Our goal has been to inspire young learners and support environmental education by sharing scientific knowledge in an accessible and engaging way. Here is a short summary from different activities carried out in Finland during the year 2025.
Vaasa School Visit – 19.3.2025
Students from Nurmo Upper Secondary School and a high school in Florida took part in the visit. There were 16 students and 5 teachers in total. The event took place at the winter swimming site in Vaasa’s inner harbor. Usually there is sea ice and a man-made ice hole for swimming in the harbour, but this winter was unusually low in snow and during the sunny spring most of the ice had already melted in the inner archipelago. So, the experience might not have been that exotic visually, but the water temperature was still only around couple of degrees Celsius.
Eveliina from POPELY gave a presentation about the differences between the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and about the SeaMoreEco project, after which participants had the opportunity to try floating and swimming in cold water wearing a survival suit. After swimming, Claes and Jon from EPOELY demonstrated bottom sampling using an Ekman-Birge grab sampler. Students were only a bit nervous about trying on the suits, and most of the students and some teachers braved the cold water.
After the outdoor activities, the group continued to lunch and visited the Terranova natural science exhibition.
World Water Day Event – Oulu International School 27.3.2025
In celebration of the World Water Day there was a water themed event in the Oulu International School. Eveliina from POPELY hosted a Baltic Sea-themed activity station, where the focus was on invasive species and the valuable native species of the Bothnian Bay.
Approximately 125 students from grades 7 to 9 participated in the activity. At the station, they played a memory game featuring different species, followed by a task where they placed each species into its correct habitat. The interactive approach helped students learn about marine biodiversity and the ecological challenges facing the Baltic Sea in a fun way.
Toivon Agenda Event in Oulu – 8.-9.5.2025
The two-day Toivon Agenda event attracted around 3000 visitors, ranging from primary school children to upper secondary school students. The event centered around the UN sustainable developement goals.
Anton from POPELY hosted marine biology station together with Parks and wildlife Finland, where visitors were introduced to the tools and tasks of a marine biologist. The station also featured presentations of the SeaMoreEco and Biodiversea projects, as well as the national VELMU programme. Special attention was given to the species of the Bothnian Bay. Participants engaged in a memory game focused on local marine species and explored plant samples under a microscope.
Pateniemi School Event – 21.5.2025
The event brought together students from Pateniemi upper comprehensive school and French exchange students — a group of 21 students and 4 teachers.
Participants were introduced to the tools and tasks of a marine biologist, along with a brief presentation of the SeaMoreEco project. Outdoors, Anton from POPELY guided the students to test survival suits and water binoculars in real conditions.
Indoors, Essi from Parks and wildlife Finland gave a presentation on the geography and ecology of the Bothnian Bay, offering deeper insights into the region’s marine environment.
Svedjehamn Field Course – Vaasa 30.7.2025
A group of seven students from Nurmo upper Secondary School participated in a biology field course and visited in Svedjehamn, where Vilma, Rebekka and Jon from EPOELY taught them the field methods used in marine biology.
The day began with a short introduction to the Baltic Sea and the project’s goals. After the briefing, students were guided through various field methods used in marine biology, gaining hands-on experience with sampling techniques and environmental observations. This practical session provided valuable insight into marine research and the unique characteristics of the Bothnian Bay.
