Launch of Learning through surfing

“Learning through surfing returns to the beaches of Menorca to bring the sea closer to more than 600 students”

The educational programme Learning through surfing returns to the beaches of Menorca with a new edition that will combine classroom-based learning with practical activities in the natural environment. The initiative, led by the non-profit environmental association Surf and Clean, is supported by Menorca Preservation, the Spanish Surfing Federation and the Consell Insular de Menorca, in collaboration with local organisations Paddle Tour Menorca and Surf & Sail Menorca.

In its sixth edition, the project expects to reach more than 600 students from 14 educational centres across the island, from Year 4 of primary school to sixth form and UECO classrooms, strengthening their connection with the marine environment through direct experiences and experiential learning.

Beaches as classrooms: activities begin in the natural environment

Following the classroom sessions held in schools during March and April, the programme now enters one of its key phases: beach sessions, which will take place from May to early June in areas of high environmental value such as Algaiarens, Cala Tirant or Son Xoriguer.

During these outings, students will have the opportunity to explore the marine environment from a practical and reflective perspective: understanding how a beach is formed, identifying waste found in the sand, learning about the fauna we share this space with, or discovering how to act when encountering marine animals in distress.

The objective is clear: to generate a real connection with the sea that fosters respect and care for the environment. As David Blanco, coordinator of the educational project, reminds us: “we only protect what we know and love”, an idea that guides the entire programme.

Environmental education through surfing and direct experience

The project is structured around three pillars: an online platform with educational content, dynamic sessions in schools, and experiential activities on the beach. Through this approach, values such as respect, empathy, inclusion and cooperation are promoted, while encouraging a more conscious relationship with the natural environment.

In addition to raising awareness among students, the initiative seeks to generate real changes in everyday habits, contributing to the reduction of environmental issues such as waste pollution or human impact on marine fauna.

David Blanco, coordinator of the project, explains that “Surfing, also known as he’enalu, sarán or tup, practised in the natural environment, is an excellent tool, not only educational but also therapeutic for those who practise it and for the natural environment. People who surf enjoy what is known as ‘saltwater therapy’, which improves their health. If they have also been educated in its values (which largely come from indigenous peoples), they develop a different relationship with the environment in which they live. Its practice requires us to pay attention to natural conditions: winds, swells, accumulations of posidonia, presence of jellyfish, etc. It also promotes values such as prevention, lifesaving, equality and inclusion, as it is an activity that everyone can practise and is approached in a non-competitive way.”

A well-established project on the island: more than 1,600 children have enjoyed the sea since its launch in 2021

With six years of experience, Learning through surfing has brought more than 1,600 children in Menorca closer to the sea, establishing itself as one of the island’s most prominent marine environmental education initiatives, bringing together collaboration between local organisations, public administrations and the education sector.

The support of Menorca Preservation strengthens the local character of the project and expands its reach, helping more and more young people on the island to develop a closer and more responsible relationship with the sea.

Rebecca Morris, Director of Menorca Preservation, highlights that “supporting projects such as Learning through surfing allows us to act at the root: education. At Menorca Preservation, we believe that fostering an early connection with the marine environment is essential to strengthening the bond with our surroundings and moving towards a more respectful relationship with our ecosystems.”