Bringing outdoor, hands-on environmental education to students across Sint Maarten through school partnerships and visits to Fort Amsterdam was a recent focus for the EPIC Sint Maarten Foundation through the BESTLife2030-funded project.

Students and teachers began their learning adventure in the classroom, focusing on the seabirds of Sint Maarten and their role in the island’s coastal ecosystems. The lessons explored seabird diets and behaviors, and how seabirds help transfer important nutrients to coastal plants. Students are also introduced to the idea of ecosystem webs, learning how plants, animals, and habitats are all connected and depend on one another.

Some participating schools also joined EPIC’s planting project and received spider lily bulbs for each class to plant with their teachers. In some cases, the bulbs were incorporated into science lessons, while other schools planted them in gardens or near playgrounds, giving students a hands-on opportunity to care for native plants. The program culminated in a field visit to Fort Amsterdam, where students saw the native plants and animals that have been the focus of the BESTLife2030 project. Fort Amsterdam is the primary nesting site for Sint Maarten’s national bird, the Caribbean brown pelican. Because habitat loss has reduced pelican populations across the region, Fort Amsterdam remains one of the island’s most important ecological areas.

During their visit, students observed the pelican colony and learned about EPIC’s ongoing monitoring work. High school students were introduced to the monitoring protocol used to track pelican populations each week. Students also learned about other seabird species and wildlife in the area, along with EPIC’s restoration efforts to remove invasive grasses and plant native trees. Students learned firsthand in the field and also gained knowledge and appreciation for Sint Maarten’s natural and cultural heritage.