In mid-2023, I filled out a form to apply for a program that caught my attention on social media. I had no idea it would lead to one of my life’s most exciting, incredible, and rewarding experiences.
My first involvement was also the inaugural edition of Ambientalia Experience for university students. Ambientalia Experience is more than just an educational program—an opportunity to grow, learn, and uniquely connect with the environment. Participants gain knowledge about conservation and leadership and get the chance to make a real difference in the Ansenuza region.
I went in with no expectations and discovered an entirely new world hidden from me: the world of salt lakes and the shorebirds that inhabit them. Laguna Mar Chiquita is just two hours from where I live, and I have visited it several times—on university trips, with my family as tourists, and with friends. However, I had never grasped the magnitude and complexity of the lagoon as an ecosystem. From its geology and limnology to the immense diversity of organisms with unique adaptations to this harsh and distinctive environment, I learned about all of it during my first encounter with this fantastic program.
The experience ended on a high note with the incredible Environmental Leaders Forum, where I saw the Ambientalia team working professionally with young people across the Ansenuza region. That alone would have been enough to make it an unforgettable experience, but there was so much more to come.
Left: A Blue-throated Macaw pair ready for breeding. Photo: Daniel Alarcon. Right: A flock of Blue-throated Macaws at Barba Azul. Photo: Sebastian Herzog.
The Impact of Ambientalia Experience
I had the opportunity to do two internships with NGOs focused on Laguna Mar Chiquita and its shorebirds. These work experiences taught me a lot and gave me my first chance to work in my career as a biologist.
Just when I thought my journey with Ambientalia was over, I was encouraged to join a new program edition, which had undergone some changes. The second time around, everything was different.
This edition of Ambientalia Experience was much more focused on conservation. We had to create a comprehensive conservation plan—from biological and scientific analysis to communication strategies and budgets. Personally, it was a huge challenge. I had to apply disciplines I had never studied and do things I wasn’t accustomed to. However, thanks to the training and resources provided—especially through the virtual platform—I learned how to tackle these tasks and ended up with a complete conservation document that I’m very proud of.
Along the way, there were camps, games, international birdwatching events, and the classic Environmental Leaders Forum. But this time, the program didn’t end there. At the start of the program, we were told that the best projects would receive a prize.
A few days after the program concluded, we were invited to a dinner with representatives from the WHSRN Executive Office. There, I received some of the best news of my life: I had won a scholarship to travel to Utah, USA.
A Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Barba Azul Nature Reserve in Bolivia. Photo: Daniel Alarcon
Packing My Bags
Preparations came quickly. The organization supported me through the entire process, including obtaining my visa and plane ticket. Before I knew it, I was on a plane heading to North America.
The first thing that struck me about the United States was the sheer immensity of everything—airports, cities, streets, temples—it all gave off an imposing sense of grandeur. Salt Lake City, where I stayed, turned out to be a magical place: a city full of art, culture, and rich history, shaped by diverse global influences. Its distinctive architecture, community-oriented culture, and the beehive symbol of industry on its flag all left a positive impression.
The weather, however, wasn’t as welcoming; a snowstorm arrived with me, complicating some activities. But that didn’t stop me from feeling the warmth of the Utahns. They treated me to delicious restaurants, showed me the Capitol and the Natural History Museum, and welcomed me to Weber State University. There, I joined mist netting sessions to catch birds, toured the campus, and even ventured into the snowy Uinta Mountains at night to search for owls.
The trip coincided with the Great Salt Lake Friends Forum, where I participated alongside professionals from various fields to discuss the challenges of the Great Salt Lake and potential solutions. This experience allowed me to compare the situation of the Great Salt Lake with that of Laguna Mar Chiquita. I also learned from outstanding professionals in science, engineering, law, business, and more. I even presented a poster about my experience in the “University Students in Ambientalia” program (now the Conservation Academy) and the transformative impact such initiatives have on developing future professionals.
To top off a fruitful trip, I went birdwatching at a nearby wetland and saw phalaropes in breeding plumage for the first time. Thinking about how these tiny birds had traveled the same route I had filled me with awe for the wonders of nature.
From my first participation in the Ambientalia Experience to the flight back to Córdoba, my life was filled with incredible experiences, learning, personal growth, meeting new people, and discovering new things. I’ll always be grateful to everyone who made all of this possible. I hope they continue to change lives as profoundly as they changed mine.
Monitoring Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Barba Azul. Photos: Daniel Alarcon (left) and Tjalle Boorsma (right).
On August 20th, 2018, Asociación Armonía announced the purchase of a new reserve, 210 kilometers south of Barba Azul. The new reserve protects the most important breeding area for the southern sub-population of Blue-throated Macaws, and also opens an opportunity for Boorsma to reach his goal of a cattle ranching scheme that supports the conservation of Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Of the 11,000 hectares that make up Barba Azul, 6,000 are being kept cattle and fire free to protect several of the Reserve’s other threatened species. But the remaining 5,000 hectares, called Barba Azul East, will be dedicated to breeding and rearing the Reserve’s own cattle herd, with the plan to transport the cows to the new reserve to fatten up before being sold. Boorsma will be able to experiment with different stocking rates and grazing rotations to learn how best to combine cattle ranching with the conservation of crucial short-grass habitat. The goal, he says, is that “70 to 75% of the Reserve’s operational costs will eventually come from cattle.”
Left: A flock of Buff-breasted Sandpipers flies over river-edge short grass habitat in the Barba Azul Nature Reserve. Photo: Daniel Alarcon. Right: Barba Azul East ranger in flooded savanna habitat. Photo: Tjalle Boorsma.
For more information, please contact Tjalle Boorsma, Conservation Program Director supervising the Barba Azul Nature Reserve, at tboorsma@armonia-bo.org.
Cover Photo: A mussel bed in Cape Cod, United States. Photo: Alan Kneidel.
