The River Commons thematic cluster focuses on river health and the social justice issues that are linked to this. This thematic cluster includes current and also recently finalised projects that were led by the Environmental Learning Research Centre (ELRC).

Projects include:

WATER EDUCATION AND THE RIVER COMMONS

South Africa is a water scarce country, a situation which is set to become more serious with the impact of climate change. South Africa’s water resources are all allocated, yet new water is needed for development, including in the agricultural sector. At the same time South Africa has serious water quality problems, and many communities are without water as the country experiences water supply and management problems. Improved governance of strategic water resources areas is also crucial not only for the country’s people, and the sustainability of its economy and cities, but also for biodiversity and the ecological systems that sustain life. There is clearly a need to do more with less, and to develop approaches to water education and governance that are more inclusive, more holistic, and that also contribute to work and learning.

There are a number of findings and outcomes that are worth noting from our research:

* From a schools perspective, water education is narrowly conceptualised and often reduced to simplistic messaging such as ‘Save Water!’, yet learners need to come to understand the water system and how it works, especially in urban landscapes. Arts-based methods as well as heritage-based expansive learning methods have helped both teachers and learners to broaden their views and pedagogical approaches to water education.

* In universities and higher education settings creative approaches to water education helps students and academics recognise that water knowledge is ‘fluid’, political, intersectional, and can be mobilised into the co-creation of reconciliation pedagogies, decolonial, hydro-feminist and water and climate justice learning encounters.

* In landscapes, transdisciplinary approaches, communities of practice and activity theory research has helped multi-actors to work better together in confronting contradictions and dealing with complex social-ecological system issues.

* In the skills system, professional learning approaches that develop change-oriented learning approaches, capacity to engage with complex systemic problems, and technical skills are all needed.

* Citizen science approaches need to urgently be scaled through a reframing of work and learning. When viewed as ‘work for the common good’, new work opportunities and learning pathways can be opened up for communities and youth.

All of these multidimensional insights offer perspectives on how to advance water education in South Africa. They show that water education is relevant across the education and social landscape, and is vitally important for South Africa. 

See more downloadable information here: Water Education Research

TSITSA RIVER CATCHMENT PROJECT 

The Tsitsa Project is a novel approach to restoring and managing land and water sustainably in the Tsitsa River Catchment.

The idea for the Tsitsa Project (previously known as NLEIP*) was born when two dams were planned on the Tsitsa River – provisionally called the Ntabelanga and Lalini Dams. These dams are a key part of the Mzimvubu Water Project and intended to supply water to communities as far away as Mthatha and to irrigate an area near Tsolo. However, key parts of the Tsitsa Catchment (~494 000 ha) are degraded, posing the possibility that the dams will fill with sediment and silt within a few decades. The solution? Repair the catchment by restoring the landscape to prevent the silting and, at the same time, improve the livelihoods of the people who live there.

Since its beginning in 2014, the Tsitsa Project has grown considerably and now aims at developing and managing both land and water in a sustainable way. Sustainability involves improving the land, the water, and the lives of the people who live in the catchment. The project approach has been different from most other, similar projects because:

• it deliberately seeks out the community’s ideas and participation as a starting point;
• it recognises that physical, biological, human and social factors are inextricably linked together and;
• it recognises the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing in achieving successful natural resource management and sustainable land management.

Many development facilitators have started from this point and recognise how much background work, how many meetings and how much effort it takes to implement a programme based on these starting points. At the time of writing (late 2018), we feel we have made a good start and are gradually building trust and are optimistic about improved collaboration.

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A LEARNER ECOLOGICAL LITERACY STUDY: CURATING RESONANT ENCOUNTERS

Water quality and scarcity is a major concern in Southern Africa and globally especially as the threat of climate change looms closer. The current drought in South Africa and worsening rainfall has exposed the brittle nature of this country’s resilience to water shortages. In South Africa where apartheid historically geographically separated its citizens and placed most of the population in environmentally disadvantageous areas, the need for enabling communities to overcome these burdens cannot be more urgent. This study looks at how fieldwork in environmental education in schools is approached in South Africa. It also examines the elements of ecological literacy and if it is established through resonant activities such as fieldwork practical’s and whether learners develop a deeper environmental ethic from these encounters.

The study highlights numerous benefits to fieldwork and how it appeals to a variety of learning styles and enables students to develop a range of learning skills. 

Read more here: Learner Ecological Literacy Study