On October 28, 2026, the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) Project in the British Virgin Islands held a Beach Litter Monitoring Workshop at Cedar School in Tortola, working with the school’s Eco Club. The session was designed to support the Eco Club in setting up and running its own beach litter monitoring site, building on the PROMAR sampling already under way in the territory. Ten enthusiastic students and one teacher took part in a hands-on learning experience centered on the idea that learning today helps protect our oceans tomorrow.

The workshop walked participants through the full beach litter sampling process. Students began by identifying suitable sampling locations and setting perimeters, then moved on to collecting samples, recording data, analyzing their findings and sharing feedback. By working through each step themselves, they gained first-hand insight into how beach litter sampling helps us understand the types and amounts of marine litter reaching local shorelines, and why that information is essential for addressing the problem at its source.

Throughout the session, students also explored how these methods can contribute to practical solutions for combating marine litter across the Caribbean and protecting the region’s coastal ecosystems. Learning the techniques used in PROMAR’s own monitoring gave them a clear picture of how small-scale, community-led data collection connects to the project’s wider goals of preventing marine litter and strengthening local capacity.

Looking ahead, the Cedar Eco Club will choose a beach and set up its own litter monitoring site, replicating the PROMAR sampling carried out at Long Bay, Beef Island. Further workshops to help the club select a site and carry out its first sample are planned for December, giving students ongoing support as they put what they have learned into practice.

By training young people to collect and analyze litter data themselves, PROMAR BVI is helping to build local monitoring capacity and encouraging a new generation to take an active, informed role in protecting the British Virgin Islands’ beaches and marine environment. Initiatives like this show how education, citizen science and youth leadership can work together to reduce marine litter and safeguard coastlines for the future.