Living Seas Wales volunteers conducting a shore search survey

The Wildlife Trusts' Living Seas Wales Project was launched almost a year ago at the Volvo Ocean Race in Cardiff! The project is a collaboration between the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) and North Wales Wildlife Trust and has been funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund.

Thanks to money raised by National Lottery Players the project provides Welsh people and visitors with the opportunity to learn about and enjoy our marine environment, through a range of events, activities and volunteering opportunities.

Our Living Seas Live! Roadshows made a big splash last summer with our WTSWW Living Seas Team visiting Countryfile Live, Swansea Air Show AND eight coastal locations in south/west Wales. We engaged with over 3,500 people, inspiring them to love our seas and to become involved in marine conservation.

Over the past year we have also been recruiting a team of dedicated volunteers and Living Seas Champions to help us with our vital marine research and community engagement work. WTSWW’s Living Seas team have trained a staggering 82 volunteers over this time! These volunteers help with a range of activities including Dolphin Watch and Shoresearch surveys, engagement events such as rock pooling and beach cleans as well as running the CBMWC visitor centre.

So what are our plans for 2019? Well this World Ocean’s Day (8^th June) we’ll be teaming up with Chester Zoo Expedition Team to celebrate our Living Seas at the Band Stand on Aberystwyth sea front.  Throughout the day there’ll be hands on activities, wildlife spotting, interactive talks, recycled crafts and a parade with Yan Tan Tethera. In the week leading up to the event the zoo team will be taking part in shoreline surveys, beach cleans, coastal Bioblitzes and dolphin surveying, all helping to support the work of our Living Seas team based at Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre.

If you’d like to join our World Ocean’s Day Celebration, volunteer with us or visit a Living Seas Live! Roadshow this year then please visit our website for further information.