Rainforest Concern - Colombian ecosystems awareness project

Introduction

Despite its globally significant biodiversity, Colombia’s ecosystems are facing many threats, including mining, deforestation, illegal hunting, socioeconomic instability and a general lack of knowledge of sustainable management of the country’s natural resources. All of these issue are compounded by much of the country having no environmental education.

Rainforest Concern's partner, Fundación TierrAmar, strengthens environmental education at a grassroots level, focussing on remote schools close to rainforests and other fragile habitats in Colombia. Simultaneously, TierrAmar aims to restore and protect marine and terrestrial ecosystems, including and engaging local communities in these direct conservation efforts.

Programme

Manuela Peláez and her small Fundación TierrAmar team work closely with schools in the Tairona, Los Nevados, Cocuy, Cauca, Huila, Putumayo and Nariño regions. Schools are chosen for their proximity to important and threatened habitats, including the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park, which was declared an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1979, and in 2013 was named the most irreplaceable site on earth for threatened species by the IUCN.

After obtaining permission from the schools and the communities, Fundación TierrAmar makes multiple visits to each school, delivering a combination of lectures and activities, including practical sessions on the creation of medicinal plant gardens and seedbeds. The programme was designed to create awareness among the youth and teachers at each school about the function and importance of (and threats to) their precious yet fragile ecosystems.

Monitoring and evaluation phase is also carried out at each school to determine the success of the project. This phase includes an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for each school - including issues such as sociopolitical instability. The team at TierrAmar also keep in contact with a selected teacher ambassador at each school to promote the continuation of the project.

Environmental education is vital, and this important project aims to not only inspire and educate young people, but also to influence the wider community, fostering greater environmental care and protection in the future.

Tierr Amar Manuelaoutdoor classroom — Environmental education in rural Colombia

Educators travel to remote, rural schools to teach children about the ecosystems in which they live

Girl planting in garden
Manuela teaching group of students
A lesson in progress
A lesson taking place outside of the classroom
A garden created with the children
Learning about the local environment
Puppets created by the children as part of their activity
A lesson taking place outside
Educational resources
Manuela with a class
Practical restoration
A student answering a question

Introduction

Programme

Environmental education in rural Colombia