Environmental education activities and ecological recovery a necessity for sustainable development.
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The planet faces a severe crisis due to anthropogenic climate change, which is generating problems for humanity, such as: floods and prolonged droughts that increase the vulnerability of people mainly in developing countries, the accelerated loss of biodiversity and ecosystems, damage to crops increasing hunger in the world, the presence of new diseases and respiratory problems among others.
On the other hand, analyzing the cause of global warming, three relevant causes can be found; where the main one is the emission of greenhouse gases GHG (carbon dioxide CO 2 generated mainly by the burning of fossil fuels and methane CH 4 by intensive livestock production worldwide). The second cause is deforestation caused by the wood industry, agriculture, mining and ranching; and finally the accelerated growth of the population that generates more and more gases, exacerbating the greenhouse effect.
Thus, it can be seen that environmental education is one of the solutions to the problems described above given the impact on a cultural change that would be reflected in a few years, however, it is necessary to accompany this strategy with another that directly solves the problem as it is the ecosystem recovery through the plantation of native species.
In the world, it is estimated that there is a potential space for reforestation of 1.5 billion hectares according to studies by Bastin et al., (2019), which increases the need to acquire trees in order to generate the necessary amount of plant material to cover these areas. It is for this reason that the Jaime Duque Foundation, the CINDESUS Research Center for Sustainable Development and the CAR volunteers joined together on June 12, 19 and 26 to carry out three days of environmental education and reforestation in the Sabana ecopark, achieving plant a total of 104 trees with capacities of 25, 9 and 18 people respectively in the three days.
In the activity, the volunteers learned about the valuable and important work that The Jaime Duque Foundation in the ecological recovery of its two wetlands (Jaime Duque and the muleteer); The process of planting native species was explained to them, which begins with the collection of seeds in the park and in surrounding municipalities to expand the genetic diversity of the species that will be planted. Once sown, the new seeds germinate and are cared for in the nursery where they are accompanied in their growth until they are ready for planting in the wetlands of the ecopark.
Not only trees are planted, but species of shrubs and plants are also planted that complement the symbiosis of organisms in the ecosystem, which makes this process a great task carried out by the ecopark and which must be supported by all to achieve adaptation to the environment. climate change.
The volunteers planted the trees donated by CINDESUS and which were brought from the Municipality of Ubaque, allowing the expansion of genetic diversity in the ecopark.
Steps to plant a tree.
1. A plating or cleaning of the area where the planting will take place is carried out.
2. The hole is excavated with the diameter of the plant.
3. An amount of organic fertilizer produced with organic waste from the ecopark is placed.
4. The plant is placed in the hole and the spaces are filled with organic fertilizer, taking care that the plant remains at ground level to guarantee better adaptation to the ground.
In conclusion; The activity fulfilled the purposes of learning about ecosystem recovery actions and the great mission carried out by the ecopark in its wetlands. Likewise, the volunteers were encouraged to support reforestation activities with the contribution of plant material by CINDESUS and the recognition of the importance of teamwork in adapting to climate change, building social fabric and recovering the ecosystem.
It is essential for the CAR and CINDESUS Volunteers to continue actively in the recovery of our ecosystems and environmental education activities that allow us to improve our natural systems and thus help achieve the long-awaited sustainable development for all the communities in the CAR territory.
If you want to be part of our volunteering join to one of our programs or help us with your donations for the purchase of plant material for ecological recovery activities.
