Take Me To The River 2025
A free science day workshop held at Cape Farewell HQ The Watershed, as part of Dorchester Science Festival.
Cape Farewell, in partnership with Bournemouth University, held a free science event made up of four workshops, where members of the community could get involved with scientists ‘in the field’ whilst they conducted research as part of Dorchester Science Festival.
Take Me To The River 2025 was a great success. Cape Farewell welcomed 40 brilliant members of the Dorset community to The WaterShed on Saturday 15th March. There were 4 different workshops that everyone experienced, to promote dialogue on climate change and biodiversity.
The Cape Farewell HQ includes the Watershed artists’ lab and six acres of river, lake and wilding terrain. It also sits among organic farms and Natural England’s land, all helping to encourage species resilience. Members of the public aged 4 – 75 participated in the workshops.
Using Microscopes with Professor Genoveva Esteban
The workshop participants explored the fascinating microscopic world of rivers and ponds with Professor Genoveva Esteban from Bournemouth University, and discovered the incredible diversity of microscopic organisms thriving in aquatic environments by peering through a microscope.
Guided bird walk with George Green and Samantha Lloyd (Dorset Bird Club)
George and Sam hosted a guided bird walk workshop to identify birds and bird calls around the WaterShed site.
Birds that were identified: Mute Swan, Mallard, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Red Kite, Buzzard, Moorhen, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Great tit, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch.
Using hydrophones with Adrian Newton, Lynn Davy and David Rogers
Workshop partcipants used hydrophones to identify river wildlife by listening to the sounds they make, with Adrian Newton, Lynn Davy and David Rogers (WCA / Electricbackroom Studio)
Identify river invertebrates with scientist Dr James Pretty
Identified unique invertebrates and fish in Sydling water with scientist Dr James Pretty (The RiverLab, Queen Mary University of London)
