In the heart of the Northwest Biosphere Reserve Amotapes-Manglas, in the Peruvian city of Tumbes, a silent green revolution is taking place. No protest, no manifestation: change was born among school desks, in curious minds of children and teenagers. Between the brackish scent of the mangrove And the singing of the waves, the teachers Anani Martínez and Rubén Peña are rewriting the future, a notebook at a time.
Since 2022, the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) UNESCO program, with the support of the government of Flanders, has launched the Mangres project, an initiative that involves seven countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. The goal? Integrate scientific knowledge with traditional ones to restore and preserve the ecosystems of mangroves, natural pillars against climate change and capable of assisting coexistence between nature and humanity.
The mangroves: silent custodians of life
The mangroves are fantastic trees, real natural barriers that protect the coasts from erosion, capture and store carbon more efficiently than many tropical forests and which offer refuge to extraordinary biodiversity. Yet, for too long, their importance has been neglected.
“Until a few years ago, the importance of educating the Tumbes community on mangroves was underestimated,” explains Rubén Peña. Today, however, the panorama has changed. Thanks to the Mangres project, the Tambes schools have become the fertile ground where to sprout ecological awareness.
Education as seed of change
Anani Martínez, with the smile of those who firmly believe in the power of education, leads the 129 El Bendito school. His goal is not only to teach notions, but above all to turn on the spark of curiosity towards the environment around them in students. “I want the boys to realize how lucky they are to live in a place so rich in biodiversity. The mangroves are not only landscape: they are life, sustenance and culture “.
With the support of the Mangular Consortium and local fishing organizations, students participate in workshops, create stories related to the conservation of the ecosystem and even dances inspired by the crabs and shells. Art thus becomes a bridge between tradition and environmental awareness, within an education program for sustainable development.
An alliance between school and community
Rubén Peña recalls the beginnings of the educational path linked to mangroves: “From 2008 to 2012, we have included environmental education in the school programs of the areas close to the National Sanctuary of the Turses mangroves. We used work notebooks and methodological guides to help teachers develop significant activities. “
From the classrooms, the awareness activities have extended to the fishing communities, with evening meetings in the neighborhoods and the use of the local language to encourage a deeper understanding. “To love and keep something, we must first know her,” says Peña, summarizing in a few words the heart of their mission.
Young protagonists of the change
The Mangres project had a profound impact on Tumbes young people. Students learn and become the agents of change. They form environmental brigades, organize the cleaning campaigns of the beaches and sensitize their families on the importance of mangroves.
Anani underlines how students are increasingly involved in local environmental issues. “They are aware of the resources available to them and eager to protect them. Sustainable development education is not just a subject: it is a form mentis that also accompanies them outside the school “.
Strategies for a sustainable future
What advice to give to those who want to follow Tumbes’s example? According to Anani, it is essential to plan activities that stimulate students’ interest and promote the exchange with different realities. Rubén suggests using the territory itself as an open -air classroom: “Visiting our sanctuary is like leafing through a book of living biology”.
Once, Peña says, they managed a radio program in which young people spoke of the environment and conservation. Today, this legacy continues through workshops, guided tours and school projects.
A replicable model
Tumbs’ success is not an isolated case, but a replicable model. Integrating environmental education into national school programs, adapting it to local specificities, can make the difference, because the protection of an ecosystem, in addition to preserving nature, can guarantee a future for the communities that depend on it.
After all, the message is simple: to change the world, sometimes a teacher, a class and mangrove is enough.
