Watershed Awareness Campaign 
Objective:To educate your community about watersheds and contribute to watershed protection.
Abstract: A watershed is an area where all surface water drains into the same body of water, such as a river, lake, or ocean. Regardless of where you live in Canada, you’re in a watershed. Do you know what watershed you live in? Do you know where rain water goes when it leaves your roof? Launching an awareness campaign based on your community’s knowledge of watersheds will help educate community members about their local watershed and the importance of protecting it.
Number of Participants: At least 5
Total Hours of Planning Time: 2-3 hours
Total Hours for Participants: Varies
Appropriate Age of Participants: 10+ years
Materials:
- Survey (sample provided below)
- Posterboard + markers
- Anything else that will help you launch an awesome awareness campaign!
Action Plan:
1. Plan your watershed awareness campaign by conducting research (using the resources listed below) and answering the survey questions (examples provided below). Learn about your local watershed and why it is vital to the community. Before surveying others, make sure everyone in your Roots & Shoots group is well educated!
2. After you’ve done your research, use the sample survey questions listed below (or create your own) and distribute to members of your community. For example, you could canvas door to door in your neighbourhood or distribute surveys to other students in your school.
3. Collect the surveys and compile the results.
4. Use the results to launch your awareness campaign. Incorporate your findings into posters, presentations, and booths – or whatever mediums you decide to use for your project.
5. Market your campaign towards a specific age group. For example, if you are working with a younger group, you could choose to lead an interactive activity, such as colouring a map. With an older group, you could create a more sophisticated presentation that involves bringing in a water specialist from your community.
6. Apart from the survey results, be sure to include information about your local watershed and reasons why it is important to the community.
7. Share your experience by uploading your project report onto the online Project Database
Resources to get you started:
Government of Canada - Know Your Watershed
Description and maps of Canadian watersheds
Environment Canada - All About Watersheds
Grant opportunities for watershed protection initiatives
Earth Trends: Watersheds of the World maps
The Jane Goodall Institute is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Sample Survey Questions:
1) Do you know what a watershed is?
2) Why do you think it’s important to preserve watersheds? Do you know what measures to take in order to protect your watershed?
3) Is your area watershed being depleted? Why is this an important issue?
Contact:
For more information about this project, contact roots_shoots@janegoodall.ca
