Which natural hazards could damage the area you live in?

The educational activity Which natural hazards could damage the area you live in? represents a collaborative project involving a local school in Romania (Colți Secondary School), a UNESCO Global Geopark (Buzău Land), and an academic institution (National Institute for Research and Development for Earth Physics – INFP). The project was implemented within the GeoFUN Educational Network of the geopark and aimed to enhance the understanding of natural hazards and their impact on local communities through an approach based on applied learning, direct observation, and practical activities. The activities capitalized on the local geological context of Colți, a hilly area located in the fold and thrust belt of the Carpathians.

Students participated in field-based observation activities, identifying the causes and effects of landslides and earthquakes by analyzing real examples from the vicinity of the school (affected properties and land, damaged roads, and areas with slope instability). Through guided observations and applied discussions, they examined factors such as soil structure, slope inclination, water presence (springs, infiltrations, heavy rainfall), and human interventions (deforestation, agricultural activities, construction in risk-prone areas), establishing clear links between natural processes and the associated risks.

In parallel, students practiced training measures and appropriate behavior before, during, and after the occurrence of natural hazards. These activities included simulations of behavior in case of an earthquake, the identification of safe areas, evacuation rules, and personal protection protocols, thus contributing to increasing awareness and responsibility towards risk management. The results of these activities were disseminated to the City Hall of Colți Commune in order to support the understanding of the mechanisms of natural hazards at the level of the entire community.

The National Institute for Research and Development for Earth Physics played an essential role by providing scientific expertise and educational support. The institute's specialists coordinated practical activities and experiments on the mechanics of earthquake production, explaining the types of seismic waves and how they propagate. The students used a didactic seismograph to understand the working principle of a real instrument and were trained, together with their teachers, in using the Raspberry Shake online platform for real-time observation of seismic recordings and interpretation of the collected data.

The developed lessons were designed as models of good practice, made available to teachers within the GeoFUN Network, and used within the Măgurele Summer School, an educational program dedicated to training teachers and students through interdisciplinary STEM activities. The summer school is organized by the “Horia Hulubei” National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), the National Institute for Research and Development for Earth Physics (INFP), and the University of Bucharest, promoting strong links between research, education, and practical applications.

Furthermore, the lessons have the potential to be replicated in other partner schools and geoparks through the GeoSite project (Project 2023-1-NO01-KA220-HED-000158109 – The geopark as digital and local learning site). Through integration into educational programs and cooperation networks, these resources contribute to strengthening Earth science education and promoting a common European approach to natural hazard management.