Berwickshire Marine Reserve
Marine Climate Emergency Learning Resource
Sea-Changers' grant:
£2500
Year:
2023
As a result of the series of lessons the children are actively discussing climate change, how they impact it and their role in the future climate battle. – Mr Miller (Coldingham Primary School)
The Berwickshire Marine Reserve (BMR), a registered Scottish charity founded in 1984, is dedicated to conserving the Berwickshire coastline on the Scottish Borders. One of BMR’s key aims is to promote awareness and understanding of the marine environment. In spring 2023, the organisation applied for and received a grant from Sea-Changers to create a climate education resource tailored for primary school students.
The goal was to develop a Marine Climate Emergency Learning Pack—a set of engaging educational materials and simple experiments that help students explore the impact of climate change on coastal and marine ecosystems. The grant was used primarily to support staff time for the development and piloting of the pack in local schools.
Thanks to Sea-Changers’ support, the pack was successfully developed and has since been actively used in schools across the region. It is also freely available for download on the BMR website. The experiments within the pack have been developed using everyday household items, requiring no specialist or costly equipment, making the programme easy to adopt and popular among educators. The pack not only deepens young learners’ understanding of environmental issues but also encourages meaningful discussion and behavioural change. By focusing on the next generation, BMR hopes to inspire long-term action to reduce carbon emissions and protect marine habitats in the face of climate change.
