Our tour of the mangroves was absolutely amazing. As we floated between the trees, we learned just how many different types of species there are and how well they coexist. We learned just how much the local communities rely on the fish that come from the mangroves and how the mangroves work to protect the community from the strong winds and dangerous elements. These gentle giants have provided more for Panama then you can ever find out by simply researching them.

            This trip made me want to be more conscientious about how I take care of my trash. Both the mayor we interviewed and the fisherfolk said that the biggest threat to the mangroves was trash, and it was plain to see how detrimental that could be as we drove and boated around. I would love to see not just Panamanians educated on the importance on taking care of their trash, but the rest of the world as well. We need to do a better job taking care of our planet so that we don’t continue to lose these beautiful elements to our planet. 

Alex

These are entries by students from Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, TX, USA) Roxo students traveling to Panama for Spring Break to work with Wetlands International on the Mangrove Project."

A school partnership would help the Remedios children understand how valuable mangroves are to the environment and to livelihoods that depend upon fishing and ecotourism. Wetlands International aims to replicate its great success in Chame, a rural community west of Panama City.

I visited the Chame school last May with Wetlands International’s communications director and a small group from TCU. We watched 11-year-olds explain how mangroves protect coastal communities by serving as a buffer during extreme weather, and about how mangroves provide a haven for tiny shellfish, birds, monkeys and other wildlife.  The pre-teens, dressed in neatly pressed school uniforms, drew pictures on a whiteboard to demonstrate their knowledge of the mangrove root structure. They explained how mangroves absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help counter the effects of climate change. The entire class performed happy songs about the mangroves and invited us to the front of the class to participate in a skit that they wrote. The TCU students, school children and I pretended to be fish, waves, wind and mangroves in a living demonstration of the interaction of all these elements. Later, a group of first- and second-graders escorted us behind the school to see an open-air nursery where they are caring for mangrove seedlings until they are sturdy enough to be planted (by the children, of course) in a nearby coastal forest.

The children conveyed pride and a deep understanding of mangroves and their importance.  It was obvious to me that the Chame school’s teachers have created an ingenious curriculum that uses music, art and even theater to advance the students’ understanding of the mangroves. 

Wetlands International hopes the Remedios school will become a similar incubator of environmentally minded young citizens. The school’s principal and teachers expressed strong interest and said they would seek the support of parents (necessary because the children will be using tools outdoors to dig and plant).  The town’s mayor is supportive, and so are school district officials. Many of the Remedios children were not wearing school uniforms; we were told their parents cannot afford the $20 cost. Without running water, the school cannot provide flush toilets. The school serves children up to age 11, but there were only a few older children present during our visit.  As we drove away from the school, Kristy Cole, a TCU sophomore, talked about finding a way to help the school in the coming months and years.  She and the other TCU students played with the children, sharing their I-phone games and showing them their photographs. Our visit planted a seed.  I cannot wait to see what will grow from the experience.

After a wonderful meal prepared by the school, we sat down and talked with some of the teachers about the importance of mangroves. One teacher spoke about how the school strives to teach the children the daily importance of mangroves from an economic stand point, for example, showing the children that the mangroves produce their food. She also spoke about how it is the community’s duty to protect the mangroves. She said the mangroves are part of their lifestyle, and it is important for the community to keep the mangroves clean. The teacher discussed how the greatest threat to the mangroves are people ourselves, and that the reason the climate is so hot is because we are contributing to climate change. She stressed the importance of awareness because the community says they will conserve, but do the opposite and may not realize the effects until it’s too late. She suggests starting with educating the kids and teaching them good examples of how to conserve. 

A local elected representative of the community spoke with us as well, saying that mangroves are important because they provide the community with vegetation and green land. He spoke about how mangrove restoration will benefit coastal lands, while also stating that mangroves themselves are in the greatest danger. The representative highlighted the point that the community will die out if the mangroves keep dying. 

We then played and laughed with the children, discussing their views on mangroves and how excited they were to start the mangrove project at their school. Once we left, we went to a fisherman’s cooperative to speak with some more fishermen about the mangroves. The fishermen stated that they are very cautious when fishing around mangroves, and that it is the entire community’s responsibility to watch out for those cutting down or harming the mangroves.

Today taught me two very important words for the mangrove project: education and community. We must educate the community in order to bring about change for the mangroves. Wetlands International is a vehicle for this education, and I am excited to see their work in this school and the villages we have visited. The past few days have been very eye-opening as I have learned the true value of the mangrove, and how devastating it will be to lose the mangroves. 

These are entries by students from Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, TX, USA) Roxo students traveling to Panama for Spring Break to work with Wetlands International on the Mangrove Project.