The World Land Trust eBulletin Issue 22, October 2004

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In this issue:
Ecuador Update: Deciduous Forest Saved
Wildlife Art Reception Highlights Forest Threats in Belize
New Christmas Cards Available
Good Gifts Catalogue - Christmas Gifts that Support Charities
WLT News in Brief
Get Involved: Design a TreeCard - Win Woodland Animal Stamps

Ecuador update: Deciduous Forest Saved

The Laughing Falcon is one of many bird species found in the Jatunpamba reserve.

WLT helps purchase and protect deciduous forest in conservation priority area.

Thanks to generous WLT supporters, the Jocotoco Foundation has been able to purchase a two square mile area of high quality deciduous forest in the Tumbesian region of south west Ecuador.

The Jocotoco Foundation is WLT's partner organisation in Ecuador and the Foundation already owns six reserves, protecting nearly 18,000 acres of tropical and deciduous forests and all the wildlife living within them. The new reserve at Jatunpamba, near the Ecuador/Peru border supports many endemic and rare species of plants and animals, including populations of numerous globally threatened birds, such as the Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaner. Dominated by Ceiba trees, this Tumbesian forest is a conservation priority because much of it is already cleared or badly degraded.

The new reserve is quite close to another Jocotoco owned reserve at Utuana, which protects a remnant of high altitude semi-deciduous forest. The location has convenient access for educational purposes and for visitors.

Read the press release about the new Ecuador reserve
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/2004/10/wlt-help-fundacin-jocotoco-inaugurate.htm

Read more about WLT's project in Ecuador
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/projects/ecuador.htm

Wildlife Art Reception Highlights Forest Threats in Belize

Stark contrasts: Forest clearance goes right to the edge of the protected area. The question is: "For how long will this land, which is for sale, remain forested?"

On 28 September the WLT held a reception to coincide with the annual exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists at the Mall Galleries, London. Bruce Pearson, WLT Trustee, and retiring President of the SWLA, was a guest speaker and John Burton, CEO of WLT, who had returned from a trip to Belize the day before, showed photographs he had taken just a few days previously. John had been in Belize to look at an area of land, including wonderful tropical forest, which is currently on the market. His photographs showed cleared land and burning forest right up to the edge of this land and much work is taking place at the moment on whether or not WLT can get involved in further land purchase in Belize. You can read more, and make comments, in John's Green Issues blog:

Read about John's visit to Belize in Green Issues
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/2004/09/latest-news-from-belize.htm

New Christmas Cards Available

Winter Hare and Wildlife Snowflake - Christmas cards exclusive to the World Land Trust. Click on the thumbnails above to see larger versions of the cards.

The 2004 WLT Christmas cards are now available. This year's card designs are Winter Hare, by wildlife artist Andrew Haslen, and Wildlife Snowflake by Nick Oliver, whose painting you may remember as one of the highly commended entries in last year's card design competition. The Christmas cards can be ordered online or by post (our website features a printable order form). Alternatively, telephone the WLT office to place your order.

Get more information and order your Christmas cards here
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/christmas/order.htm

Good Gifts Catalogue - Christmas Gifts that Support Charities

The second edition of the Good Gifts Catalogue has just been produced and contains an even greater range of wildlife and people-friendly charities to support this Christmas. WLT’s £25 acre of tropical forest was one of their ‘best sellers’ last year and we are hoping that everyone will support us again this year. Why not set up a wish list with Good Gifts? That way you can ensure you won't receive any unwanted Christmas gifts.

Please note that the certificates and cards dispatched by the Good Gifts Catalogue for your acre of rainforest differ from the ones produced by WLT. Also we do not receive names and addresses of Good Gifts supporters so can only send you eBulletins and/or WLT News if you notify us of your donation.

Visit the Good Gifts website
http://www.goodgifts.org

WLT News in Brief

WLT events

UK reserve officially opened
The WLT's UK Reserve, at Kites Hill in Gloucestershire, was officially opened on 15 October. The Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Mr Henry Elwes, took part in a tree planting ceremony and approximately 50 guests walked the new Nature Trail. An interpretation board is now in place, displaying the names of all WLT's 'Trees for Peanuts' supporters who have sponsored the work at Kites Hill. If you would like to visit the reserve, see the WLT website for a map and directions.

Charity Auction to raise money for conservation
WLT intern Rachel Beesley is organising a Charity Auction to be held on 23rd November in Halesworth. We have already received an impressive number of gifts to auction, as well as ‘promises’, and with the help of a local auctioneer we are looking forward to an exciting and successful event. Our website will soon show the full auction catalogue, including items such as signed artwork by wildlife artist and WLT trustee Bruce Pearson and a signed 2004 England 1-Day Test Series Cricket team photo. If you live in East Anglia, or are visiting, please come along.

Carbon sequestration intern appointed

We would like to welcome new intern Oliver Blakeman, who started working for the Trust at the end of September. Oliver, who has a keen interest in carbon sequestration, will be working on WLT's Carbon Balanced website to attract individuals and companies to save rainforest acres as a way of balancing their carbon dioxide emissions.

New Rainforest Cafe dish supports WLT

Rainforest Cafe London has, for several years now, been supporting WLT through their special Rainforest Dish where a percentage of the cost comes to the WLT. Having already funded the purchase of a piece of rainforest in the Tapichalaca Reserve in Ecuador, Rainforest Cafe has recently pledged greater support for the future. They have just introduced a wonderful new menu of mouth-watering dishes so do make them a visit. WLT also benefits from the proceeds of their Wishing Pool, so make a wish while you are there too!

New WLT online donation forms

If you have made an online donation to the WLT recently, you will have noticed that our donation forms have changed. The new forms are designed to avoid common errors and reduce administration costs. They take a bit longer than before to complete, but the process is quite straight forward. And should you wish to make several donations in one go, you will find it is much easier than previously - perfect for buying all your friends Gift Acres for Christmas!

Get Involved: Design a TreeCard - Win Woodland Animal Stamps

We are looking for designs with a wildlife theme. (These are entries submitted to last year's card design competition.)

WLT is expanding its ecard section - your card could be featured!

Our TreeCards (free electronic cards) have been so popular since we introduced them a year ago that we are going to be expanding the range over the coming few months. Currently most of our TreeCards have a Christmas theme, but we will be introducing designs suitable for all occasions. This is where you come in: Help us expand our TreeCard section by designing a card and you may find your work displayed on the WLT website to send to all your friends. What's more, the winning 10 entries will each receive a set of the new Royal Mail Mint Collection Woodland Animal stamps.

Find out more about the TreeCard design competition
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/ecards/competition.htm