FINLAND
To celebrate MPA Day, PROTECT BALTIC and the HELCOM Secretariat hosted a dual effort in Finland: a family-friendly beach clean-up in Espoo and a webinar on scalable marine protection.
The PROTECT BALTIC team hosted a family-friendly beach clean-up in Espoo. The event began at Matinlahdenranta and continued by boat to Iso Vasikkasaari in the Espoo Archipelago.
Bringing together families, volunteers, and ocean advocates, the clean-up highlighted the importance of community action in protecting the Baltic Sea’s Marine Protected Areas.
(Photo by PROTECT BALTIC)
The HELCOM Secretariat and PROTECT BALTIC hosted a virtual session exploring how structured, strategic approaches can accelerate and scale up marine protection.
The webinar showcased the Protection Optimization Framework developed by PROTECT BALTIC, highlighting real-world examples of how it has driven governance transformation and inspired broader action in other regions. A compelling case for how thoughtful planning can lead to lasting impact for our oceans.
GERMANY
Across Germany’s Baltic Sea coast, a full day of activities celebrated MPA Day, offering hands-on experiences, expert insights, and family-friendly learning to highlight the value of marine conservation. Activities were organised by federal agencies, nature parks, biosphere reserves, NGOs, and local conservation groups.
In Neuenhagen, Naturraum Klützer Winkel e.V. led a coastal sea excursion. There were also lectures and interactive activities related to the remarkable return of grey seals back to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
While Landschaftspflegeverein Dummersdorfer Ufer e.V.
offered boat tours around the protected island of Walfisch near Poel.
(Photo by Evelyne Beckmann)
At Greifswald Bodden, sailing trips aboard the historic Hanne Marie were hosted by local partners, featuring workshops on environmental monitoring and marine ecology.
In Prerow, the Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft held an interactive family tour to introduce children to Baltic Sea life. Meanwhile in Barhöft, they offered a guided tour focused on the challenges facing the Baltic Sea.
(Photo by Hanne Marie)
The UNESCO Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve held a full-day programme at Lauterbach Harbour, including guided tours, ranger-led exploration, and children’s activities.
Maasholm Nature Experience Centre and Schlei Nature Park hosted events combining nature crafts, coastal discovery, and history in and around Maasholm and Kappeln.
(Photo by Andrea Berger)
The day concluded with an evening programme at the Maritime Museum Stralsund, organised by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN).
The event featured presentations from MPA managers and young researchers, sharing stories from the frontlines of Baltic Sea protection.
(Photo by Gisela Stolpe, BfN)
ICELAND
Ocean Missions brought the community together for a beach clean-up at Húsavík, Iceland.
Locals of all ages joined in to care for their coastline, raise awareness about marine pollution, and celebrate the unique beauty of the area.
IRELAND
The day began with a guided snorkelling adventure at Ballinskelligs Pier, where Sea Synergy and Fair Seas invited participants to explore the hidden world of seagrass meadows.
With gear provided and the guidance of marine experts, snorkellers discovered the crucial role these
underwater habitats play in supporting marine life
and maintaining a healthy ocean.
In the afternoon, Café Cois Trá in Ballinskelligs transformed into a hub of marine discovery. Visitors enjoyed a lively marine creature feature and a stunning underwater photo exhibition by Vincent Hyland, capturing the beauty of Ireland’s coastal biodiversity.
The event also offered a tasty twist, with seaweed-inspired snacks showcasing the delicious and sustainable flavours of the ocean.
(Photo by Sea Synergy)
Later, at Whitestrand in Cahersiveen, ocean lovers of all ages joined a seashore exploration followed by a creative art session.
Inspired by their coastal finds, participants expressed their connection to the sea through drawing, crafting, and imagination — ending the day with a celebration of nature, creativity, and community.
(Photo by Sea Synergy)
ITALY
As part of a cross-continental collaboration for MPA Day, FONDAZIONE WORLDRISE ETS led a community mural project at Torre Guaceto Nature Reserve, connecting Italy with South Africa’s Nature’s Valley through shared ocean storytelling.
The 'One Ocean, One Connection' initiative, created in partnership with the Plum Foundation and Nature’s Valley Trust, used art to unite communities and raise awareness about marine protection.
The Italian mural forms one half of a joint artwork with South Africa, symbolising global cooperation and the shared responsibility to protect our oceans.
(Photo by Fondazione Worldwide)
LITHUANIA
Seaside Regional Park and VSTT hosted a child-friendly Green Lecture titled “Secrets of the Baltic Sea”, attracting families for an engaging and educational experience.
Through interactive activities, quizzes, and storytelling, participants learned about marine protected areas, the unique features of the Baltic Sea, and species like the endangered harbour porpoise. The event ended with creative postcard-making, a seaside walk, and close-up exploration of marine life—offering a fun and memorable way to connect with ocean conservation.
(Photo by Karolis Rupkus)
SPAIN
Eco&Dive hosted a hands-on biodiversity census and invasive species monitoring event in the Maro-Cerro Gordo Natural Area and ZEC Punta de la Mona — two of southern Spain’s most ecologically rich coastal zones.
Over three days, participants explored land and sea near the Alboran Sea Hope Spot®, contributing to citizen science efforts while learning about local biodiversity and the threats posed by invasive species.
(Video by Eco&Dive)
SWEDEN
As part of the Karlskrona Archipelago Festival, the Blekinge Archipelago Biosphere Reserve hosted a series of public events celebrating the region’s nature and heritage.
Visitors joined guided kayak and cycling tours with Arkipelag Kayak through the islands of Tjurkö and Sturkö, offering a unique way to explore Sweden’s only coastal biosphere reserve.
(Photo by Simone Wentzel)
Naturum Blekinge presented the I Love the Baltic Sea exhibition, highlighting environmental challenges and solutions for the Baltic Sea.
Later that day, a guided tour at Senoren (Brofästet) with Professor Urban Emanuelsson explored how centuries of human–nature interaction have shaped the archipelago’s landscape and biodiversity.
(Photo by Daniel Granello)
the united kingdom
The UK-based charity Protected Areas Foundation released a short video showcasing inspiring community-led efforts contributing to the global 30x30 target — the commitment to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030.
OTHER EUROPEAN ACTIVITIES
To mark MPA Day, Blue Connect launched an online campaign spotlighting marine conservation efforts and biodiversity across its European demonstration sites.
Featured locations included Raet National Park (Norway), as well as Macaronesia, the Scottish MPA Network, and L'Albera (Spain), highlighting collaborative work to protect marine protected areas and their surrounding communities.
macaronesia, norway, scotland & spain
To mark MPA Day, Blue Connect launched an online campaign spotlighting marine conservation efforts and biodiversity across its European demonstration sites.
Featured locations included Raet National Park (Norway), as well as Macaronesia, the Scottish MPA Network, and L'Albera (Spain), highlighting collaborative work to protect marine protected areas and their surrounding communities.