Geography School-Based

Assessment Project

Candidate: Tevin Samuels

Candidate Registration No.:
School: Ocho Rios High School
School Registration No.: 100087
Territory: Jamaica
Date: June 2021

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 C A R I B B E A N E X A M I N A T I O N S C O U N C I L

CARIBBEAN SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE®

SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT
GEOGRAPHY FIELD STUDY
STRATEGY SHEET

To be completed by March 15 of the year of the examination. Insert at cover of field study report.
Make a duplicate copy of this sheet. Your teacher will return a copy to you.

CANDIDATE’S NAME: Tevin Samuels

REGISTRATION NUMBER:

GENERAL TOPIC OF INTEREST: Rivers

POSSIBLE QUESTION TO BE INVESTIGATED: How does human activity impact the Dunn’s
River Falls?

STRATEGY

What is the purpose of your Study? To investigate the ways in which human activity has
impacted the Dunn’s River Falls?

How will you obtain data? By using questionnaires/interviews, field study and
collecting additional information from sketch maps, textbook, related
articles.

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 How do you intend to present the data and findings in your report? Data will be presented by
using pictures and diagrams.

LOCATION OF THE STUDY AREA: Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios, St Ann, Jamaica

EQUIPMENT/RESOURCES REQUIRED: Notebook, Phone, Pen, Pencil, Questionnaires and Maps.

ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES: Rainy weather, Access to Dunn's River Falls and access to
the management staff at Dunn's River Falls for questionnaires.

NAME OF TEACHER: Ms. N . Duncan

SIGNATURE OF TEACHER: _______________________________________ DATE:

______________________

Revised: 2013-09-24

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 Table of Contents

Introduction …………………………………………………….. 5

Aim of Study ……………………………………………………. 6

Location of study ……………………………………………… 7-8

Methodology …………………………………………………….. 9-12

Presentation of Data …………………………………………. 13- 16

Analysis and Discussion……………………………………… 17-18

Conclusion ………………………………………………………… 19

Bibliography ……………………………………………………… 20

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 Introduction

The area of location is the Dunn's River Falls in St. Ann, Jamaica. St. Ann
is 1,213 km² of coastline. St. Ann is the biggest Parish in Jamaica; it has
a lot of rivers but the researcher will be only focusing on one river
which is the Dunn's River Falls. It is a famous tourist attraction and is
used mainly for recreational activities. Dunn's River Falls is undoubtedly
one of Jamaica's national treasures. The Spaniards called the area “Las
Chorreras”, which means “the waterfalls or the springs”. The meaning
of “Las Chorreras" has been reduced over a period of time to "Ocho
Rios" which means eight rivers. Over the years going to Dunn’s River
Falls has become an important Jamaican tourist activity. Of course no
stay in the region of Ocho Rios, Jamaica is fulfilled without a stop over
by Dunn’s River Falls. Even though it may sound like just another of the
numerous rivers and waterfalls that line up the small island of Jamaica,
Dunn’s River Falls is unlike anywhere you will ever experience.

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 Aim of Study

The researcher intends to examine the ways by which human activity

impacts this river. In order to fully investigate this topic, the researcher
will focus on the following aspects of topic:
 In what ways do human activities impact Dunn's River Falls?
 How do these effects happen?
 What actions can we take to prevent these effects?

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 Location of study

Diagram - showing the location of Dunn's River Falls in north central Jamaica.

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 1

Diagram – Map Highlighting Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica.

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 Methodology

Observation Schedule
The researcher's visits to the location of the study area - Dunn's River Falls – in
Ocho Rios, St Ann, Jamaica during the period November 13, 2020 to November
16, 2020 is shown in the observation schedule below.

Date Objective Achievements

November 13, 2020 To observe and take Observed and

photographs of human photographed evidences
activities at Dunn's River of human activities at
Falls in Ocho Rios. To Dunn's River Falls in
complete observation Ocho Rios. completed
checklist. observation checklist
based on Researcher’s
observation
November 14, 2020 To distribute Distribution of 13
questionnaires to questionnaires.
residents and
visitors/users of the
river.
November 15, 2020 To collect questionnaires 11 questionnaires out of
from all respondents. the 13 were collected.

November 16, 2020 Conducted interview Completed interview /

with personnel (the interview schedule with
general Manager) at the responses from UDC
urban Development personnel (General
Corporation (UDC), Manager).
located in Ocho Rios.

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 Questionnaire
Topic: In what ways do human activities impact the Dunn's River Falls in St. Ann,
Jamaica?
Instructions: Please answer the following questions by putting a tick ☐ in the box
provided or give brief explanation where required. Thank you.

1. Gender: ☐ Male ☐ Female

2. Age: ☐ 18 – 25 years ☐ 26 - 33 years ☐ 34 -41 years ☐ Over

42 years

3. Are you a:

☐ Visitor ☐ Worker ☐ Other

______________________________

4. If you are a visitor, how often do/have you visit the Dunn's River Falls?
☐ First time ☐ Daily ☐ on special occasions (E.g. Holidays) ☐ rarely

☐ Other
___________________________________________________________________
_________

5. If you are a worker, what is the level/rate of the visitor population into/out
of Dunn's River Falls per day?

☐ Under 100 persons ☐ 100 – 300 persons ☐ 301 – 500 persons ☐

Over 500 persons

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 6. Are any age or other restrictions for admission into Dunn’s River Falls?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Others

7. What is main reason (attraction/appeal) that influences persons to visit the

Dunn's River Falls?

8. Which activities do you participate in when visiting the Dunn's River Falls?
☐Swimming ☐Rock climbing ☐Relaxation

9. Which activities done here (by visitors) do you think negatively impacts the
Dunn’s River Falls and its environs?
☐Littering ☐Water sport/games ☐Fishing
10. Which agencies do you think can help to protect/preserve the Dunn's River
Falls?
☐Environmental groups (E.g. NEPA)
☐Government (E.g. Tourism bodies, UDC, etc.)

11.Which measures do you think can help to protect/preserve the Dunn's

River Falls?
☐ Public education ☐ Enforce stricter regulations ☐ Regular river
cleanups
☐ Vigilant workers ☐ Provide more garbage bins ☐ other
___________________________________________________________________
___

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 FIELD STUDY - OBSERVATION WORKSHEET
Date: November 2021 Student Name: Tevin Samuels School: Ocho Rios High School Form: 5

Study Area: Dunn’s River Falls

Topic: In what ways do human activities impact the Dunn's River Falls in St. Ann,
Jamaica?
Objectives/Aims:
(a) To find out in what way do human activities impact Dunn's River Falls?
(b) To find out how do these effects happen?
(c) To find out what actions can we take to prevent these effects?

1. Site description: Dunn's River Falls is an astounding flowing falls that

extends across more than 183 meters or 600 feet.

2. What are the human activities carried out at Dunn's River Falls?
Dunn’s River Park offers two climbs; a wet climb and a dry climb.

3. Suggest the ways in which these human activities impact Dunn's River Falls?
Pollution enters the river, sometimes in small amounts, at many different
locations along the length of the river.

4. Suggest ways to prevent these effects on Dunn's River Falls?

Enforce stricter regulations, provide more garbage bins, Public education
cleanups

Presentation of Data

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Question 8
Which activities do you participate in when visiting the Dunn's River Falls?

Swimming Rock climbing Relaxation

Figure 1 is a pie chart depicting answers to the question, “Which activities do you
participate in when visiting the Dunn's River Falls?”. Base on the responses
related to this question, 4 persons chose “Swimming”, 6 persons chose “Rock
climbing” and 1 person chose “relaxation”.

Question 9

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 Which activities done here (by visitors) do you think negatively impacts the
Dunn’s River Falls and its environs?

Fishing
Activities

Water sport/games

Littering

0 2 4 6 8 10 12
number of persons

Figure 2 is a bar chart depicting answers to the question, “Which activities

done here (by visitors) do you think negatively impacts the Dunn’s River
Falls and its environs? ”. Base on the responses related to this question, 0
persons chose “Fishing”, 1 person chose “Water sport/games” and 10
person chose “Littering”.

Question 10
Which agencies do you think can help to protect/preserve the Dunn's River Falls?
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 4

Environmental groups (E.g. NEPA) Government (E.g. Tourism bodies, UDC, etc.)

Figure 3 is a pie chart depicting answers to the question, “Which agencies do you
think can help to protect/preserve the Dunn's River Falls?”. Base on the
responses related to this question, 7 persons chose “Environmental groups (E.g.
NEPA)”, 4 person chose “Government (E.g. Tourism bodies, UDC, etc.)”.

Question 11

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 12.Which measures do you think can help to protect/preserve the Dunn's
River Falls?

0r 0r
ve he
i ot
ns rR
ps tio la rs ns
nu la gu ke bi
a gu Re or ge
cle re w a
on te
r nt rb
ati gi
la ga
uc rt ic Vi e
d s or
ce ce m
bl
i f or id
e
Pu En rov
P

Figure 4 is a column chart depicting answers to the question, “Which measures do

you think can help to protect/preserve the Dunn's River Falls?”. Base on the
responses related to this question, 3 persons chose “Public education cleanups”, 2
persons chose “Enforce stricter regulations”, 0 person chose “Regular River”, 5
persons chose “Provide more garbage bins” and 0 person chose “other”.

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 Analysis and Discussion

Ways Human Activity Impact the Dunn's River Falls

On the researcher visit to Dunn's River Falls, the researcher noticed large
numbers of people carrying out a variety of activities. Adults and children alike
were enjoying themselves swimming, climbing the rocks and laying relaxing while
the water massaged their bodies, some playing games and socializing. Apart from
some Pleasant activities, every now and then someone could be seen discarding
some refuse or litter the compound, which contributes to solid waste pollution.

Ways to Preserve Dunn's River Falls

The researcher was looking to discover Solutions to preserve this beautiful River
we call Dunn's River Falls, as such the researcher continued the investigation into
the topic. The researcher noticed that not much effort was made, especially by
visitors, to protect or preserve this attraction. So this meant that main
responsibility therefore falls on the workers, supervising agency operate it as well
as the citizens who so often proudly claim this national treasure as part of their
own heritage. Strategies used to preserve the site include vigilant maintenance,
cleaning and monitoring of vistors’ movement on the property; bins are set up in
several locations to encourage proper garbage disposal; set rules and regulations

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that prohibit the removal or deliberate disturbance of natural flora or fauna from
the area.

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 Conclusion

In conclusion, the field study has revealed that Dunn's River Falls has faced
numerous problems because of human activities. Such human activity impacts the
Dunn's River Falls in various ways especially negatively. Forms of human activity
occurring there includes: littering, water sports/games, fishing, removal of natural
artefacts, disturbance of flora and fauna in the area, passing of domestic effluent
in the river several strategies are worthy of implementation, including: public
awareness/education on the topic, vigilance of the workers, stricter regulations,
set up more garbage bins, and regular cleanups.

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 Bibliography

 Jamaica 1:50 000 Scale Topographic Map, Ocho Rios, 1987. Jamaica Survey
Department, Central America and the Caribbean Region.

 Rahil, V. A. (2005) New Caribbean Geography with Map Reading & CXC
Questions, (4th Edition), Caribbean Educational Publishers, Chaguaramus,
Trinidad.

 Hudson, Brian J. (1999) fall of Beauty: The Story of a Jamaica Waterfall,

Taylor & Francis Group, Queensland, Australia.

 Wilson, Mark. (2016) Caribbean Environment for CSEC Geography.

Oxford University Press, Oxford (UK)

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