Understanding the sea is fundamental for its protection. Therefore, the Marina di Loano and CIMA Research Foundation, in collaboration with the holiday home “Città di Milano”, have organized educational meetings for school in the district of Milan. The goal is to provide the children the knowledge about marine ecosystems and the threads they undergo, with particular emphasis on the plastics, with an engaging approach based on scientific knowledge.
The meetings involved more than 90 students from primary school and took place on Tuesday December 3rd, and Wednesday, December 4th. The approximately two and a half hours of activities consisted of an interactive lesson followed by a laboratory, and culminated with a visit to the “Pinne in pillole” (Finns in pills) exhibition, realized by CIMA Research Foundation. “The lesson is based on the knowledge acquired during the years of research in the Pelagos Sanctuary. It represents a chance to let the children know the marine environment, its inhabitants and the threats the plastics pose to this fragile ecosystem”, says Barbara Alessandri, in charge of the educational activities of CIMA Research Foundation and one of the organizers of the meetings. “To the plastics is dedicated the laboratory “Fossili dal futuro” (Fossils from the future), in which children create chalk template from the things abandoned on the beach. This laboratory gives the opportunity to reflect on how, one day, plastics could become the fossil witness of our era”. Armida Pettina and Lorenza Zucchetta, CIMA Research Foundation’s collaborators, manage the laboratory.
During the meeting, children also analysed the pictures taken by CIMA Research Foundation’s researchers during their work on the sea, and visited the outside of the Headwind catamaran, to understand how the field work is done. Eventually, students could see the “Balena di plastica” (Plastic’s whale) and the “Cimitero degli albatros” (Cemetery of albatross), two exhibits realized within the A Plastic Sea project.
“For five years, we’ve been collaborating with CIMA Research Foundation for the protection of marine ecosystem and its biodiversity. We support and promote the study, the knowledge and the sharing of activities of the Foundation with the “public of the sea”. For this reason, since 2016 the Headwind catamaran, the strategic tool for operative research activities, is harboured here for the monitoring and the field analysis of CIMA Research Foundation”, says Umberto Paoletti, director of the Marina di Loano. “By virtue of this collaboration, it’s perfectly normal to host and contribute to the organization of meeting with the schools, to promote once again the knowledge and the respect for the marine environment in the new generations”.
“We deeply believe that an approach mixing fun and the scientific methods is the key to teaching children about the marine environment and its threats”, says Luca Ferraris, president of CIMA Research Foundation. “In this way, in fact, the younger generations can grow up aware of the necessity to protect the sea and its inhabitants, from the biggest cetaceans to the smallest fish”.