Los Valles Ecological Community Model (MOCELVA)

Address:

Apartado 855 David, Chirirquí, Panamá

Phone number:

+507/774-0032

Fax:

+507/774-1503

Email:

hapenagosg@hotmail.com

          hapenagos@cwpanama.net Executive director:

Elvia Requena

Year founded:

2002

Mission statement:

Conserve the natural resources and biodiversity of the Palo Seco Protected Forest with a focus on species that are in danger of extinction, such as the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), jaguar (Panthera onca), and some species of orchids, through environmental education, regulated ecotourism, and sustainable development.

Major donors:

1. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), United States

• Develop successful environmental education campaigns, ecotourism, and sustainable development.

The Palo Seco Protected Forest, located on the Atlantic slope of Panama, is a protected area that encompasses 90,688 acres (224,000 hectares) of primary forest. The area harbors important species and a remnant of Panama's highland tropical forest and forms part of the buffer zone of La Amistad International Park, a World Heritage Site shared by Costa Rica and Panama.

Memberships:

Membership can be requested by writing to hapenagosg@hotmail.com.

Benefits of membership:

Contributions to MOCELVA are tax-deductible in Panama. Members receive a certificate, product discounts, and updates on events.

Number of members:

MOCELVA has 76 members from the Alto Valle and Bajo Valle community.

Projects:

1. Promoting Environmental Education in Selected Ngobe Bugle Communities in the Palo Seco Protected Area of the Amistad International Park

   Summary: Mocelva works with indigenous communities, specifically the Ngöbe people, in a fragile ecological region in the district of Kankintú-Comarca Ngöbe, Bocas del Toro, Panama. An environmental education center has been established with the goal of protecting regional biodiversity and developing an environmental education pilot project for Ngöbe people in other areas of the Palo Seco Protected Area of La Amistad National Park.

• Organized Latin and Ngobe Bugle communities with respect to the preservation of biodiversity while promoting gender equality in the communities.
• Launched an ecological library with help from the German Embassy.
• Promoted environmental education, ecotourism, and sustainable development in the region.
• Craftmaking and training in the use of non-timber products have been introduced to ensure sustainability.
• Provided help to the Child Welfare Office (Patronato Nacional de la Infancia) through a nutrition and sustainable agriculture project.

Volunteers:

Volunteers are welcome to work in the following areas: ecology, interpretative trail design, ecotourism, flora and fauna inventories, birdwatching instruction, organic agriculture, and sustainable development.

Related links:

• www.nature.org - Web site of The Nature Conservancy.
• www.cepf.net/xp/cepf/ - Web site of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund.
• www.audubon.org - Web site of Audubon International.
• www.panamaaudubon.org/ - Web site of the Panama Audubon Society.