Defensores del Parque Nacional Patagonia
“Defenders of Patagonia National Park”: connecting the youth of Chile Chico with the value of protected areas
The program, facilitated by "Descubriendo," environmental educators from the city of Cochrane, sought to strengthen the bond between the students of the Luisa Rabanal high school and the national park and to generate learning about the biodiversity it harbors.
With a complete program of activities that took place in the Jeinimeni sector, the second-grade students and teachers were able to enjoy four days in which the impressive landscapes of the protected area functioned as a true open-air classroom.
"Learning about the national park in the national park has an additional value. This helps young people to empower themselves with their protected area and, above all, to be able to defend it," said Carolina Cerda, director of Community Outreach at Fundación Rewilding Chile.
The activities had different focuses to address interesting aspects in a practical way in nature. Some of the topics covered in the workshops were the identification of freshwater macroinvertebrates for the protection of our ecosystems, National Parks, the land as our ancestors saw it, identification of birds and flora, and a final camp in which the students were able to learn land orientation and “Leave No Trace” techniques.
“I value bringing young people to these instances of nature, of empathy with the environment. Above all, that the children can develop in a healthy and free way around their interests,” said Germán Palma, a teacher at the Liceo Luisa Rabanal.
Rayén Rosales, a second-grade student, said, “I was able to learn about protecting ecosystems, about the importance of getting closer to nature and moving away from the cities. I was able to learn about flora and fauna of our region and discover our beautiful landscapes”.
The activity is part of the “Friends of Patagonia National Park” program, promoted by Fundación Rewilding Chile, which aims to strengthen the effective link between communities and national parks by fostering bonds of pride and a sense of belonging to the territory, through various activities that promote knowledge of the natural and cultural heritage.