Introduction

For more than 50 years, Cocha Cashu Biologic Station (CCBS) has hosted researchers from all around the world, turning into one of the most science-productive tropical areas. It is placed in Manu National Park (MNP), at the peruvian southest. It is a place that protects a great biodiversityfrom Andean-amazonian landscapes, but it is also indigenous territory:Matsigenka and Mashco piro etnias live at the core of the park and Harakbut, Yine, Yora and Quechua etnias live on the periphery.

School education has become a priority for EBCC. Our educational proposal contemplates the educative service needs in the place and it is based on the educational national curricula, opting for an Intercultural Environmental Education (IEA).

Objective

We look to strengthen educational processes within the different comunities at MNP, in order to educate intercultural citizens, citizens whith environmental awareness, scientific interest and pro-activity towards nature conservation and "buen vivir".

Methods

IEA proposal is build upon educational visits, teaching programs and internships. Educational visits consist on a 3-day scholar camp, they take place all year long at the CCBS, its control and security placements and within the comunity. Educational activities are developed on the basis of both scientific research and local traditional knowledge. Teachers, parents, local experts, reserachers and rangers work together on it. At the beginning of each scholar year, together with partner NGOs and governmental institutions, we organize training workshops for teachers that work in the MNP area, including an internship directed to the undergraduate indigenous youth.

Results

Since 2017, 40 groups and more than 500 students have been able to participate in these educational visits. We have already performed 5 teachers training. Manu Rural Educational Network was created aiming to support and help the teachers. Three in-situ learning projects have already been implemented, together with 4 virtual projects. These projects have been created in cooperation with other partner NGOs. All of them were contextualized on Manu territory. For the first time in CCBS history, 6 matsigenkas undergraduate students have received their training here.

Conclusions

Protected natural areas and research centers must become focal points for education.
Environmental education must be contextualized and intercultural.
The challenge of continuing educational activities requires the involvement of governmental and non-governmental actors at different levels.
It is very important to continue showing the impact of education in the management of the protected natural area, integrating young indigenous university students in educational projects.