Description de l'organisation

BRIGADA DO MAR is a volunteering project that exists since 2008/2009 and was born with the objective of implement actions to protect biodiversity and perform cleaning interventions in non-franchised coastal areas. These activities are focus on sustainable development, through active participation of the citizens, following principles as environmental education, natural preservation, promotion of public health and sustainable and healthy life-styles.

Since December 2013, Brigada do Mar is officially a non-governmental environmental organization (NGO) and has 3 main areas interventions:
1. Beach Clean-up in isolated and contaminated areas;
2. Environmental Education and Eco Team building's with children, Yong's and Adults;
3. Cooperation for Development with other NGO's at European and Overseas level;
4. Providing learning opportunities for young's and adults through European mobility and cooperation projects.

Since 2014 Brigada do Mar beach cleanups and actions have the support/sponsorship of the Portuguese President of Republic, what helps us to have a public and official recognition of the importance of the work of our volunteers for civil society.

Our biggest action of beach cleaning in the last 10 years, is located between Melides and Troia Peninsula (Grândola Municipality), and until now had the support of more than 3000 volunteers “Brigada do Mar” (See Brigade) and around 50 different sponsors, that make possible to clean up every year approximately 45 kilometers of beach during 15 day’s and collect 20 to 30 tons of Marine Litter.

All the areas were Brigada do Mar makes interventions are unique places of sandy beaches and natural reserves classified in different national and international organisms, such as:
- Galé-Fontaínhas Beach with its fossil laden cliff featuring formations that date back around five million years,
- The Nature Reserve of the Santo André and Sancha Lakes;.
- The River Tejo Estuary and Costa da Caparica sandy beach and fossil cliffs;
- Arrábida Mountain Natural Park
- The Nature Reserve of the Sado Estuary that is the habitat of a community of +/- 30 bottle nose dolphins,
- The Nature Reserve of Costa Vicentina Natural Park.
- The Nature Reserve of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.

Brigada do Mar is a founder member of the Portuguese Association of Marine Litter and is also a member of the RSOpt - National Network for Social Responsibility.

We have a permanent team of 50 volunteers (From 5 to 80 years old) including the 9 legal members with an educational and professional background from different areas what allows us to have a multidisciplinary team formed by: Teachers in active and also retired, web designers and creatives, Photographers, Marketing and Communication experts, Human Resources, Tourism Management, Law, Economics and Finances, Engineering Informatic.

Some of our volunteers and other board members work in their daily job directly in the field of non-formal education and European projects management, being project coordinators, Trainers, Facilitators, EVS Mentors and Leonardo da Vinci Traineeships Tutors.