Bahia’s Southern Lowlands are home to one of the world’s most beautiful natural sceneries. The region consists of 11 municipalities that form a mosaic of Environmental Protection Areas (EPAs). Within this territory, which has some of the world’s richest biodiversity, it is possible to find waterfalls, forests, rivers, mangroves, sandbars, coconut palms and an extensive coast that attracts many tourists every year.

In order to promote the conservation of such wealth, the Bahia Baixo Sul EPA Mosaic Integrated and Sustainable Development Program (PDIS), supported by the Odebrecht Foundation, promoted Environment Week from May 30-June 4, gathering 4.900 people. The initiative was coordinated by the Pratigi EPA Guardian Association (AGIR) and included workshops, movies and tree planting activities, engaging residents from the five municipalities included in the Land Conservation Support Organization, tied to PDIS and responsible for developing Environmental Capital in the region.

Between the lectures, representatives from the Pratigi EPA (Ibirapitanga, Igrapiúna, Ituberá, Nilo Peçanha e Piraí do Norte) and from Presidente Tancredo Neves discussed different topics. “We promote activities related to awareness raising on the planet’s environmental issues as they relate to local issues, focusing on the conservation of the fauna, flora, soil, climate and waters,” said Ibirapitanga Municipal Environmental Director, Ezequias Eufrásio.

“These actions are important for orienting residents on the preservation of the river sources and in terms of not using land burning processes to clean the soil, for example,” said Rosângela Gama, teacher at the Acarás Municipal School in Ibirapitanga. “We want to involve people with the topics that influence our day-to-day,” said the Piraí do Norte Secretary of Education, Deusdete Macedo.

The event also involved a partnership with city governments, departments and municipal schools, in addition to the Brazilian Army and Industrial Social Service (SESI), among others. Other institutions that are part of PDIS, such as the Family Homes, Youth Home, Rights and Citizenship Institute (IDC) and Bahia Baixo Sul Sustainable Development Institute (IDES) also participated in the event.

Environment Week is part of the PDIS calendar of events. Topics such as cooperativism and culture are the planned focus for the upcoming mobilizations. Celebrations for Youth Day, Book Day and Work Day were the themes of some of the events already held this year.