HR: 14:25h
AN: ED23A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: The Elusive Multiplying Factor for Sustainable Development: The Case for Integrating Scientific Research and Basic Education in the MAP Region, SW Amazonia.
AU: * Brown, I
EM: fbrown@whrc.org
AF: Woods Hole Research Center, PO Box 296, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: * Brown, I
EM: fbrown@whrc.org
AF: Masters Program in Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Federal University of Acre - UFAC, Distrito Industrial, Rio Branco, AC 69.915 Brazil
AU: * Brown, I
EM: fbrown@whrc.org
AF: Zoobotanical Park, Federal University of Acre - PZ/UFAC, Distrito Industrial, Rio Branco, AC 69915 Brazil
AU: De Los Rios, M
EM: mjdlrios@ufac.br
AF: Masters Program in Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Federal University of Acre - UFAC, Distrito Industrial, Rio Branco, AC 69.915 Brazil
AU: De Los Rios, M
EM: mjdlrios@ufac.br
AF: Zoobotanical Park, Federal University of Acre - PZ/UFAC, Distrito Industrial, Rio Branco, AC 69915 Brazil
AU: Mendoza, E
EM: elsa_mendoza@uol.com.br
AF: Institute for Amazonian Research - IPAM, Avenida Nazar‚ 669 , Belem, PA 66035-170 Brazil
AU: Mendoza, E
EM: elsa_mendoza@uol.com.br
AF: Zoobotanical Park, Federal University of Acre - PZ/UFAC, Distrito Industrial, Rio Branco, AC 69915 Brazil
AU: Reis, V L
EM: vlreis.to@uol.com.br
AF: Zoobotanical Park, Federal University of Acre - PZ/UFAC, Distrito Industrial, Rio Branco, AC 69915 Brazil
AB: The Region of Madre de Dios-Peru, the State of Acre-Brazil, and the Department of Pando-Bolivia, known collectively as the trinational MAP Region, lies at the heart of Southwestern Amazonia. This region covers over 300,000 km2 with a population of 700,000 that ranges from urban dwellers to indigenous groups trying to avoid contact with industrial society. This region, home of incredible biological and cultural wealth, represents some of the economically poorest areas of the respective countries. It is also a site of accelerating global change in land-use, with three highways being developed for all-weather transport between central Brazil and Pacific ports. Our group has engaged in pilot experiments to provide regional societies with access to recent scientific results. Our objective is to help these societies in their quest to develop through: a) the use of GPS and satellite imagery for land use planning by small rural producers; b) municipal-level meetings in two countries to evaluate current problems and future land use along the inter-oceanic highway; c) the analysis of deforestation in the trinational river basin; d) dissemination via the media of imagery and analysis of fires during the burning season; and e) incorporation of nearby forests into the rural educational system. While most of these experiments have proven successful, they pale before the challenge of expanding them to become significant in changing land use and promoting sustainable development in this region. The multiplying factors need to be in the range of ten to a thousand times the size of the pilot experiments. Public policy and economic initiatives are crucial, but are often treated as the only means for such multiplication. The basic education system represents another, complementary multiplying factor. In the State of Acre, about a third of the population, 200,000, are in the K-12 school system and of these over 80% are in the 1- to 8-year series. Currently, we are helping local school systems along the frontier develop new curricula that incorporates satellite imagery and landscape ecology, as well as discussions about two basic human rights linked to education and research: the right to information about sustainable development and the right to participate in collective decisions. Curriculum reform that includes insertion of research results and techniques into the basic education system has the potential of reaching tens of thousands of persons per decade in the MAP Region. As such, the collaboration of scientists and educators may provide a means to encounter the elusive multiplying factors necessary to promote a more sustainable future for the region.
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0815 Informal education
DE: 1640 Remote sensing
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly