Voluntary clean-up on hte banks of the Nestos Delta – Central Nortern Greece
The environmental activities coordinated by HELMEPA, under the auspices of the Municipality, in the city of Kavala in Central Northern Greece were completed on Tuesday, 4th December. Students, teachers and local stakeholders alike, participated in the various goings-on with keen enthusiasm.
These pursuits were undertaken in the context of the “Marine Environment and Sciences Awareness Campaign” being implemented by HELMEPA across 12 Greek cities with the kind support of the UK-based independent charity, The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust* (The LRET)*.
In collaboration with the Directorates of Primary and Secondary Education in Kavala, visits to the environmental exhibition were organised, with associated costs covered by the project, for 1, 000 students and their teachers from Primary and High Schools from around the city and the broader region. The exhibit was housed in the Foyer of the Kavala Regional Unit Headquarters for two weeks. During their guided tours of the Exhibition, students were informed about the marine environment, shipping, applied sciences and engineering by expert scientific HELMEPA staff. Furthermore, they viewed a relevant audiovisual production that was screened and participated in a study on environmental issues.
Students visit the Exhibition
Preliminary findings of this investigation suggest that the students of Kavala link the sea primarily to beach-going recreational activities and to tourism. In addition, it seems that they play an active role in environmental matters, both eagerly recycling “trash” items and trying to help foster an environmental consciousness among those around them. Nine out of ten students reported being interested in pursuing a career either as marine biologists or merchant marine masters.
Concurrently to the Exhibition’s operation, various other environmental activities were organised, the primary of which was an educational excursion of 45 students and their teachers from Kavala’s Fifth High School to the Nestos Delta/ Vistonida-Ismarida Lakes. There, they were briefed by the Management Body about local ecosystems and had the opportunity to observe the first arrivals of migratory birds to Aghiasma Lagoon. Then, with the support of the relevant departments of the Nestos Municipality and of HELMEPA, the students and their teachers symbolically cleaned Ammoglossa beach of its litter.
Bird watching
HELMEPA wishes to wholeheartedly thank the Municipality and the Regional Unit of Kavala for their kind support in the implementation of the campaign, the Directorates of Primary and Secondary Education in Kavala and the Schools’ Activities Coordinators for the scheduling of the student visits to the Exhibition. They would also like to thank the Delta Nestos Lakes Vistonida Ismarida Management Body and the other local stakeholders who “embraced” the campaign, sharing with everyone their messages of optimism for a brighter future.
For more information viewers can contact HELMEPA Environmental Awareness Section, Tel: 210.93.43.088, Fax: 210 93.53.847, Email : environment@helmepa.gr
*The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust (The LRET) funds education, training and research programmes in transportation, science, engineering, technology and the safety of life, worldwide for the benefit of all.
