Standing on the beach with gloves on and bags in hand, primary school students from Al Wajh and Duba gazed at the stretch of sand before them, scattered with plastic bottles, fishing nets, and food wrappers. For most, it was the first time they truly realized the scale of the environmental challenges facing their home—the Red Sea. With each step they took, each piece of waste they picked up, these young citizens became part of a wider initiative led by the Reserve, combining education, community engagement, and hands-on conservation to protect the Red Sea’s fragile ecosystems.

The journey begins in the classroom, where students are introduced to the challenges their environment faces. The Reserve’s environmental awareness program, which works with 90 schools across the Reserve, is designed to engage young minds, bringing the importance of conservation into focus. The students learn about the Red Sea’s ecosystems, how pollution disrupts marine life, and the pivotal role clean coastlines play in supporting biodiversity. These lessons go beyond textbooks, transforming into real-world action on the beaches of Al Wajh and Duba.

In November 2021, 60 students from Al Wajh schools took the knowledge they had gained in the classroom and applied it in a practical setting, participating in a clean-up at Marine Park. Over the course of the day, they collected 100.5 kg of waste, including plastics, discarded fishing gear, and food wrappers. A year later, in November 2022, 72 students from schools in Duba carried out a similar activity at Southern Park, collecting 157.4 kg of waste. The clean-up events were supported by local authorities, including the Border Guards, the Special Forces for Environmental Security (SFES), and civil defense teams, emphasizing the collective responsibility for protecting the marine environment.

The clean-ups were carefully structured to bring together what students had learned in the classroom and their hands-on experiences in protecting the coastline. After each clean-up, the Reserve followed up with educational sessions at the participating schools, where the community engagement team explained the significance of collecting the waste and the harm it could have caused to marine life had it been left on the shores.

These sessions expanded on how solid waste, if not removed, can harm marine animals like the Hawksbill turtle and block sunlight needed for coral reefs to thrive. This real-world connection helped students grasp the immediate and long-term benefits of their actions. They didn’t just see clean beaches—they saw how their efforts directly contributed to conserving the marine life of the Red Sea.

To keep the experience engaging, the Reserve organized a friendly competition during the clean-ups, offering small rewards to students who collect the most waste. This added layer of motivation helps reinforce the message: every individual effort counts in the effort to protect our coastlines.

The Reserve’s waters, spanning 1.8% of the Kingdom’s marine environment, is home to 22% of Saudi Arabia’s fish species and 64% of its coral species, However, pollution is threatening this delicate ecosystem. In fact, plastic items such as bottles, bags, and discarded fishing gear are among the most common pollutants found within the waters and along the shores of the Reserve. Addressing these issues is crucial not just in marine conservation but also for the well-being of local communities that rely on the Red Sea for food, tourism, and their livelihoods.

The clean-ups offered students the chance to see, firsthand, the impact pollution has on their environment. Many were surprised by the sheer volume and type of waste they encountered. This eye-opening experience deepened their understanding of the need for continued conservation efforts.

The Reserve’s approach is simple: educate, engage, and empower. By bringing students into the fold, the Reserve is planting the seeds of stewardship that will grow into lifelong commitments to protecting the environment. These clean-up efforts are a reminder that real change starts with awareness, and it is sustained through action.