Its mission is to promote knowledge, preservation and environmental education in a fun and engaging way, and to this end, its work is guided by five fundamental values: education, entertainment, conservation, research and development.
Environmental education and awareness are among Zoomarine’s main priorities and are developed through its Education Department. Over the years, a series of educational initiatives has been implemented for all our visitors, designed for different age groups and stages of life.
This continuous work has resulted in several environmental education projects which, although distinct, complement one another, such as the Holiday Camps, the EDUCar project, “Operation Montanha Verde” and “Operation Praia Limpa”, which involve the collaboration of volunteers.
The activities aimed at schools and other groups, as well as those designed for daily visitors, are a privileged way for Zoomarine to spread its message of environmental protection and respect with everyone who visits.
Holiday Camps
Zoomarine’s holiday camps are a tradition of more than a decade, where excitement goes hand in hand with environmental education. These programmes aim to provide enriching and educational experiences that contribute to promoting environmental and sustainability values in an informal, relaxed and dynamic way for participants aged between six and 15. These programmes take place during school holiday periods, namely at Easter and during the summer.
EDUcar Project
The “EDUCar” project was launched at Zoomarine in 2016, with the ambition of bringing a conservation message to schools, aiming to highlight the importance of biodiversity and the impact of human behaviour on nature conservation.
Since then, thousands of kilometres have been covered, engaging more than 73,400 students and 4,600 teachers, visiting over 500 schools across the Algarve and Baixo Alentejo, addressing important topics in a fun and engaging way, adapted to the age group of the respective class.
This is a free project, open to schools from all municipalities in these regions. It aims to address current environmental topics through sessions designed for the 2nd and 3rd cycles of Basic Education, with language adapted to each school year. The themes presented in schools are always based on the official curriculum and take into account the current environmental situation, seeking to include new topics each year.
Operation Montanha Verde
“Operation Montanha Verde” was created in response to the severe wildfires that affected the Algarve in the summer of 2016. The initiative originated from employees and was conceived and promoted by Zoomarine through its philosophy of social and environmental responsibility, “Together We Protect”.
To date, more than 85,000 trees have been planted across eight municipalities in the Algarve, always with the active involvement of the local community, in support of the collective protection of the region’s natural values.
Operation Praia Limpa
Launched in 2017, “Operation Praia Limpa” aims to protect the coastal and marine environment of the Algarve region.
Through beach clean-up actions, this initiative brings together hundreds of volunteers every year, including residents and tourists, to protect one of our most extraordinary, shared spaces – the marine environment.
In addition to cleaning beaches, the initiative also seeks to raise awareness within the community about an increasingly pressing environmental issue: marine pollution and its impact on species. Over the years, this operation has taken place in several municipalities across the Algarve and, with the help of all the volunteers involved, more than 8,300 kg of marine litter has already been collected from our beaches.
Over the years, Zoomarine has established itself as a leading space for environmental education and the promotion of sustainable practices. Its initiatives encompass a wide range of experiences that stimulate curiosity, awaken a sense of responsibility and encourage direct contact with nature.
In this way, Zoomarine continues to affirm its role as a place that promotes more responsible habits and care for nature, proving that fun, learning and environmental awareness can come together as one. Through creative projects and the collaboration of all, the park inspires children, young people and families to value the environment and care for the planet in a more conscious way.
To learn more about these and other projects, visitors can consult the official Zoomarine website Together We Protect, and follow its social media channels, where news and updated information are regularly shared.
Sponsored Content
