The Golden Lion Tamarin Association
http://www.micoleao.org.br
http://www.micoleao.org.br/saibamais_educacaoambiental.htm
Golden Lion Tamarin Association
News from the Education Program - 2004
Information presented at the Society of Conservation Biology Annual Meeting, Columbia University, New York, August, 2004.
Abstract
The Golden Lion Tamarin Association (AMLD), a Brazilian non-governmental organization, coordinates a multidisciplinary program to conserve a viable population of golden lion tamarin (Leonthopithecus rosalia) in their natural habitat - Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. One conservation strategy of the AMLD is the use of environmental education as an approach to stimulate the local population to become more aware and active in forest conservation. Community support is crucial for the success of efforts to conserve endangered ecosystems. AMLD has developed a capacity building program for educators with the participation of 25 teachers from 14 schools of the municipality of Silva Jardim, State of Rio de Janeiro. The teachers have participated in workshops to develop projects in their schools seeking Atlantic Forest conservation. The teachers developed many field activities on flora, fauna, treats and conservation action. The students learned more about the Atlantic Forest in an interdisciplinary way, inside the disciplines of Science, Portuguese and Arts. Teacher training is an important step to get more partners and collaborators to guarantee the long-term conservation of threatened species. This project has been supported by WWF-Brasil, Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, American Society of Primatologist and Education Department of Silva Jardim.
Introduction
The Atlantic Forest of Brazil is one of the most threatened ecosystems. Today less than 8% of the original forest remains. Among the countless species affected by the habitat fragmentation is the golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) a small primate endemic to the coastal lowland Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.
The Golden Lion Tamarin Association (AMLD) coordinates a multidisciplinary program to conserve the biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest with an emphasis on golden lion tamarin. Environmental education is an approach used to stimulate and prepare the local population to become aware of and active in forest conservation. The AMLD provides long-term training for 25 teachers in the municipality of Silva Jardim (Fig. 1) on Atlantic Forest conservation.
This group of teachers participated in all decisions relating to the project: they collaborated in the production of the 2004 calendar, 15 drawings about the Atlantic Forest of their students were selected to illustrate it. The teachers helped with the organization of the first Environmental Education Workshop in Silva Jardim. They gave suggestions to plan the program and they taught classes to the participating educators. This workshop had the participation of 180 educators from 60 institutions from the seven municipalities where the golden lion tamarin is found (Fig. 4). It was an important event in the region to promote a better understanding of the role of education for the Atlantic Forest and golden lion tamarin conservation.
The training program provided an opportunity for the teachers to identify and try new ideas and methodologies, to evaluate the results, and to share their experiences thus developing a mutual support system as activities progressed.
An important factor in the success of this program is an agreement of technical cooperation between the AMLD and the Department of Education and Environment of Silva Jardim.
Conclusion
The community support and involvement are essential for successful implementation of strategies of conservation for the Atlantic Forest and golden lion tamarin.
The long-term teacher training has shown good results and is absolutely necessary to achieve sustained public support for conservation in the region.
The participation of the teachers in all project decisions is essential to establish a cooperative relationship and responsibility for the project. When each teacher can plan the content and methods used in his/her own project, he/she feels more responsible and invests more time and resources into it.
The partnership between AMLD and the Department of Education and Environment of Silva Jardim is crucial to guarantee the long-term success of this project and is the first step toward long-term implementation of environmental education in the municipality.
The long-term training program started in June/2003 with the participation of 25 teachers from 14 schools of the municipality of Silva Jardim, State of Rio de Janeiro. The training is based on the participatory methodology, constructivism and methods detailed in the Pedagogy of Autonomy. We incorporate the participating teachers' experience and previous knowledge to develop each workshop.
The training has activities on Atlantic Forest: physical characteristics of the forest, native flora and fauna, threats and conservation actions. The activities include presentations by researchers that study in the area, activities in the forest (Fig.2), and suggestions about how teachers can conduct this type of activity with their students in local forests.
After each topic has been explored, each teacher plans his/her own project to integrate these concepts and community conservation actions into his/her curriculum. We encourage the teachers to plan activities according to the characteristics of their school, community, students' level, and their teaching interest. During subsequent courses the teachers present the activities they carried out in their schools and the results they obtained.
Results and Discussion
AMLD conducted six two-days workshops with the same group of teachers. They planned and carried out 52 environmental education projects at schools with five themes on the Atlantic Forest: physical characteristics of the forest, native flora and fauna, threats and conservation actions.
Teachers did many activities with their students including research, drawing, posters, poetry, music, games, writing projects, interviews, exhibits, history projects, and activities in the field. More than 90% of the teachers started to do practical classes in the forest, after the second workshop (Fig. 3). All these activities contributed to increasing the teacher's knowledge of the importance of Atlantic Forest conservation and the local problems that affect the forest and animals such as golden lion tamarins.
