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Education is fundamental to the long-term success of all of our programs, and as such is an integral part of any project that we do. Our Environmental Education program works with schools from more than 10 communities on the Osa Peninsula and focuses on providing progressive education and training to future generations of Costa Ricans by using hands-on activities and experiential learning.
The program teaches both children and adults of the Osa about large issues such as the importance of conserving forested habitat that protects Costa Rican wildlife and water resources, protecting rivers and mangroves which influence larger marine ecosystems like the Golfo Dulce and Pacific Ocean, and managing solid waste through the implementation and expansion of a community-wide recycling program.
Activities with children are always hands-on and practical. For example, when learning about water quality, students conduct a leaf-pack experiment where they collect invertebrates and use them as biological indicators to demonstrate the health of a river. Every year Friends of the Osa donates hundreds of native trees from our tree nursery to local schools that are planted as a practical component of lessons on habitat conservation and restoration for Costa Rican wildlife. Other activities include beach and mangrove clean-ups organized with the community, sea turtle workshops with school teachers, local hotels, and students, and workshops for guides. Go to our blog to read more about the various environmental education activities on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica.
We are also happy to see participation from parents in many of the educational activities at schools. By involving parents, we're reaching stakeholders that have the power to make conservation decisions now. By working with their children, we're helping to protect the forests and waters of the Osa Peninsula into the future.
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Kindergarten students perform their frog song for International Biodiversity Day
Mangrove Restoration
Students plant a native tree
Second grader shares what he learned about monkeys
Leaf Pack Activity
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