The mangrove forest of the Nuevo Colón neighborhood is part of the most resilient ecosystem of mangroves, coral reefs and beaches lined with coconut palms in the stretch between the province of Bocas del Toro (250 km to the west) and the Guna Yala region (110 km to the east). It is located in the township of Sabanitas, district and province of Colón, Panama, adjacent to Colón City, in the coastal area of bahía Las Minas, between Punta Toro and María Chiquita. However, their health is threatened by water pollution, risking an ecosystem vital to the community and the environment. This preliminary evaluation of the level of knowledge in the Nuevo Colón community was carried out after evidencing with laboratory tests that there are chemical components with excess nutrients and other contaminants, in addition to bacteriological components with a high percentage of Total Coliforms and E. coli, which alter the quality of the water due to environmental impact on the mangrove swamp of that community. A survey was carried out to a representative sample of the total population, to verify the level of knowledge of the destructive processes and conservation actions for the mangrove in order to measure the perception of the population about the mentioned pollution and the importance of this ecosystem. The results revealed the need for guidance due to the lack of knowledge that the inhabitants of the community have about the presence of components that may be altering the quality of the water and their interest in receiving educational talks to strengthen their capacities in preserving their natural environment, indicating their desire to influence through citizen participation.
