Tools, training, and opportunities sow leadership, commitment, and hope in young people.
MSP+ Science to action 2024-2025
As WCS Guatemala launched our marine program in 2017, we have been inspired by the communities’ commitment to caring for their ecosystems. Today, that inspiration takes shape in a new generation: young people who are becoming guardians of shorebirds and their habitats along the Pacific Flyway.
This project was born from the conviction that young people are the driving force of change. We firmly believe in working hand in hand with communities and local authorities to promote economic alternatives linked to the conservation of natural areas.
MSP+ makes a difference by strengthening youth networks
Thanks to the support of MSP+, we are strengthening a network of young people committed to and focusing on the conservation of shorebirds and their ecosystems in the coastal zone, closely linking collaborative work with municipalities.
Inspiring results: productive sectors and communities walking together
- Six awareness-raising workshops were held with high school students from cooperatives and schools.
- Joint work with municipal Environmental Management Units to plan Bird Festivals at key sites.
- Innovative partnerships with the private sugarcane sector to support the training of young people and adults as community nature tourism guides, through the Technical Institute for Training and Productivity (Instituto Técnico de Capacitación y Productividad-INTECAP) of Guatemala.
- Integration of knowledge into youth training to complement their knowledge of shorebird and habitat conservation.
What's next: opportunities to multiply the impact
We are preparing for the graduation of trained youth and new bird festivals in partnership with communities, strategic partners, and local governments. But much remains to be done. With additional support, we will be able to:
- Create shorebird conservation clubs in educational centers.
- Train youth to conduct shorebird community monitoring in key landscapes such as mangroves, mudflats, and aquaculture areas.
- Assist new community guides in achieving certification from the Guatemalan Tourism Institute and continue their training with specialized courses in nature tourism and birdwatching.
To learn more about this project
José F. Moreira Ramírez, Marine and Coastal Coordinator. jmoreira@wcs.org