De charco a humedal

Peruvians Who Make a Difference: Fidel Cueva Hinostroza, the teacher who transformed a puddle into a wetland teeming with birds. From a puddle to a wetland of life in Chupaca, Junín. This is the story of Fidel Cueva Hinostroza, a new Peruvian who makes a difference .

More than 23 years ago, when Fidel was a young teacher in Chupaca, the idea of creating a science project was on his mind and that of his students. They didn't want the typical model of planets, nor a small experiment in a laboratory. They wanted something more significant. They saw a puddle formed by the rains in Chupaca. What if… what if we created a wetland that would change the ecosystem of this region and become home to thousands of birds? "El Comercio Newspaper. All rights reserved."

Fidel Cueva Hinostroza, a science teacher, was convinced that a wetland could be created in Chupaca (less than half an hour from Huancayo). The only thing missing was getting his students to believe him. First in 2003, with the students of the Jorge Basadre school, and then with different generations of students. The proposal seemed unfeasible in the town. But with willpower, and a little bit of audacity, it is possible to fight against environmental adversity and the effects of global warming.

How do you convince young elementary and high school students that what they were about to do wouldn't bear fruit today, nor would it be visible soon, but rather in 5, 10, or more years? So, somewhat blindly and solely with the conviction that the wetland would be created, everyone contributed their bit: damming the water, planting vegetation, and helping to restore the birds and wildlife of the area. And with that, little by little, the wetland began to take shape. "El Comercio Newspaper. All rights reserved."

“Once we built the dam, we started bringing in reeds from other wetlands to plant them. People said, ‘Those people are crazy, it won’t produce anything, the wetland won’t recover.’ Now there are more than 24,000 birds. Today I see university students taking notes and I think, ‘Twenty-five years ago it was just a puddle and they told me I was crazy. Now everyone is taking pictures, making documentaries, and more.’” —El Comercio Newspaper. All rights reserved.

With the work already completed, declared by SERFOR as an Andean wetland and home to more than 24,000 birds of over 20 different species, it was now time to make this project, which originated in a classroom, visible. Chile, Ecuador, Sweden, and their environmental competitions saw and learned how Fidel and his students created a wetland that today serves as an example of the environmental work that can be carried out when all parties are working toward the same goal.

Today, Fidel believes that the Pucush Uclo Ojo del Mundo Wetland can be a major tourist attraction for nature lovers and birdwatchers. "El Comercio Newspaper. All rights reserved."

https://elcomercio.pe/peruanos-que-suman/peruanos-que-suman-fidel-cueva-hinostroza-el-profesor-que-convirtio-un-charco-en-un-humedal-lleno-de-vida-silvestre-noticia/