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FUTURE RESEARCH

We started this eco-literacy project focused on local plants but our goal is for this project to grow over time into other fields of research, record forms of traditional ecological knowledge, create further educational materials, and expand on the type of mediums we use to share and communicate this knowledge. More importantly, we welcome other educators, designers, artists, scientists, and activists to contribute their knowledge and skills. 

RESEARCH TOPICS

Research is not limited to these topics and must be kept in mind they are all interrelated. These topics are to give an idea of areas we would like to explore and we invite other researchers, designers, educators, scientists, etc to join and lead a project topic of their interest. 

Plants

Water

Animals

Fishing

Ecosystems & Landscapes

Agriculture/ OKO Forest

Living Memory

Compare & Contrast

Anchor 1

PLANTS

Plant Species:

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Local to Kokrobite       Kakum rainforest     Northern region     Volta region

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  • Plant identification

  • Plant Characteristics

  • History of the plant 

  • Relationship to other organisms 

  • Environmental benefits 

  • Traditional names

  • Traditional medicinal uses

  • Traditional water-related uses (filtration and cleaning)

  • Traditional hygiene uses

  • Other traditional uses (objects, tools)

Anchor 2

ANIMALS

Birds     Insects     Mammals       Amphibians       Reptiles     Fish 

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  • Characteristics

  • Habitat

  • The role they play within an ecosystem

  • Relationship between other animals and plants (symbiotic, predator, prey)

  • Relationship with humans

ECOSYSTEMS AND LANDSCAPES

Anchor 3

Observations of: 

  • The coastal savannah

  • Rainforest (Kakum Rainforest)

  • Grasslands (Northern region)

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  • Forest areas

  • Rivers, lakes, lagoons, oceanfront

  • Mountains 

  • Earth matter 

Anchor 4

AGRICULTURE    OKO FOREST

Plants​

  • Plant names & characteristics

  • Traditional uses

  • Environmental uses

  • Learning about staple crops in the Ghanaian diet

  • When the tree is ready to harvest

  • How and why are trees planted next to one another?

  • What is the symbiotic relationship between the trees?

Ecosystem

  • What other organisms live in this ecosystem

  • Relationship between the plants and animals (symbiotic, food chains, predator/prey)

Farmers’ relationship with the environment

  • What are farmers’ relationships to the environment?

  • Do they value the environment, if so what do they value?

  • How long have they been farmers?

  • Where did they learn farming from?

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  • Has climate change impacted the farmers’ lives? If so how and what challenges do they face?

  • What are farmers’ perceptions of climate change? Do perceptions of climate change vary among farmers?

  • How has the environment changed over the last 10-20 years?

Weather patterns

  • Is the weather becoming harder for farmers to predict?

  • How do farmers evaluate changes in climatic parameters?

Biodiversity

  • Has there been biodiversity loss? Or the introduction of a new species?

  • Is there any imbalance between species populations?

  • Have changes in species impacted farming?

  • Are farmers hopeful about regenerative farming as a solution to climate change?

WATER

Anchor 5

  • Water collection methods and tools

  • Water filtration methods and tools

  • The average usage of an individual or household

  • Daily habits, methods of conserving water

  • Relationship to weather/rain

  • Compare & contrast to people that live in Accra

Anchor 6

FISHING

Ecosystem

  • What type of fish do they usually hunt for?

  • How often do they go fishing?

  • Is there seasonal fishing the way there is with farming?

  • Record traditional fishermen knowledge

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  • What other organisms live in this ecosystem

  • Relationship between the plants and animals (symbiotic, food chains, predator/prey)

Fisherman's relationship with the environment​

  • Do they value the environment, if so what do they value?

  • How long have they been fishing?

  • Where did they learn fishing from?

​

  • Has climate change impacted the fishermen's lives? If so how and what challenges do they face?

  • What are fishermen's perceptions of climate change? Do perceptions of climate change vary among fishermen?

  • How has the environment changed over the last 10-20 years?

Weather patterns

  • Is the weather becoming harder for fishermen to predict?

  • How do fishermen evaluate changes in climatic parameters?

Biodiversity

  • Has there been biodiversity loss? Or the introduction of a new species?

  • Is there any imbalance between species populations?

  • Have changes in species impacted farming?

  • Are they implementing any solutions or changes in fishing methods and practices?

LIVING MEMORY 

Anchor 7

Record traditional ecological knowledge of people in the Kokrobite village

  • Record memory of how the landscape of Kokrobite looked 20-30 years ago

  • Knowledge of plant uses

  • Knowledge of other organisms

  • Knowledge of weather patterns

  • Traditional fisherman knowledge

  •  

  • Traditional ways of living and culture

  • Current relationships people have with the environment

  • How climate change has impacted people’s lives

  • How urbanization has impacted people’s lives

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Anchor 8

  • Compare and contrast landscape/ecology/traditional culture from today to 20-30 years ago

  • Compare and contrast animal and plant species from Kokrobite to Accra

  • Compare and contrast animal and plant species from Kokrobite to Kumasi/Kakum/Northern region

  • Compare and contrast environmental literacy and traditional knowledge in Kokrobite and Accra

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