The Panama Canal is a freshwater path through the Central American rainforest. Fed by mighty rivers, the waterway depends on the health of its forests.

As of December 31, 1999, the Panama Canal assumes responsibility for monitoring and protecting the surrounding watershed. The 3,313 square kilometers of land around the passage between the oceans produce and store water for two cities and facilitate the transit of ships. This immense natural wealth has yielded great benefits to the country in more than 22 years of Panamanian administration.

In these two decades, the Canal Watershed Management Plan has developed environmental education, risk reduction and citizen participation projects that have been recognized for their results. Young professionals from the six sub-waersheds who today are leading a change were children who received environmental training from these programs.

Through science, the Canal closely monitors atmospheric phenomena and plans according to the data. For this reason, the Canal administration dedicates several professional, scientific and technical teams to make it possible to take care of this heritage. The conservation of the Watershed as a great forest sponge is one of the most essential tasks of its administration.

In this edition of El Faro, we honor this connection of Panama with its nature, a gain for the country.

Marianela Dengo de de Obaldía
Vice President of Communication and Corporate Image