From: Latin American Herald Tribune
British environmental group Cool Earth has launched a campaign to get 100,000 Britons to sponsor a tree in the tropical forests of the Ene River Valley, a region in the Peruvian Amazon threatened by illegal logging.Cool Earth, Europe’s leading avoided deforestation charity, said it was launching the campaign to “halt 3 million tons of CO2 emissions in just three weeks.”
The environmental group said the campaign, which had the support of actor Ricky Gervais and actress Emma Thompson, was aimed at “protecting specific, geo-located hardwood trees on the frontier of deforestation.”
Cool Earth has created a map that pinpoints the locations of 12 unique species of trees in the valley, some of which are located less than three kilometers (1.9 miles) from illegal logging sites.
The environmental group is working with Ashaninka Indians in the Peruvian Amazon to protect trees and wildlife.
“Money raised from the campaign will fund 24/7 patrols by specially trained Ashaninka rangers and full legal support to halt the destruction,” Cool Earth said.
“Halting deforestation with Cool Earth is the biggest climate change win-win. Save rainforest, support communities, halt emissions and protect biodiversity,” Cool Earth director Matthew Owen said.
Cool Earth has been working with Ashaninka leader Javier Dril Bustamante, who plans to attend the Copenhagen climate change summit.
“World leaders travel to Copenhagen to discuss climate change, whilst our people are fighting for their lives to halt the destruction of our rainforest. We depend on our forest for everything. The world depends on it for a stable climate. The U.N. must recognize that supporting our battle is the first step in protecting the planet,” Dril Bustamante said.
