Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) saves wildlife and wild lands through careful science, international conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks. In order to create responsible stewards of this incredibly rich and fragile world, WCS contends that basic environmental education must be the first step in the process of cultivating leaders in environmental conservation. In 1990, WCS established the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala to safeguard over 6,000 square miles of forest containing more than 95 species of mammals and 400 species of birds.

ArtCorps, in collaboration with WCS, uses art to educate and mobilize the communities within the Maya Biosphere Reserve to be responsible stewards of the region’s rich flora and fauna.

The Maya Biosphere Reserve is a stronghold for endangered animals such as jaguars, pumas, tapirs and scarlet macaws. It also serves as a critical watershed for the surrounding communities and as a major carbon sink for the entire planet. The Reserve is of great cultural value because it contains ancient Mayan archaeological sites such as Tikal and the Mirador. Lack of strong governmental regulations, however, has resulted in forest fires, agricultural expansion, wildlife poaching and illegal human settlement in the Reserve, which are causing rapid deforestation, depleting water resources and further threatening endangered wildlife.

• Cultivated youth leadership by re-enforcing their knowledge and connection to nature and their cultural heritage through a series of arts-based workshops
• Demonstrated productive and non-invasive alternatives for youth to interact with their environment by teaching them to create art using natural materials, gaining national recognition for the youth, WCS and ArtCorps
• Increased community awareness of endangered local animals and resources and actively involved constituency in the protection of natural resources

2009-2010: Daniela Prieto Bischof, a visual artist from Chile with a particular love of sculpture and printmaking, is returning for a second year to support WCS’s efforts to raise awareness among children and youth about the importance and scarcity of natural resources in the Petén.

• Children’s Workshops: Daniela provided regular workshops for 39 children to develop their artistic, self-expression and teamwork skills while providing an opportunity for them to explore the region’s archaeological heritage, their culture and the environment. The workshops consistently engaged participants by successfully integrating a wide range of artistic tools, from storytelling to murals, to bring to life a variety of topics, such as forest fire prevention and local history.
• Environmental Mural: Daniela worked with 15 youths in Uaxactún to design and paint a mural in the community center depicting local animals, insects and plants. The school director presented the finished mural to the community at the signing of a conservation agreement among WCS, the National Cabinet of Protected Areas of Guatemala (CONAP) and the Management and Conservation Organization (OMYC).
• Organization of Q’eqchi’ Youth Artists: In 2009 Daniela made national news in Guatemala’s newspaper Nuestro Diario when she collaborated with WCS to teach 12 youth in Paso Caballos to make and sell art depicting local animals, using natural materials from the area. Daniela’s students have been invited to teach this technique to youth on Guatemala’s southern coast using materials indigenous to the south. This year she will continue to provide technical support to this group, transferring leadership to group members so that the project will be sustainable.
• Fire Early Alert System: Forest fires are a common problem in the Petén; so Daniela is working in Paso Caballos, Carmelita and Uaxactún to support WCS’s early alert system. The warning system uses different colored flags to tell community members whether or not it is safe to start a fire. The project includes creating posters that clearly explain the system.
• Puppet Shows: In partnership with WCS, Daniela will work with children, youth and teachers in Uaxactún to produce three puppet shows related to environmental issues. These plays will be performed at the schools as part of the environmental education curriculum.
• Capacity-building: Daniela will conduct bimonthly workshops to transfer knowledge and skills regarding art as a tool for social change to WCS staff. These workshops will focus on better understanding how art can be utilized to enhance organizational effectiveness, developing creative skills and incorporating arts into programming.

2008: Kate Sanders-Fleming, a US artist and graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, worked with WCS in Paso Caballos and Pipiles to protect the scarlet macaw from poachers and to preserve its natural habitat. Through art, Kate was able to offer a creative and engaging way to promote discussion and mobilize the community. Under Kate’s guidance, youth groups created murals and presented skits about the scarlet macaw to their communities. Other projects led by Kate include training local teachers to use art in their curriculum, beautification days in surrounding villages, painting trashcans, mural-making and training WCS staff to use artistic tools in their Save the Rainforest campaign.

2004: Sandra de Berduccy

2003: Ana Carolina Vergaras

2002: Natasch de Cortillas