Young EcoLeaders of the Brazilian Rainforest

Dear friends and supporters,

What an amazing year, and what a lot we have achieved together! Thanks to you we’ve been able to set a whole lot of rainforest kids on their way to becoming forest champions. We’ve  hosted several large school groups for their first ever adventure day in the forest, we’ve made presentations in local schools and citizen associations, we’ve involved parents, teachers and school support staff, and of course we’ve been running our regular Eco Leaders Program, and reaching more students all the time. .

And this year we've been doing it a little differently. We hope you love our new approach as much as the students do! Here's how it works. Since our objective is to introduce them to the amazing world of the rainforest - and become future environmental champions and EcoLeaders - we’re focusing on helping them learn not only with their heads, but also with their hearts and all their senses.

You can't love something that you don't really know. And to know it is more than reading about it or hearing your teacher talk about it. If you want to get to know the rainforest you need to get out of the classroom and into the forest.  You need to roll up your sleeves, take off your shoes, get your hands in the dirt. Feel the cool air as you step into the forest, place your cheek against the rough bark of a tree or the soft velvety smoothness of the moss. Smell the earth after the rain, and the scents of the flowering trees. Stay quiet and listen to the tiny sounds of the forest – the leaves moving, the sound of the birds and the insects. Lie on your back and look up at the leaves dancing in the breeze. Look and really see the colors and shapes of the leaves and the flowers. Watch a hairy caterpillar or a brightly colored bird. Understand that you yourself are a part of nature.

And once you understand that, you'll be far more interested in learning the whys and wherefores. It seems to be working. You only have to loook at the big smiles on the faces of the kids as they jump out of the school bus or the Iracambi Kombi, run back into the forest and then settle down for a discussion.

With your help we're reaching more Eco Leaders, one child, one parent, one teacher, one visitor at a time. Thank you so much for being a part of such important and exciting work. We couldn't do it without you! 

Rainforest love for a wonderful holiday season, 

Marina and the Eco Leaders  

Links:

• Iracambi site

Dear donors,

Thanks to you this quarter we were able to bring more children into our Eco Leaders program. Yaay! 

 Our current cohort of Eco Leaders, nine and ten year olds from the local school, was selected by posing them a challenge whereby they were asked to solve an important environmental problem in our region. They were invited to reflect on the challenge, and submit an illustrated text. Those who came up with the most original ideas were asked to join our program.

Students began by walking a forest trail in silence. They were able to see coatis, red headed woodpeckers and even squirrels which are hard to spot in our forests. They used their sense of touch and smell to discover the texture, the scents and the temperature of the forest, to feel the rough bark of the bigger trees, the cold water of the river, and to observe the tiny creatures that live on the forest floor. While listening to the sounds of the forest they made their own sound maps and learned that it’s impossible to be silent in the forest for more than ten seconds without hearing a bird, the sound of the river, or the wind in the trees.

The students learned a lot about the different biomes in Brazil, and found out that the earth under their feet belongs to the biome Atlantic Forest and that they live on the borders of an important State Park called the Serra do Brigadeiro which is constantly under threat from deforestation, fire and mining.

Our Young Eco Leaders still have a long way to travel and many discoveries to make. And it’s only possible because of you. Thank you!

with much love, 

Marina and the Eco Leaders   

Links:

• Iracambi site