The Moldovan National Hub has published its report on the Dniester Day Educational Expedition, which took place on 31 May along the Botna River. The expedition was organised to raise awareness on river ecosystem protection, water resources management, and the impact of climate change and human activities on local hydrological systems, bringing together students from Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University and experts from the Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Authority for a full day of field‑based learning.
Learning Along the Botna River
The expedition followed a route from Ulmu to Causeni, covering rural, agricultural and urbanised sections of the Botna River basin. According to the report, the route was "selected to illustrate different sections of the river basin [...] allowing participants to observe spatial variations in land use and environmental conditions.”
Participants engaged in geomorphological mapping, habitat observation, water measurements, biodiversity assessments and documentation of anthropogenic pressures. These activities strengthened practical skills in environmental monitoring and hydrological observation.
Connecting Local Rivers to the Black Sea
Though Botna is located inland, it is part of the wider Dniester basin which contributes to the Black Sea. The report notes that the expedition “helped reinforce the importance of integrated land‑water‑sea approaches in line with regional cooperation frameworks.” By examining sediment transport, nutrient flows and pollution loads along the Botna, the group was able to connect local river dynamics with downstream impacts on the Dniester basin and the Black Sea.
Results and Outputs
The hands-on activity generated a range of educational material and analytical outputs that extend beyond the scope of the expedition along the Botna. The group produced a dataset that combines GPS points, habitat observations and quality indicators creating an evidence base that can support future comparisons and further education. The fieldwork yielded additionally a detailed geospatial documentation and photographic archive of riverbank conditions, geomorphological features as well as examples of anthropogenic pressures along the Botna river.
The materials will be utilised further both within the Faculty of Geography at Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University and for broader outreach that aligns with the CMA’s goals. These will help translate field observations into accessible messages about basin-level and Black Sea sustainability.
As a next step, the Moldovan National Hub will consolidate the outputs into a replicable educational factsheet, providing a model that can be reused for future field activities and adapted by other CMA National Hubs.