As part of the "Green Infrastructure Theory" course (taught by Associate Professor Iyooka Hiroki) in the Department of Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering Department of Civil and Urban Design Engineering, students are carrying out local environmental conservation activities in the Karanohara River adjacent to the university.
On Friday, July 11th and Tuesday, July 15th, students taking the course waded into the river, which in some places was waist-deep, to pick up trash and cut grass, as well as to use materials from the river to dig up sand and pile up stones to create wands*1 and barbs*2, which they had learned about in the course, and to restore habitats for living creatures.
Kazunari Uehara (Konan High School), a first-year student in the same department, commented, "The wet sand in the river is heavier than you would imagine, and digging up the grass that has taken root is hard work, but I hope that through efforts like this, we can improve the river environment and encourage local people to take a greater interest in the rivers near them."
This activity will continue as aKSU project-based research project called "A small-scale natural restoration project to enhance the attractiveness of the region" and will work to improve the environment of nearby rivers and restore diverse ecosystems.
*1 A place created within a river where the water moves slowly.
*2 A construction method that creates a diverse environment by projecting into the river.
*3 This refers to small-scale natural environment restoration and conservation activities carried out by local residents and schools in a do-it-yourself style in nearby locations, without involving large-scale civil engineering works. The aim is to preserve and create ecosystems in a sustainable way, making use of the natural characteristics of the region.
[Department of Civil and Urban Design Engineering]
