Healthy ecosystems, healthy people: Popularizing ecology from the local to the global, the example of GAIA in Puerto Rico

Background/Question/Methods Puerto Rico is an island in peril, and its ecosystems face some of the most imminent threats. As an island it provides an opportunity for the implementation of alternative models of economic, social and environmental development. On the other hand, humans have brutally impacted natural habitats. This is why their protection will require the efforts of all its citizens with concern for habitat connectivity (Helmer 2004). Interdisciplinary Environmental Groups Allied known as GAIA (Spanish acronym) was created as an alliance to work on identifying tools for conservation, and strategies that could resolve relevant ecological issues. It provides education support to environmental groups already struggling and working for a more sustainable and healthy Puerto Rico. Within the diversity of environmental organizations in Puerto Rico the following questions were formulated: How can we bridge the gap between formal education and ecological action? What does it take to be an ecologically literate citizen? How can we provide basic ecological information that leads to sound ecological projects? By providing concepts in ecology, people become aware of the systems surrounding them, therefore advocating and becoming stewards of the land. Results/Conclusions . After many interviews, meetings and focal groups to asses the problems environmental groups have, it was clear that there's an imminent need to work towards ecological literacy in Puerto Rico. To do so we have created a model that links institutions schools and communities. A model dedicated to developing eco citizen (Robert Hull 2005) initiatives that facilitate the formation of environmental groups in K-12 schools. Environmental groups are based on an integrated environmental education that includes issues of ecology, art, culture and environmentalism. It provides for community members to exercise leadership and to integrate the process of education in creative new ways. As a result, GAIA is composed of groups of various ages and social sectors that join to move beyond the school walls and create a link between school community for a comprehensive environmental education.