Our Rios Tropicales Foundation (FRT) launched environmental education programs in elementary schools in Costa Rica. By educating the children on how and why they should care for their natural resources, Rios is arming a generation of future leaders with knowledge and tools for sustainable business practices that incorporate environmental management. Addressing the children is a very important and longer-term strategy that can increasingly influence Costa Rican government policies when these children push for change in high school, college, in their communities, and in their careers.

The Regional River Environmental Education Pilot Project 

It’s Origins
The Regional River Environmental Education Pilot Project, begun in the Atlantic region of Turrialba and Siquirres, is the education program FRT created to address involvement of local children in protecting their uniquely diverse Costa Rican environment. Historically, environmental education programs were offered only at distinct schools in San Jose. Our program brings education and awareness to rural schoolchildren. Thanks in part to nationally recognized efforts like FRT’s, environmental education is now part of most school programs.

Our pilot program began at the Escuela Eduardo Peralta Jimenez in the town of Tucurrique, which rests about 24 km east of the Cache Dam on the Reventazon River. It is a small, conservative and very rural community dependent primarily on the cultivation of palmito and pejibaye. With a low source of income, the town lacks much infrastructure. The roads are unpaved. There is no local dump for wastes. Sanitation measures are lacking. Under this scenario, we hope to influence some change and help the community prosper in a sustainable manner.

About The Program
FRT's River Education Program involves direct participation and hands-on learning activities. With the assistance of volunteers and members of the local environmental group, ECO-Jovenes, we avoid classroom lecturing, and use art, physical activities, field trips, and investigation outings to cover the following issues:
1.    Water quality monitoring
2.    River ecology
3.    Watershed management
4.    River pollution/contamination and solutions
5.    Land use practices
6.    Hydroelectric projects

At the end of each three-week course, we present each child with a certificate of recognition and a seedling donated by the E.A.R.T.H. (Escuela Agricola de la Region Tropical Humeda). Following the ceremony, we plant the seedlings around the community as an effort to reforest the Reventazon River watershed.

We have completed three courses with the third, fourth and fifth graders. Currently, we are seeking more new volunteers with experience in environmental education to assist in the teaching process and continue the program for the entire school.
We are using a variety of materials from different environmental education organizations in the US, such as: GREEN (Global River Environmental Education Network), Project WET, and Save Our Streams of the Isaak Walton League. Once we have taught all grades of the Escuela Eduardo Peralta Jimenez, FRT will immediately continue this program with the children of Valle de Los Angeles along the Pacuare River, and gradually continue with other communities.
For more information, please see CentralAmerica.com