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. 

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 

Great news from Mexico!

The World Land Trust reports that trail cameras in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve there have filmed a Black Bear recorded in central Mexico.  

This is the first Black Bear recorded there for 100 years!

There's also footage of a nine-banded Armadillo and Jaguar.

Back in 2018, supporters of the World Land Trust raised a whopping £57,800 to protect an area of the forest of 578 acres - that's the size of nearly 300 football pitches!

What’s special about Palau?

It’s an island situated in the western part of the Pacific ocean and it consists of one large volcanic island and several smaller coral reef associated islands.

It’s small.  But it takes action.

Palau is imposing a widespread ban on sunscreen in order to protect its coral reefs.  This ban will come into effect in 2020.

The sale and use of sunscreen and skincare products which have a list of 10 different chemicals will be restricted.  Researchers believe that these ingredients are highly toxic to marine life.  They can also make coral more susceptible to bleaching.  The ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate are particularly believed to make coral more susceptible. 

Scent Free Sun Lotion from Green People

Palau has taken the lead in protecting marine life before.

Back in 2015 it designated almost its entire ocean territory as a marine protected zone.

It was the second nation to ratify the 2016 Paris climate agreement.

Thousands of visitors go to Palau every year – and the islands are determined to protect their coral reefs.

As well as sunscreen, reefs are also threatened by sea water warming, over fishing, nutrient enrichment and pollution. These all need to be stopped to halt the continuing degradation of reef ecosystems.

But that said, there is always more that can be done, we have to start somewhere, so thank you Palau for leading the way and showing that action can be taken.

After all, many visitors to come to see the coral reefs in all their beauty, not bleached coral reefs in a terrible state.

There are bans in other places.  Mexico has banned sunscreen in nature reserves.   The Island of Bonaire in the Caribbean and the state of Hawaii have also passed laws. 

But Palau is leading the way as it covers 10 chemicals.

Needless to say, some of the big corporates who produce sunscreen products are sulking, saying that there isn’t enough evidence of the impact on coral.  But some have come together to form the Safe Sunscreen Council and they’ve welcomed the move. 

Come on other nations – if little Palau can do it, why can’t you? 

Visit also Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, a nonprofit organization working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish for the islands of Maui Nui 

It’s very motivating to browse the internet and come across something which really strikes into your heart.

The sort of thing I’m thinking of spurs you to take action – not just to want to take action, but to actually do it.

How often do we come away having read something, thinking," That’s terrible," and then go on as if we had read nothing or not been affected at all?

0              1             2              3              4              5              6              7                         

                1 action
                is better than
                no action at all

The good thing about taking one action is that we tend to feel good about doing it.  And often we may think, "That was easy!  What else can I do?"  Sometimes it’s just the getting started and doing something however little time it takes.

The one thing wildlife cannot afford at all is for us all to sit at the zero action position. 

We need a total army of people who will move from the zero point to doing stuff.  And if each of us already do stuff, we need to do more.

E.O.Wilson is a scientist.  In his book , (which inspires us to set aside half of the earth’s surface for nature), Mr Wilson writes:

“To those who are steering the growth of reserves worldwide, let me make an earnest request:  don’t stop, just aim a lot higher.”

We all need to act for the sake of wildlife and this beautiful planet of ours.

Please take an action to help wildlife today.  One way is to support those already working to grow and protect reserves around the world or protecting the wildlife already there.