Training Young Emberá and Wounaan in Panama

Deep within the Indigenous territories of Darién, Panama, something extraordinary is unfolding. Fifteen young Emberá and Wounaan men and women have embarked on a journey that connects them to the forest, to birds, and to a future full of possibilities. With the support of The Peregrine Fund and community-based organizations, these young people are being trained as community bird monitors through a process that blends science, tradition, and a deep love for the land.

The idea is simple but powerful: restore degraded ecosystems using native trees, traditional techniques, and agroforestry models. At the same time, birds are used as living indicators of forest recovery. Birds of prey reveal a great deal about ecosystem health. Observing them is not only a scientific exercise, but also a way to reconnect with nature and ancestral knowledge.

Each training session is designed to teach participants the basics, such as using binoculars, identifying species, recording data, and reading landscapes. But beyond the notebooks and field practices, something deeper begins to take root: leadership, confidence, and a renewed vision for the future.

Leisa Berrugate, a young Emberá mother, expresses with a smile, "I used to know only the birds that came to my garden. Now I can recognize over 100 species. I’ve started to understand how they behave, what they eat, and how they relate to the forest. This not only makes me proud, but it also gives me a real possibility for the future. If one day tourists come to watch birds, I’ll be able to teach them what I’m learning."

Stories like Leisa’s reveal what’s truly at stake: empowerment, education, and opportunity. This program is not just training birdwatchers. It’s nurturing land defenders, leaders who understand their environment and can share its value. It’s planting seeds of conservation, resilience, and hope.

The Peregrine Fund, with our local partner Fundación Rapaces y Bosques de Panamá, has accompanied this process with respect and close collaboration, championing a model of conservation that is truly community-led… because no one protects a forest better than those who call it home.