Environmental Conservation Education for Remote Schools
The Bocas del Toro Archipelago is unique in this age for a settled Caribbean area, in that its environment has not been totally destroyed by a large population, industrialization, or uncontrolled tourism, but all of those factors are in its future. So now is the time to act to save what can be saved.There is currently a movement to expand the Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park in an effort to do just that. We believe this will not be effective without prior conservation education of the local people who will be affected most and especially the young. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Station (STRI) has an educational staff with this capability, but they typically are only able to work with people coming to the STRI facility.
Through the assistance of B.E.S.O., SBT located 20 remote schools spread across the islands. Almost 100% of the students in these schools had never been to STRI nor been adequately instructed in the concepts of conservation. With this in mind, in April of 2008, SBT approached the Smithsonian Tropical Research Station (STRI) with the idea of having it’s educational personal not only teach those who can come to the center, but take the word to the people.
STRI was eager to provide the educators, but they needed someone to coordinate the visits and provide transportation for its staff. SBT suggested it would locate expats living near each of the schools and ask them to act as liaisons to coordinate STRI visits and to possibly provide transportation. The initial introduction would theoretically turn into long-term class projects and the delivery of continuing conservation modules for local teacher implementation.
This process is currently ongoing and we have two liaison persons committed thus far.