Rio's Flautistas da Marambaia merges music with mangrove education
The Flautistas da Marambaia project, created in 2002 by teacher Claudia Ernest Dias, combines music lessons with environmental education for students from the western Rio de Janeiro neighbourhoods of Barra de Guaratiba and nearby districts. Since February, classes are held at the UNESCO World Heritage site Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, where pupils learn flute, singing, dance and percussion while also receiving guided tours of local mangrove ecosystems.
The programme is run in partnership with the GeoMarinha laboratory of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Visits to the mangroves are scheduled twice a semester, with sessions on Monday, 13 July, from 9 am‑11 am and 1 pm‑4 pm. Students learn about biodiversity, carbon capture, coastal erosion protection and the economic role of crab‑gathering, aiming to counter long‑standing prejudice that portrays mangroves as “dirty” or undesirable. As geographer Flavia Lins de Barros notes, “70 % of ocean life uses mangroves as a nursery.”
The initiative has reached more than 1,200 children, with about 50 currently participating in music and environmental activities each semester. It has earned recognitions such as the Light Schools prize and UNESCO’s Decade Project award, highlighting its impact on cultural and ecological awareness in the community.