Reclaiming Our Water

Location: [Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece]

Duration: [March - May 2024]

Target Group: [students, teachers]

Partners: [Healthy Seas]

Project overview

Reclaiming Our Water is a programme of the European Outdoor Education Hub, implemented in partnership with Healthy Seas, Ghost Diving, Aquafil, Hyundai Motor Europe, and local municipalities.

This programme views the seascape as its classroom. Children, educators, and local communities visit seashores, beaches, and coastal waters to explore marine ecosystems and better understand the impact of human activity. Activities include environmental observation, hands-on experiments (e.g. investigating microplastics and marine biodiversity), cooperative problem solving, and field-based clean-up actions—particularly targeting abandoned fish farms and “ghost nets”.

Recovered materials such as nets and plastic structures are collected, sorted, and sent for recycling or regeneration into new products (e.g. ECONYL® nylon) in alignment with circular economy principles. The programme engages multiple stakeholders: volunteer divers, harbour authorities, waste management services, institutional partners (municipalities, regions), schools, and public awareness networks.

Each implementation cycle combines direct environmental action with educational workshops. All activities are documented and evaluated to contribute to improved methodologies for marine-focused outdoor education within Greece and the European context.

Project highlights

  • Implemented in Astakos, Nafpaktos, and Amfilochia
  • 160 pupils, 25 teachers, 3 head teachers engaged
  • 38 hours of outdoor activities across seashores and coastal ecosystems
  • Marine clean-ups combined with educational workshops with Healthy Seas and stakeholders

“We had a great time with Aristea and we will remember everything we learned with her!”

-Students from Primary School of Astakos

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