Aboard a 100-year-old, three-masted schooner, 500 students from schools within the geopark are not just learning about the ocean—they are living it. With the wind in their hair and salt in the air, they’re collecting real-world data, analyzing marine life, and coming face-to-face with the effects of climate change.
Formed when rising seas flooded glacial valleys at the end of the last ice age, the South Fyn Archipelago’s 55 islands and islets offer not only geological insights but also a powerful setting for learning. This hands-on citizen science programme, in South Fyn Archipelago UNESCO Global Geopark, is shaping the next generation of ocean stewards.
Line Bruun Nicolaisen, geologist and staff member at the geopark, tells us why taking students out to sea is making such a difference in environmental education.
How does this programme differ from traditional environmental education?
Aboard the three-masted schooner, built a hundred years ago in the archipelago, students are embarking on an educational journey where the natural environment is not just a setting—it is the core of the learning experience. This initiative is created through a collaboration with researchers from ’Kend Dit Hav’ (Know your Ocean) at the University of Aarhus, the Schooner Fylla and the geopark. It bridges cultural heritage, environmental awareness, and a deep connection to the geological landscape. By combining hands-on learning with scientific exploration, the programme fosters both curiosity and responsibility.
© Freja Kock Christlieb.
Why is learning on a boat such a powerful experience for students?
The ocean is a living, changing ecosystem—one that students can engage with directly. This outdoor education approach aligns with modern research, which highlights the importance of experiential learning in addressing sustainability challenges. By using the same scientific instruments as researchers and local authorities, students collect real-world data, develop analytical skills, and gain a deeper understanding of environmental issues. The immersive maritime experience—feeling the boat’s movement, breathing in the sea air, handling ropes—strengthens their connection to both history and nature.
What are some of the biggest environmental challenges students witness firsthand?
Biodiversity loss and habitat destruction. Through activities like species sampling, water testing and habitat analysis, students witness the current state of their marine ecosystems firsthand. Holding mussels and starfish in their hands is exciting, but the true impact comes when they realise how few species remain. Testing the water reveals dropping oxygen levels, making climate change tangible. Encountering the sulfuric smell of black, oxygen-depleted seabed soil leaves an unforgettable impression.
When there's no more oxygen, sulfur takes over—permeating the seabed, leaving behind lifeless zones where marine life struggles to survive. The students learn about it in class, but seeing it firsthand gives them a real 'aha' moment. The smell of the mud—it’s a true eye-opener.
What is the impact of this activity?
The goal is not just to provide knowledge but to inspire action. These young people will be responsible for the future of our ocean, and this programme equips them with the tools to engage meaningfully. With support from teachers, scientists, and local experts, they analyse their findings in the classroom, connecting local data to global challenges and solutions. Geology is central to this learning. The flooded glacial terrain not only shapes the coastline, currents and biodiversity of the archipelago—it is also the reason why human life here has always been closely tied to the sea.
Each year, 15 schools in the geopark participate in this programme, turning theoretical education into a hands-on experience that stays with them for life. By integrating outdoor learning into European curricula, we hope to cultivate environmentally conscious individuals who carry these lessons into adulthood.
This ongoing initiative is jointly developed by the ’Kend Dit Hav’ (Know your Ocean) project at University of Aarhus, The Schooner Fylla and The South Fyn Archipelago UNESCO Global Geopark.
Role of UNESCO Global Geoparks
UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.
More than just protected landscapes, geoparks are outdoor classrooms where communities engage with pressing global challenges. Education and climate action are two of their core pillars, directly contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Geoparks promote lifelong learning for people of all ages (Goal 4), while also fostering awareness and understanding of past and present climate change, equipping communities with knowledge to adapt and respond (Goal 13).
