The initiative by the Grupo de Estudos de Ordenamento do Território e Ambiente (GEOTA) annually mobilizes between 3,500 to 4,500 volunteers to monitor 15% to 25% of the Portuguese coast, collecting four to five tons of marine litter, the organization explains in a statement.
Now in its 36th campaign, “Coastwatch” was created in 1989 as part of “Coastwatch Europe,” an international network of environmental groups, universities, and other educational institutions focused on monitoring coastal and wetland environments across European countries.
According to GEOTA’s statement, the project has become “the largest volunteer and citizen science program dedicated to the coast in Portugal, and also the longest-lasting in the field of environmental education and citizenship.”
The project invites people to walk along the coast, observe and document biodiversity, identify environmental risks, and collect marine waste.
The environmental organization explains that participation is free, with field trips ideally conducted after the bathing season and preferably at low tide. The organization promotes guided field trips, online introductions to coastal ecology, along with workshops, webinars, and teacher training as per the statement.
“Coastwatch is an example of how citizen science can generate useful knowledge, promote environmental education, and strengthen the sense of community,” said Américo Abreu Ferreira, chairman of GEOTA’s Executive Committee, as quoted in the statement.
“Over more than three decades, we have managed to create a national network of volunteers who observe, understand, and defend the Portuguese coast. This is an invaluable contribution to the future of our territory and for more active environmental citizenship,” he added.
GEOTA emphasizes in the document that the project is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting quality education, responsible consumption and production, marine life protection, and partnerships for the implementation of global objectives.
