Source to Sea Education Programme

Cuan Beo has curated its own Source to Sea Education Programme which we deliver to primary and secondary school students. TY students are taken on a journey from upstream in Catchment 29 (relevant to their location) downstream to the coast and beyond to aquaculture farms, exploring the ecosystems, biodiversity, and communities reliant on good water quality along the way.

The Source to Sea programme introduces TY students to Catchment 29 through sessions that incorporate Cuan Beo’s 3 Education Pillars of Sustainability, Education, and Adventure.

Source to Sea introduces students to the local coast, its inhabitants and sea creatures, aquaculture producers creating a living from the sea, and coastal advocates and custodians. Source to Sea also introduces participants to the people working on technological aspects of coastal monitoring and educates about the relationship between the Catchment 29 area and the coast: linking upstream, namely rivers and the Burren lowlands, to Galway Bay.

Starting upstream, students are introduced to freshwater biodiversity and ecosystems while engaging in citizen science experiments, facilitated by Local Areas Water Programme (LAWPRO). They then make their way to the coast where they learn of the tides, ocean currents, plankton, ocean acidification, and water density. This session has been designed in conjunction with the Martin Ryan institute of University of Galway’s Dept of Earth and Ocean Science. Following this session, students visit a local Oyster farm to learn the process of farming oysters and what’s involved.

Now, with an understanding of how the sea works, students participate in Source to Sea’s adventure side through stand-up paddle boarding and/or kayaking with local outdoor activity facilitators. However, it is no regular adventure as they paddle out to the local mussel rafts to engage with the mussel farmers and learn about the process of mussel farming.

On the final day of the programme, students participate in a beach clean before returning to cook up a seafood meal. The students learn to shuck oysters, cook local mussels both au natural and with a broth, cook local clams and a salmon pasta, while engaging in conversation around where the produce comes from.

Throughout the programme, students are encouraged to follow ‘leave no trace’ principles by removing waste from any stretch of shoreline or freshwater we visit. They will be introduced to Cuan Beo’s work on oyster restoration and invited to take a closer look at where the land and sea connect.

The Programme is designed to incorporate aspects of the school curriculum’s STEM course:
• Science: Through freshwater and seawater experiments that determine the health of our waterways.
• Technology: We discuss the aspects of coastal technology that is now coming to the forefront within the marine sector.
• Engineering: Students are exposed to marine engineering in the form of mussel rafts and oyster trestles.
• Maths: Maths is incorporated on a small scale through experiments and cooking throughout the programme.

Outreach

Cuan Beo organises and delivers several catchment outreach events and initiatives each year.

Cruinniú na mBád in Kinvara, County Galway in August each year represents a tremendous gathering of regional communities. Cuan Beo hosts an array of stalls of community groups, state research agencies, and local authorities in the Cuan Beo Marquee. And organises a programme of stimulating presentations, workshops, and panel discussions exploring topical environmental, economic, and heritage elements of the marine and water quality. Several cookery demonstrations showcasing local marine-themed dishes are also served and engage attendees in the interconnectedness of our food supply chain and the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems to support continued high food quality.

Cuan Beo’s Flat Bottom Boat Exhibition is a frequent attendee of regional events. The exhibit encourages the sharing of the heritage associated with the native oyster and connects people with their area’s heritage – cultural, natural, social, and economic heritage.

In 2024, Cuan Beo launched its South East Galway Bay QR code project. Through collaboration with the Marine Institute, Cuan Beo has established QR codes at sea access points across Galway Bay. By scanning these QR codes, swimmers can access the tide times, tidal height, sea surface temperature, and salinity for their respective sea access point in South East Galway Bay.

Cuan Beo also attends several events throughout the year such as Clarinbridge Market Day, Marine Institute Culture Night, Galway International Oyster Festival, Bioeconomy Week Ireland events, and community events hosted by Cuan Beo’s numerous community group collaborators. Furthermore, Cuan Beo hosts visits and showcases of the organisation’s work for industry stakeholders, potential collaborators, journalists, and dignatories. Past visits include the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation Director General Qu Dongyu and international groups interested in scaling native oyster reef restoration efforts.