Defenders of the Alerce Andino National Park: Schoolchildren learned about the water cycle
This was the second activity developed by Fundación Rewilding Chile and the School of Architecture of Universidad San Sebastián.
They walked through the park, crossing the Lenca River and learning about its watershed, drank water from a subway spring called “Ojo de Agua” and made a handmade compass, with which they oriented their journey, using maps of the area. This was part of the experience of the nine teachers and education assistants who accompanied 26 students from the Rio Chico, Rio Blanco, and Correntoso schools.
On the way, they learned about the alerce habitat, through the trail to the Sargazo Lagoon, in the Alerce Andino National Park to learn more about the importance of the water cycle in nature.
“We found it especially relevant to participate in workshops with the local communities, hoping that we can motivate them, reinforce their knowledge so that they become the main caretakers and defenders of the park,” said Mercedes Patthey, an academic from the area of environmental outreach of the School of Architecture of the Universidad San Sebastián.
For Julieta Utreras, director of the Río Chico school, this activity reinforces classroom learning and provides more knowledge to these young defenders of the park. “We are precisely in the unit of plans and maps, which complemented their learning. We reinforced the cardinal points and the location in space, some concepts such as basin, lagoon, and others that undoubtedly in situ, is a more contextualized and relevant learning, significant learning,” he explained.
This activity is part of the collaborative work of the Friends of the Alerce Andino National Park program of Fundación Rewilding Chile, in addition to the Universidad San Sebastián, Conaf, and the team of environmental educators Base Camp Volcán Kallfú-ko, with themes based on the cycle of the seasons.
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