Oscar Jesus Damián Baldeón is a Park Ranger in the service of SERNANP, the Peruvian National Park Service. He is a college-trained forester and environmental scientist, an interpreter to the public, and one of only a few Rangers who watch over the Reserva Nacional de Junín: the National Preserve of Lake Junín, on the Altiplano of central Perú.  Lake Junín is the largest and highest lake wholly within the boundaries of Perú, and together with its surrounding wetlands, it is a one-of-a-kind, spectacular, and (sadly) threatened natural landscape. Lake Junín is rich in wildlife, including many species of beautiful birds. Pristine for millennia, the lake has recently been threatened by contamination from mining activities in the nearby mountains. The small farming and ranching communities that surround the lake are concerned about this pollution, and striving to establish a sustainable program of environmental preservation and ecotourism that can both protect the lake and improve the regional economy.  Oscar—a native of the region, a knowledgeable naturalist and teacher, and a young, energetic idealist—is deeply invested in this effort already, working together with scientists and with the community. But the more professional experience he is able to accrue, the more he is able to contribute!

Oscar has received an invitation to travel to Colorado, U.S.A., in June 2016 to participate in the World Ranger Congress, a gathering of Park Rangers from around the world to share ideas, learn, and bring new beneficial knowledge back to their home parks. Oscar’s supervisors endorse his trip, but as with many governmental agencies in the developing world, SERNANP does not have the funds to send him. Oscar needs a total of $3500.00 for airfare and subsistence in order to travel from Perú to Colorado.  All funds raised will go directly to Oscar's travel expenses.

 We are colleagues and friends of Oscar who call upon those who love Perú (perhaps you've traveled there, or plan to, some day?) and on those who support environmental protection and biodiversity around the world to contribute to help Peruvian Park Ranger Oscar Jesus Damián Baldeón make this very important trip to learn from the global community of Rangers and bring his knowledge back home to Lake Junín.
¡Muchas gracias!

Dr. Steven Semken, Arizona State University

Dr. Bryan G. Valencia and Angela Rozas-Davila, Peruvian scientists currently at Florida Institute of Technology 

Dr. Amy Myrbo and Shane Loeffler, University of Minnesota