Projektnamn: ”Sustainability education promotions with outdoor education methods for better health of the Baltic Sea” -  Ungefärligt översatt: ”Hur hållbarhetsutbildning med utomhuspedagogiska metoder främjar Östersjöns hälsa” (se Eng below)

Generell beskrivning / sammanfattning:

Detta har varit ett samverkansprojekt för att vidareutveckla utomhuspedagogik och utbildning inom miljö, så att fler får ökade kunskaper om hållbarhet och även uppmuntras till utbyten och samarbeten över gränser. Projektet involverade och stöttade också det litauiska initiativet Save the Baltic Sea, genom att tillhandahålla tre event på olika platser runt östersjön (Norrtälje, Tallinn och Vilnius) där workshops och aktiviteter om Östersjön genomförts och Östersjöns problem och möjligheter diskuterats.

Utöver de tre eventtillfällen som projektet har omfattat, har nytt undervisningsmaterial och utomhuspedagogiska koncept utvecklats hos Norrtälje Naturcentrum och Tartu Nature House. Projektet avrundades med ett webinarium som sändes globalt. Projektet har varit en förebild avseende miljö och hållbarhet, utgjort inspiration och gett kraft åt verksamheter som arbetar med miljö genom utomhuspedagogik.

Projektet har letts från Tartu, Estland och Norrtälje Naturcentrum (NNC) var projektpartner liksom organisationen For a Clean Lithuania (FCL) som står bakom initiativet Save the Baltic Sea.

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About the project and the result in English

The objectives of the project were to promote environmental education through outdoor learning methods, support the sustainability of the participating organizations, and encourage intercultural collaboration among countries bordering the Baltic Sea. To achieve this, three educational events were organized in Norrtälje (video documentation: A Day for the Baltic Sea – June 19, 2024), Tallinn (video documentation: The Voice of the Baltic Sea – October 15, 2024), and Vilnius (video documentation: Expedition Closing Event – December 6, 2024), all supporting the Save the Baltic Sea initiative. Through hands-on, playful, and science-based workshops, citizen science observations, coastal cleanups, panel discussions, and expert lectures, these events addressed various issues facing the Baltic Sea and explored practical ways to reduce our ecological footprint. Altogether, the events engaged approximately 2,700 participants and online viewers but together with the multiple Save The Baltic Sea expedition efforts from March-December 2024, approximately one million citizens were informed about the problematic situation of our common sea. These events also served as networking platforms for environmental educators, professionals, and learners. The activities developed participants' core skills in science-based thinking, social responsibility, and intercultural understanding. Participants expanded their knowledge of the Baltic Sea, environmental challenges, and increased their capacity to support the green transition and sustainable development.
In addition to event organization, the project produced tools and learning materials to support outdoor education. For example, visitors to the park at Tartu Nature House can now explore an interactive glacial erratics trail, offering playful, self-guided learning opportunities in both Estonian and English. Those wishing to dive deeper into geology can book one of two educational programs developed:
1. Program “In the Footsteps of Glacial Erratics and Fossils” for grades 4–6, and printable worksheets: Sand, Fossil.
2. Program “The Cryptographic Key to Glacial Erratics” for grades 7–9, and printable worksheets: construction geologists, drillers, glacial erratic, palaeontologists, treasure chest, workstation tags, Aseri geological survey, Kaarma geological survey, Jaani geological survey.

Under the leadership of Norrtälje Nature Center, ecology field study kits were created to support environmental education through outdoor learning and mobile classroom methods. The accompanying materials are available in both Swedish and English, making them accessible to outdoor educators and organizations worldwide:

1. Ecology mobile classroom Box 1 the Baltic Sea BOX1_BalticSea_pdf
2. Ecology mobile classroom Box 2  Insects, birds & plants
3. Ecology mobile classroom Box 3 the Forest Box 3_Forest_pdf
4. Ecology mobile classroom Box 4 Lake & Stream Box 4_Lake,stream_pdf

Partnership building and professional development among project staff were supported through monthly online meetings and two in-person gatherings (in Norrtälje, June 18-20, and in Vilnius, December 5-7, 2024). The philosophical and scientific foundations of outdoor learning were introduced by Swedish outdoor education expert Anders Szczepanski, and the project results were shared widely via a global webinar titled "Outdoor Education and Sustainability in Action" held on March 18, 2025, which attracted around 340 registered participants from 51 countries and can be re-watched any time.