LandSeaLot researchers co-host “Love the Ocean” high school workshop with local NGO in Sulina, Romania

LandSeaLot researchers co-host “Love the Ocean” high school workshop with local NGO in Sulina, Romania

May 19, 2026

LandSeaLot partners at GeoEcoMar and the Danube Delta and Coastal AreaLandSeaLot Integration Lab (LIL) teamed up with the local NGO “Cu Drag din Sulina” (en. “With Love, from Sulina”) to deliver a series of ocean literacy and citizen scientists workshops for students from the Jean Bart High School in Sulina, Danube Delta. These activities aimed to bring science closer to students and to foster a deeper understanding of the complex and dynamic Danube – Danube Delta – Black Sea system.

Day 1 – 30 March 2026: Workshop and Discussions

The first day was dedicated to an interactive workshop focused on understanding the connection between the Danube, the Danube Delta, and the Black Sea. Through discussions and participatory activities, students explored key topics such as biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and human impacts on aquatic environments.

The responses collected during the session showed that students strongly associate the Delta and Sulina with nature, tranquility, water, and biodiversity. At the same time, students demonstrated awareness of environmental challenges. When asked what the Danube might carry along its course, the most frequent answers included “waste”, “pollution”, “plastic” and “chemical substances”, indicating a clear understanding of pollution pressures affecting the river–sea continuum. At the Danube LIL, researchers and partners are piloting new methods and collaborations to understand and begin addressing the impact of pollution on the local land-sea interface.

One of LandSeaLot’s core goals is to increase civil awareness of the importance of the areas where the land meets the sea and how human activity impacts them. Students in the area are already well attuned to these environmental environmental changes: most workshop participants noted increasing temperatures and milder winters for example. Reduced snowfall was also mentioned, indicating a local perception of climate change.

In terms of environmental responsibility, students identified recycling and reducing waste as key actions to prevent plastic pollution in the Danube, demonstrating practical awareness and willingness to contribute to solutions. Their main concerns about the future included the ongoing war in Ukraine (as bombings can be heard from Sulina), water pollution, environmental degradation, climate change, and biodiversity loss, confirming that young people are aware of both local and global environmental challenges.

Career orientation was an important part of the workshop. Students were introduced to opportunities in environmental sciences, marine research, and infrastructure initiatives such as DANUBIUS-RI (Danube Delta being a DANUBIUS-RI Supersite, with its Hub under construction nearby, at Murighiol). While some students expressed interest in pursuing such careers, the responses suggested that further encouragement and exposure are needed, as many remained uncertain about their future involvement.

The day concluded with a creative exercise in which students developed posters illustrating their vision for the future of Sulina, the Danube, and the Black Sea. Their ideas emphasized cleaner environments, reduced pollution, and stronger community responsibility, highlighting both awareness and hope.

Day 2 – 31 March 2026: Hands-On Training for future Citizen Scientists

The second day’s activities were conducted as an outdoor laboratory on the Danube riverbank. Using novel tools including Hanna Instruments™ Backpack Lab™ Water Quality Educational Test Kit, students participated in hands-on measurements and observations, including:

● water quality parameters (temperature, pH, conductivity, transparency) measured on water sample from the Danube (then compared with measurements on plain water, tea, water with soap, Coca-Cola, Fanta, etc.),

● visible signs of pollution,

● discussions on nutrient inputs and algal blooms, native vs potential invasive species

● identification of ecosystem pressures.

These two days of activities demonstrated the value of combining science communication, hands-on learning, and dialogue with students. The collaboration between GeoEcoMar, local partners, and the school proved essential for creating a meaningful learning environment.