430 students from the João da Rosa School Group, from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles, will participate in the Coastwatch project and help monitor and clean areas of the county's coast on the 27th and 28th of February.
In 2020, "all records of participation" of students from this school will be broken in this European project to monitor the coastline, "which involves the verification of various data, such as the presence of waste, erosion, presence of dead animals, birds navies, etc.», according to Filipa Matos, coordinator for citizenship of the group from Olho, which organizes the initiative together with Nuno Magalhães, coordinator of the Escola Azul da João da Rosa project.
Coastwatch «is essentially based on volunteering and has a very significant expression in several countries».
In Olhão, on the 27th, around four hundred children and young people from Olhão will also make their contribution.
Regarding the 1st cycle, 120 children will monitor an area of 2000 meters of beach, near the headquarters of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, on the 27th. an adjacent area.
Also on the 27th, 48 students from the 2nd cycle will monitor 1000 meters at Praia dos Cavacos. “One of the 2nd cycle classes will also be collecting data for Cleanatlantic”.
«Island of Armona will be “invaded” by about 200 students from the 3rd cycle, on 27 February, and the nine classes involved will monitor 5000 meters of coastline, in the Ria Formosa and on the beach», says Filipa Matos.
After monitoring, all students will collect the waste, with the logistical support of the Municipality of Olhão.
In Portugal, the Coastwatch project has been running for 30 consecutive years and «is having more and more impact and dissemination at a national level».
«The Algarve, with its enormous potential, given the length of the coastline and the favorable climate, was until recently one of the regions where participation in the project was less significant, but this trend has been reversing in recent times. six years», according to the project coordinator.
In the case of the João da Rosa Group, it has been monitoring the Island of Armona for six years.
"This year, our school is one of eight schools in the country that is also collaborating with the Cleanatlantic project, which aims to raise awareness among students and fishing communities about the problem of marine litter," added Filipa Matos.
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