Category:

1. Great news for forest in Tanzania

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 17th Jan 2019

   A forest teeming with wildlife in Tanzania has been placed under protection, supported by the World Land Trust and other partners. The Magombera Nature Reserve protects 6,425 acres of tropical forest.   It’s managed by the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group.  The land would otherwise been threatened by conversation  to a sugar planatation. The Magombera Forest is internationally recognised for its diverse landscapes and unique wildlife.   It has African megafauna such as African Elephants and Hippos and it’s been identified as one of the top 20 Priority Prmate areas in Tanzania  and up to now, it’s been the only one without protected status. It’s also got over 500 plant species with a number of rare and endemic trees. Unique Tanzanian Wildlife Protected by new 6,425 acre nature reserve ©Andrew Marshall   It’s home to at least 5 primate species, including Udzungwa Red Colobus, found only in this valley and the neighbouring Udzungwa Mountains, Angolan Black and White Colobus, Sykes’s Monkey, Greater Bushbaby and Udzungwa Galago. Local communities have shown strong support for the conservation of the Magombera Forest.   It helps regulate climate, present flooding and maintains soil fertility for crops. But villagers are benefiting from entrance fees paid by tourists to visit the forests. The TFCG was able to buy 3,030 acres of the reserve from a sugar company, thanks to the joint support of the World Land Trust, Flamingo Land, Aage V.Jensen Charity Foundation and Rainforest Trust.  The other 3,395 acres belong to the Tanzanian government already and will now be protected as the Magombera Nature Reserve which is the highest level of protection available under the Tanzania Forest Service. Back in 2008, it had been predicted that the forest understory be gone by 2018 if the rates of logging young straight trees had continued without intervention. There had been drastic deforestation since the 1950s – some 988,420 acres had been lost in the Kilombero Valley and the Magombera Forest was all that had remained. Visit the World Land Trust here to find out more

   Support the World Land Trust's Plant a Tree Appeal

    

    

2. Help stop the deforestation of the Brazilian Rainforest - sign this petition

   Posted on 6:00pm Wednesday 2nd Jan 2019

   You may have seen in the news that Brazil has  new President.  And he's hell bent on destroying the rainforest in Brazil.   Destroying the Amazon Rainforest Is a Disaster for Earth and the Economy The newly elected president of Brazil is called Jair Bolsonaro.  He ran a campaign based on climate change denial. And he's promised to jump-start Brazil's economy by deforesting the Amazon Rainforest for lumber and also to open up new land for raising livestock and for agriculture. Unfortunately for him, an in-depth economic study finds that Brazil will move a whopping $8.2 billion annually if the Amazon is destroyed.  It will adversely affect rainfall, damage farming and make long-term logging unprofitable and costly.  And it would be moving vital carbon sinks from the planet. So Care2.com have this petition you can sign to call on the government of Brazil to make the right choice for both the country's economy and environment and reconsider his move to aggressively deforest the Amazon.

   Sign the petition here.

    

3. Will Wilmar put its plan into action and save rainforest?

   Posted on 9:00pm Thursday 20th Dec 2018

   There’s news from Wilmar International.   They are important, because the Singapore based company supplies 40% of the world’s palm oil. They say (which is different to actually doing) that they will commit to map its suppliers’ entire landbank by the end of 2019. Wilmar is going to use satellite monitoring to check for deforestation.   If they catch companies cutting virgin forest for plantations, those companies will immediately be suspended from doing business with Wilmar. Greenpeace say they will be watching this development carefully and its activists have been busy in the last few months.  If Wilmar does what it says, it means that by 2019 it will be almost impossible for its suppliers to get away with forest destruction. The problem with palm oil is that it’s cheap – so used in a major way in cosmetics, toiletries and food products. Huge areas of rainforest have been destroyed to allow for palm oil plantations. Wildlife species have been badly hit, most notably the orangutan.  Wilmar’s decision comes about because people are showing a backlash against companies that use unsustainable and unverified palm oil.  We must all watch this development and see what Wilmar International actually does.   As I said at the start, making these plans is different to actually carrying them out and DOING them.  But it’s a start and could be a useful benchmark with which to see what progress they make by the end of 2019. Make a Difference NOW to Rainforest Conservation An Indonesian oil palm plantation is up for sale and the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) has a golden opportunity to buy this land and restore the lush forest that once stood there.  They need to raise £870,000 by February 2019 to do this and help save the habitat for orangutans.  As I write, over £512,000 has been donated already.   Find out more and donate here. Lots of people are giving £5 or £10 or whatever they can to this appeal.   What matters is that lots of us take action and give something to make a difference and get this land to protect it for wildlife.  I donated for my aunt’s birthday present as she adores orangutans.  Every £1 or $1 helps.   Donate here

    

4. Help rainforest conservation and sign this petition

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 8th Nov 2018

   There’s a very great danger to rainforests and consequently to all our wellbeing.  We all need rainforests in good conditions in order for every one of us to survive and thrive and be well.   Rainforest Rescue report that business groups and politicians want to meet to discuss worldwide demand for energy and raw materials.  These groups want to boost economic growth with a new “bioeconomy”.    The idea is that vast amounts of land will produce wood and other agricultural goods.   Rainforest Rescue says:   Burning our forests in power plants and setting up huge industrial plantations to grow biomass for supposedly renewable energy and bioplastics is anything but clean or green.     These plants threaten natural ecosystems, the global climate, human health and human rights.  One example is the Brazilian “Biofuture Platform”. This is a Brazilian initiative supported by 20 countries. Rainforest Rescue is asking us to speak out against these plans by signing their petition.   80 environmental organisations worldwide are against then plans.  Personally, I think far too many business leaders and politicians around the world have lost touch with nature to such an extent that they think it’s now a “nice to have” thing, or something which isn’t relevant to them and doesn’t apply to them.  Their arrogance is breathtaking.    Look after the earth and the earth will look after us.     I don't think we are looking after the earth and she is rapidly coming to a point where will she cannot look after us because she isn’t in good health herself.  And that’s our fault.     Please sign Rainforest Rescue's petition.

5. Ball raises money for orangutan conservation

   Posted on 5:40pm Tuesday 11th Sep 2018

   The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust have announced that the Investect Rainforest Ball held on 16 September 2017 raised a swinging £220,426. This staggering sum will be used to protect critically endangered Sumatran orangutans and their rainforest habitat. The money will be split between the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP). Durrell was very grateful to Investec for their support – and the great news is that Investec will be the headline sponsor for the Investec Wildnerness Ball on 28th September 2019. The 2019 event will be a very special one indeed because it will both mark Durrell’s 60th Anniversary and also celebrate Durrell’s new vision to ‘Rewild our World’. Investect Director Kevin Allen was delighted that the ball was such a great success, and noted that Durrell’s commitment to conservation is aligned to Investec’s values of education, entrepreneurship and the environment, so the company was very pleased to sponsor the 2019 event and thus continue to support Durrell’s work. To reserve tables or find out about silver or bronze sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected] Businesses, you can discover ways to give Durrell your corporate support here. Meantime, a big thank you to Investec for supporting wildlife conservation and Durrell in this way.