Environmental Brigades volunteers at University of Virginia will spend 8 days in Panama working alongside families of a rural community called Piriati Embera. They will be working with families on an individual basis to assess the potential of increasing the amount of crop harvest while restoring ecological productivity of their land by mimicking the diversity and balance of plant life which exists in an healthy ecosystem. Brigaders will also work with families to educate them about the possibilities of diversifying their agricultural species and incorporating the use of organic fertilizers in order to boost soil nutrients naturally. Additionally, participants in the brigade will research into and share about alternative methods for dealing with trash in a rural setting through informative materials and fun, interactive workshops for all ages. A key component of brigade is to help raise the community's overall awareness of relevant environmental issues and their understanding of the repercussions of a degrading environment. With such projects taken on by brigaders from UVA and various university chapters month after month, student volunteers will be able to improve the environmental health of this community while ensuring positive, lasting changes for generations to come