-based Organizations (CBOs) in a transdisciplinary research approach to aquatic research and conservation. The project continues to train and build local capacity to actively participate in routine environmental monitoring of six tributaries along River Gambia. The goal of this project is to develop participatory methods to monitor and rehabilitate degraded mangrove ecosystems to promote conservation along the river Gambia and its tributaries. The programme was launched in January 2023. 

~David Adesina Davies

RREMEDY Field Study Course

GREAT Institute launched a field study course in July 2022 called Research, Restoration, and Education on Mangrove Ecosystems with Dynamic Youths (RREMEDY), funded by Sustainable Ocean Alliance. The course trained 12 students from the University of The Gambia on research and presentation skills, watershed management, mangrove ecology, and environmental monitoring. This field study course took the students to Sankandi Village located in the Lower River Region, along the Bintang Bolong.

Sequel to the training and restoration component of RREMEDY, the GREAT Institute team continued monitoring the physicochemical parameters of the river, while also assessing the growth and survival rate of the planted mangroves. The Sankandi Youth Development Association (SYDA) received further training on conducting water quality assessments and was given water quality testers to carry on routine monitoring of aquatic parameters within the restored site.

The RREMEDY programme has successfully been completed, restoring 2500 m2 of mangrove forest and building capacity in environmental conservation. The team at GREAT Institute will continue to monitor the growth and survival rate of the newly restored site. View the images and the aerial video below to see the progress of the restored site.

~Muhammed Nyass

Sailing for Mangroves in The Gambia

Sailing for Mangroves in The Gambia

In collaboration with Pacifique Foundation, Swansea University, and the University of Geneva, GREAT Institute embarked on the first scientific expedition along the River Gambia onboard the sailing ship Mauritius, a 30-meter steel Schnoor flying the Swiss flag. The expedition included training the next generation of students on coastal and marine research from 7 January to 21 January 2023. 

The aim of the expedition was to assess basic ecological factors - the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the River Gambia, and expose students to the vast biodiversity along various tributaries (locally called “bolong”). The kick-off event welcomed students, mid-career scientists, and lovers of nature and marine science on board to tour the floating lab. During the event, the scientists on board expressed the importance of the research in feeding the national marine database and shaping our advice towards the management of the marine environment.

The 50 km scientific mission upstream to Bintang Bolong en route Bao Bolong, measured atmospheric, aquatic, and sediment environments, including concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). The students learned how to use a GHG analyser, CTD, Niskin bottle, microscope, and plankton net to collect environmental data. The students also learned about life onboard a sailing boat, including learning everyday sailing terms for safety onboard Mauritius.  

At the end of the expedition, students expressed excitement about the rich biodiversity of the River Gambia, and its composition of mangroves, birds, crocodiles, dolphins, and jellyfish, to mention a few. The students were also appreciative of the opportunity to be part of a scientific expedition and to network with mentors and possible supervisors. Additionally, the expedition attracted public attention as it was the first scientific research vessel to officially explore the River Gambia in recent years.

~Dawn Pratt

Watch the videos below made by Pacifique Foundation and QTV, which summarizes the expedition!

Learning About Climate Change with Visiting Scientists

The year kicked off with the Climate Change Biology (CCB) course offered to university students and early career professionals.  The CCB course taught by Professor Kam Tang from Swansea University focused on the global scale climate phenomena and processes with emphasis on the connections across disciplines from physics to chemistry, geology, and biology, and how they interact with climate. Once lectures were completed, participants were given topics to investigate for a week. This year, students were tasked to investigate “What Do Gambians Know About the State of Climate Change?”. Working in groups, participants had to state a hypothesis and develop questionnaires to investigate the topic. Each group was given an age range to investigate and present results at the student forum. 

Also this year, with the help of Professor Kurt DeGoede from Elizabethtown College in the USA, students had the chance to participate in a highly interactive, role-playing game to explore the different solutions needed to take action on climate change. It allowed participants to rapidly assess the impacts of different solutions to climate change—like energy supply subsidies, energy efficiency, or land use changes. The game was conducted as a simulated emergency climate summit, organised by the United Nations to establish a concrete plan to limit global warming by bringing together government, business, and civil society representatives. It was amazing to see participants negotiate with one another as they do in a closed-door session at the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP) meetings, in efforts to keep global average temperatures under 1.5°C as recognised in the Paris Agreement. The simulator was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

~ Maiyai Taal Hocheimy

Dive Into Marine Science at Maahad Senior Secondary School

In collaboration with Blacks in Marine Science (BIMS), the Gambia Ocean Heroes (GOH) team conducted an outreach activity at Maahad Senior Secondary School in Brikama, to educate and expose students to marine science, the marine ecosystem, and environmental monitoring techniques in supporting long-term socio-ecological research, development, and management in The Gambia. This activity had three (3) stations that carried out aquatic, terrestrial, and food pyramid exercises.

At the aquatic station, students learned about the three aquatic systems in The Gambia; marine, brackish, and freshwater. Experiments were carried out to test variables in a watershed so students can discover the differences between the three aquatic systems and the organisms found in each environment. The terrestrial station introduced students to the climatic and physical components of environmental monitoring, and the relationship between humans and the environment. The students learned how to differentiate between normal and dangerous reading in the case of extreme weather conditions. The final station was the marine food pyramid game where students learned about the difference between a food pyramid, a food chain, and a food web. To test the knowledge received, images of marine organisms were displayed for groups to arrange according to the trophic levels and ecological energy flow.

 The school outreach successfully introduced the students to marine science, raised social awareness on the sensitivity of marine ecosystems to external factors, and triggered the curiosity of students to Dive into Marine Science! Thanks to Blacks in Marine Science for sponsoring the activity.

~Momodou “Jasseh” Faal

DIMS Workshop: Where Do We Go from Here?

GREAT Institute collaborated with the Black in Marine Science (BIMS) organisation to commemorate BIMS Week 2022. Founded in 2020, BIMS organisation celebrates black marine scientists, spreads environmental awareness, and inspires the next generation of scientific thought leaders. The collaboration involved a couple of activities including a panel discussion themed “Where Do We Go from Here?”. The purpose of the panel discussion was to highlight the challenges and inspirations of the journey of becoming a marine scientist in West Africa.

The panel discussion was moderated by Maiyai Taal Hocheimy - Executive Director of GREAT Institute. The panelists included:

The panelist discussed the complications associated with acquiring tertiary education in West Africa considering inadequate infrastructural facilities to support teaching, learning, and research. Including lack of funding, social discrimination, the inability to link education with socio-economic development with emphasis on science, technology, innovation, and the overall struggles of becoming a black professional in the field of marine science.

Furthermore, the panelists highlighted the importance of marine science and its role in the continuing quest to understand the ocean and manage its resources. The panelist encouraged students and early career professionals with similar interests to remain resilient in the pursuit of academic development and career advancement amidst the hurdles that may arise.

In summary, the moderator together with the panelists expressed appreciation to the BIMS organization for the opportunity to share individual experiences and encouraged possible support and collaboration through scholarship opportunities, seminars, and summer schools for undergraduate students of marine and environmental sciences.

~Dawn Pratt

DIMS Panel Discussion: Where Do We Go from Here?