In June 2005, the Moises Bertoni Foundation was awarded a prize in the Development Fair concourse with the project Sustainable Conservation and Use of the Tapyta Nature Reserve: creation of an educational guide by rural youth in Paraguay.
The project consists of the completion of an educational guide with information about the species of ferns present in Tapyta Nature Reserve, by a group of young rural inhabitants of the area who will be trained in knowledge of botany and research methodology. For that matter, 11 young peasants from the community of Enramadita, bordering Tapyta Nature Reserve, were selected to participate in this project.
The project will generate transference of experience and knowledge between young people and will contribute to the formation of human capital in these rural zones.
BASIS: Youths from rural communities have very few opportunities of access to university education and even less to choose careers related to science and research. This project offers them the opportunity to learn about scientific methodologies and research development that will be useful to them and their community. Taken account of this, not only do they gain knowledge, but they will learn to recognize the importance of conserving and protecting a nature reserve.
TRAINING: The young people are being trained in techniques of botanical collection, identification of species of ferns, and use of taxonomical keys. The training is being carried on by a team of specialists from the Natural History Museum of London and professionals from the MBF.
The project is led by a young student from a local community, becoming himself an example of real leadership and self-improvement for the other 11 young people.
The young people will bring their knowledge and their community’s about medicinal, ornamental, and other uses of the ferns. This Ferns Guide will be the first material published about biodiversity, in which a group of rural boys and girls participate in an integral way in its completion. The guide will incorporate aspects of potential use, which looks to recover information of community use and sustainable economic utilization of these resources, besides training the young people in research methodology.
With this project the Moises Bertoni Foundation is hoping new consciousness about ferns and environment will foment responsible and sustainable use of natural resources by local communities.
COMPLETED ACTIVITIES: 5 seminars where needed finish workshops. In those workshops training in techniques of collection, identification of species of ferns, and techniques in botanical illustration has been offered to boys and girls. The Guide is now in the editing phase for later printing.
