Action for Peace, Planet, People in motion
Now in its second year at LPCUWC—one of only two UWC colleges worldwide offering the IBDP Marine Science course—our students continue to live out the UWC mission through authentic conservation work.
Our IBDP Year 2 Marine Science students recently took part in Youth Ambassadors for Ocean Stewardship, a Marine Biodiversity Programme hosted by The Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) of The University of Hong Kong.
Across four inspiring days, students explored Hong Kong’s remarkable marine biodiversity while deepening their understanding of the ecological pressures facing local coastal and marine habitats. The programme provided a valuable opportunity to connect classroom learning with authentic scientific investigation, fieldwork, and conservation action.
At an Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) workshop at Cape D’Aguilar—Hong Kong's only Marine Reserve—students investigated methods for sampling marine biodiversity and gained hands-on experience extracting environmental DNA (eDNA) for conservation monitoring.
The group then travelled by boat to Bluff Island and Sharp Island to snorkel among Hong Kong’s coral communities. Observing local reef ecosystems firsthand was a powerful reminder of both their richness and vulnerability. Students also explored corals restored using Archireef technology—an especially meaningful experience for those involved in our Coral Monitoring service, who will restore corals at two Hong Kong locations later this term.
Guided by the expertise and enthusiasm of Dr Phil and his colleagues, students gained a deeper appreciation of Hong Kong’s marine biodiversity and the importance of active restoration and long-term monitoring.
The programme concluded at Tai Tam Wan, where students explored intertidal ecology and conducted scientific transects through mangroves to estimate stored "blue carbon." Digging into the sediment revealed hidden infauna like pistol shrimp, clams, and bloodworms—bringing mangrove ecology vividly to life.
For our Year 2 Marine Science students, the programme was an invaluable extension of their learning. We are sincerely grateful to SWIMS-HKU and the Environment and Conservation Fund for making this enriching programme possible.
(Text and photos by the Marine Science group teachers and students)
