By Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum
Climate change adaptation is often discussed in the context of infrastructure, planning, and policy frameworks. Yet for place-based approaches to truly succeed, they need to include the voices of everyone in the community – not least the next generation who will live with the impacts and solutions that we put in place today.
Recently, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum (PCF) had the opportunity to “road test” elements of our new Pembrokeshire Climate Adaptation Toolkit in Saundersfoot, working directly with Year 3 and 4 pupils from the local school. Supported by funding from Welsh Government and WWF Cymru, this pilot offered valuable insights into how creative, inclusive methods can help embed climate resilience thinking across whole communities.
From Woolly Mammoths to Future Flood Risks
The day began with plans for a coastal walk, but torrential rain brought us indoors. Fortunately, local geologist Sid Howells had prepared an inspiring set of classroom-based activities.
The children learned how sea levels have shifted dramatically across geological time, discovering that woolly mammoths once roamed the Saundersfoot and Cleddau valleys during the last Ice Age 15,000 years ago. Sid then connected this deep-time perspective to the projected one metre rise in sea level over the next 75 years, helping the pupils to understand how their own village might be affected by flooding, storms, and extreme weather.
Storytelling as a Gateway to Imagination
Professional storyteller Phil Okwedy brought the science to life through the tale of Llinos, a young girl who travels back in time and witnesses Saundersfoot’s landscape transform, encountering the petrified forest still visible today at low tide at Lydstep as a living breathing forest it once was along with other adventures…
The story sparked empathy, creativity and wonder, while opening up conversations about resilience and change. As one partner reflected:
“I really enjoyed your storytelling today, thank you so much for coming along to Saundersfoot and inspiring us all in taking action on climate change. I thought the pupils were remarkable in their responses.”
– Jennifer James, Awel Aman Tawe
Mapping Places, Risks, and Safe Havens
One of the Toolkit’s new engagement methods – participatory mapping – was tested with the children using a large drone image of Saundersfoot.
Pupils identified:
- Where their favourite places and special memories were located.
- Areas of wildlife and natural value.
- Which parts of the village might be at risk from sea level rise and storms.
- Safe spaces they could turn to in an emergency.
This mapping exercise made risks tangible and highlighted the importance of local knowledge in adaptation planning.
Postcards from the Future
Children were then asked to imagine themselves as decision-makers. They created groups such as:
- The Rescyou Team
- Farmers
- Families and Neighbours
- Village Leaders
- Pupils’ Voice
- Nature Guardians
Each group debated who needed to be involved in building an effective local adaptation plan, and what actions they would take.
The exercise concluded with the children writing Postcards from the Future – messages of thanks from a thriving Saundersfoot, looking back with gratitude at how well the community had prepared for climate change. These hopeful visions captured what “success” looks like from the perspective of the youngest community members.
Linking Children’s Voices to Wider Community Action
While the day was designed for young learners, the process has wider significance. Engaging children in climate adaptation creates a ripple effect: pupils bring conversations home to parents, teachers embed the themes across the curriculum, and communities begin to see themselves as active agents in resilience planning.
By involving young people early, we also ensure that adaptation strategies align with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, and support the Welsh Government’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. This approach reflects the principles of collaboration, long-term thinking, and preventative action.
Testing Innovation, Informing Policy
The Saundersfoot pilot demonstrates how innovative, creative methods – from storytelling to participatory mapping – can break down a complex subject like climate adaptation into accessible, engaging activities.
It also highlights how the Pembrokeshire Climate Adaptation Toolkit can be used flexibly in schools, community groups, and with local decision-makers to ensure that climate plans are genuinely co-created.
This work will feed directly into Saundersfoot’s community led place-based adaptation planning, being developed with Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Natural Resources Wales, and emergency services. By testing engagement tools in real settings, we are learning how to best involve all voices in shaping resilient futures.
Looking Ahead
As the climate continues to change, we face difficult decisions about how our coastal communities can adapt. But if Saundersfoot’s pupils taught us anything, it’s that hope, creativity, and collaboration can help us build a better future together.
Their Postcards from the Future remind us that adaptation isn’t just about risk management – it’s about creating places where people, nature, and culture can continue to thrive for generations to come.
Acknowledgements:
This work was supported by Welsh Government and WWF Cymru, with contributions from Awel Aman Tawe, Phil Okwedy, Sid Howells, teachers and staff at Saundersfoot School, and the children who inspired us all.