Over the last eleven months, Experience Ambientalia students on both sides of the hemisphere have been doing concurrent environmental stewardship and educational activities at Mono Lake and Laguna Mar Chiquita in northern Argentina. By celebrating World Coastal Clean-Up Day, World Migratory Bird Day, World Fisheries Day, World Wetlands Day, World Planting Day, and more, students from Argentina and Lee Vining have combined to put in hundreds of volunteer hours in preparation for an international exchange dedicated to saline lake education and conservation.
From July 6 to 16, five students, one teacher, and I went to Laguna Mar Chiquita and communed with students, teachers, and Fundación Líderes de Ansenuza staff members in Miramar, Argentina, a town on the shore of Laguna Mar Chiquita.
The students participated in activities and workshops and visited different communities in the region. Through speakers and presentations, students learned about the development and future plans for Ansenuza National Park, including ecological restoration and ecotourism; recycling initiatives in the town of La Para; the use of wildlife cameras to monitor pumas, maned wolves, and Geoffroy’s cats around Laguna Mar Chiquita; a group of young students uncovering the history of megafauna from 70,000 years ago within the park, and more.
During the visit the students gained an understanding of Laguna Mar Chiquita’s vast size—it is 14 times larger than Mono Lake. They also learned about the complexities of the issues facing the health of the streams in Argentina, which, with numerous water diverters, are different than the single entity—the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power—diverting Mono Lake’s tributary streams.
A definite similarity between these two sister lakes is the commitment of the local people, in particular young people, to restoring and conserving their home lakes and streams. Youth from Mono Lake were introduced to peers and many environmental advocates dedicated to making a difference. These people, their work, and their speeches were inspiring.
In addition to participating in environmental education activities, students were also immersed in Argentina’s culture. They went on a boat tour of Laguna Mar Chiquita where they saw flamingos and danced to reggaetón, rode horses, and ate traditional empanadas and asado.
The students’ own words demonstrate the power of the Experience Ambientalia program in their lives:
“This experience was literally beyond incredible. This wonderful experience taught me so much, both in the salt lakes and in another culture. This trip made me realize how much we have in common, despite our differences. It showed me the power of human connection, how friendship, laughter, and kindness can transcend borders, language barriers, and cultural divides. It was very impactful in my life because I returned home with memories, but also with a renewed purpose. I feel more confident, more curious, and more committed to being a person who will strive to protect the salt lakes. This exchange changed the way I see the world. Thank you, Marina and the staff, for giving us the opportunity to experience this beauty again.”
“Throughout the program I have developed a variety of skills and many new perspectives. I learned how to observe nature more closely and got better at things like identifying birds, and am getting very competitive about it. It helped me see how everything in an ecosystem is connected. Before I also used to think saline lakes were kind of useless, but now I see that they are one of the most important sources of wildlife biodiversity. I also found how much our perspective mattered for fundraising, and other things. All in all, I gained many skills and new perspectives that will be treasured.”
“Spending time in another country and engaging with peers not only gave me more cultural knowledge but gave me a new perspective. Seeing our peers’ perspective and why they joined the program really impacted my views of certain things. Also, seeing how Laguna Mar Chiquita unites and the towns around it and even us is inspiring.”
“Overall, I’m much more likely to care about the conservation of saline lakes after this program. I’ve become more aware of where my water comes from and how it impacts places like Mono Lake. I now have a deeper appreciation for bird habitats and the unique ecosystems that depend on these lakes. Now that my time is coming to go to college I will definitely have this career in mind.”
This exchange was made possible with the support of Mammoth Lakes Rotary, Bishop Rotary Foundation, DeChambeau Creek Foundation, June Lake Women’s Club, Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance, Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP, and many Mono Lake Committee members supporting our students. Just as importantly, it would not be possible without Marina Castellino, co-director of Experience Ambientalia, and her amazing team at Fundación Líderes de Ansenuza. Their ability to host us was made possible by Manomet Conservation Sciences.
The program will now go on a brief hiatus until September. The students and staff at the Mono Lake Committee will begin developing more infrastructure and further design curriculum for the third iteration of Experience Ambientalia! If you are interested in supporting the program, you can do that here:
About the Experience Ambientalia program
Experience Ambientalia is a community group that seeks to better connect youth to their home ecosystems and cultivate a sense of environmental stewardship. The Mono Lake chapter of Experience Ambientalia parallels a much larger program and contingent of students in Argentina, where Experiencia Ambientalia was founded in 2021 to engage youth in conserving Laguna Mar Chiquita. Mono Lake is a sister lake with Laguna Mar Chiquita within the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network because of their combined role in providing critical habitat for Wilson’s Phalaropes.
Top photo by Ryan Garrett.