Working through local partner Jocotoco Foundation (Fundación Jocotoco) in Ecuador, the World Land Trust has helped purchase a further two square mile area of high quality deciduous forest in the Tumbesian region of south west Ecuador.
This purchase has been made possible by supporters of the World Land Trust in the UK, and the American Bird Conservancy (and an especially generous donor) and the Western Alliance for Nature (WAN) Foundation in the US.
The new reserve at Jatunpamba, just north east of the town of Macara near the Ecuador/Peru border supports many endemic and rare species of plants and animals, including populations of numerous globally threatened birds. This location has convenient access for educational purposes and for visitors. It is also quite close to another existing Jocotoco reserve (which protects a remnant of high altitude semi-deciduous forest) at Utuana.
The Tumbesian forest, which is dominated by statuesque Ceiba trees, is a conservation priority because much of it is already cleared or badly degraded. The 'Artists for Nature' Foundation visited this region last year and has now published the book "Treasures of the Forgotten Forest". This was featured in BBC Wildlife Magazine (August 2004) and at the British Birdwatching Fair 2004. Some of the paintings were done in what is now the Jatunpamba Reserve.
The Jocotoco Foundation intends to increase the size of this reserve in future years, if sufficient funds can be obtained. The Foundation is a member of "Bosques sin Fronteras" which is a consortium of NGOs from southern Ecuador and northern Peru working to improve conservation in the Tumbesian region.
The World Land Trust is an international conservation organisation working to protect threatened wildlife habitats worldwide. The Jocotoco Foundation is the Trust’s partner organisation in Ecuador.
For more information on the new reserve at Jatunpamba and a map of the area, visit the Jocotoco Foundation's website.
More information on WLT's project in Ecuador can be found on our projects pages.
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Global Warming Hits the Front Pages
Press Release dated: Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Fears over accelerating carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have led to speculation about runaway climate change.
Predictions based on Met Office models and research on polar ice caps indicate possible temperature increases as high as 10 deg C over a 50 year period. Within a few years we will know if catastrophic climate change is occurring much sooner than scientists feared.
While scientists hold their breath in the light of recent discoveries from Hawaii, a few organisations such as the World Land Trust are actively working to preserve standing forests and avoid CO2 emissions. Reforestation will become profitable under the Kyoto protocol with revenue generated from "Carbon Exchanges". However a criticism of the Kyoto mechanism is that it has no provision for securing existing forests, despite deforestation accounting for nearly 30% of global CO2 emissions.
The World Land Trust is addressing these problems by targeting areas that include mature forest and areas of deforestation. This channels reforestation funds, generated from carbon trading, into preserving existing forest. Projects in Belize and Ecuador are already underway.
Reducing carbon emissions and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere is a vital step in preventing climate change. Recent findings indicate a rapid increase of CO2 into the atmosphere and projects such as those of the World Land Trust, which maximise the reduction in atmospheric CO2, are increasingly important.
Notes to editors:
- Deforestation is largely occurring in tropical regions such as South America.
- Standing forest has been shown to sequester an average of 1 ton of carbon per hectare per year.
- World Land Trust is a Registered Charity - No. 1001291
- David Gower OBE and Sir David Attenborough are patrons of the World Land Trust.
For further information:
Contact the WLT and speak to John A. Burton, Chief Executive, WLT, or Oliver Blakeman, Carbon Intern, WLT.More information can also be found on our Carbon Balanced website: www.carbonbalanced.org
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Potential Disaster for Belizean ecotourism
Press Release dated: Friday, October 08, 2004
Cruise ship contracts threatens ecotourism in Belize
A very disturbing report has been received over the internet, which if true may spell the end of Belize's reign as one of the world leaders in ecotourism. The report speaks for itself. Read it at www.sanpedrosun.net/04-342.html
For further comments and information contact John A Burton at the World Land Trust, who has just returned from a visit to Belize and seen first hand some of the problems.
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