Blue Flag distinction for 18 schools in Guanacaste

This month, the awards were handed to those who fight for environmental conservation and work hard to look after natural resources. This year the National Blue Flag Program awarded 406 prizes to 601 participants registered.

A high number of schools stick up above the other winners. A total of 260 awards were granted to these institutions. Out of the total, 105 received three stars-recognitions, the highest for educational centers. This is an important number considering that only 22 schools received such distinction in 2008.

On this regards, the Minister of Education, Leonardo Garnier, said: "This initiative encourages the development of responsible attitudes necessary to understand and appreciate the interrelationships between people, their culture and environment."

In Guanacaste, 18 schools received this three-star award thanks to the collaboration and direct work of the representatives of Reserva Conchal, who have been fostering the conservation of the environment through various activities.

For Sylvia Campos, Head of Environment and Community Relations, this program is important to raising awareness in the community, "because it works with education, children and adolescents, who are the future of the region. Having such a program in a province like Guanacaste is so important. This region, more than any other in Costa Rica, depends on it. Our children have the most difficult task; they are responsible for the future. Therefore, Reserva Conchal has been working since 2008 with several schools, among them the 18 centers that received the Blue Flag.”

 Reserva in Conchal is committed to these activities. It has a representative in each school in charge of following up the work.

The activities include, cleaning and reforesting, teaching environmental education, improving the schools` infrastructure, painting murals about the environment, protecting water and energy resources, raising awareness and rating the Blue Flag Program.

"Usually, the “art” part is done during after-school hours; part of the environmental education has been included in school hours, as well as the activities aiming at improving and cleaning the infrastructure. We work with the children and get the parents and teachers involved," said Sylvia Campos

Since 1996, the categories entering the contest are beach communities’ local committees, protected natural areas and schools.

For 2009, the categories of hydrological micro basins and firms taking actions to address climate change were included in the list. The awards were given to 63 beaches, 38 communities, 24 protected areas, 3 micro basins and 18 actions against climate change.