Ashaninka Tribe partner with Cool Earth
The Amazon rainforest is under threat from all sides. Cool Earth has already developed projects to address the arcs of deforestation that threaten the southern and eastern frontiers. At the invitation of the Ashaninka Tribe - one of the largest surviving Amazon ethnic groups - Cool Earth is now to working to protect the western frontier in Peru from destruction.
The Ashaninka are a unique people. Like so many Amazonian indigenous groups their culture, territory and survival have been threatened for hundreds of years by military incursions, cocaine production and logging. As one of the largest surviving groups in the region, the Ashaninka tribe have performed an invaluable role as custodians of the forest. What is left of their territory - in relatively high jungle - is about the size of Wales and dominates the west of Peru. Traditionally living in scattered communities of 10 to 50 individuals, the Ashaninka are on the frontline of deforestation.
Despite the creation of new community land
titles, communal reserves and a national park during the last 10 years, loggers
still aim to cut and remove - usually illegally - Ashaninka owned mahogany in
return for very little money. Ashaninka
chiefs were unsure how to respond when a logging company from the nearest town arrived at Cutivireni in
February 2008 to negotiate a two year contract to log community owned forests.
Desperately needing
income, and tempted by the loggers offer, the community nonetheless chose to
look for alternatives. Aware of the work of Cool Earth through their long-term
relationship with Ecotribal, tribal leaders proposed a partnership that would
deliver sustainable forest protection through Cool Earth's established
sponsorship model.
On Sunday 10th February, the Ashaninka community met at Cutivireni. Loggers who had attended to present their final offers were rejected by the chiefs who instead chose to form a unique agreement with Cool Earth.
The project to raise funds to protect 50,000 acres of pristine forest launched on 1 July, 2008 with Sky News providing live coverage from the Ashaninka community of Tinkareni. Read the blogs from Cool Earth and Sky News covering their visit to the Ashaninka.
Bookmark this page:
- Cool Earth - UK Headquaters
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Cool Earth's UK Headquarters
77 South Audley Street, London, W1K 1JA
Telephone 0800 093 0624
- Project: Awacachi Corridor - Ecuador
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Project: Awacachi Corridor - Ecuador
Working with local partners, Cool Earth is helping to secure this corridor of land by investing in its protection system and in local community development that values forest conservation above forest destruction.
- Project: Ashaninka - Peru
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Project: Ashaninka - Peru
The Peruvian Amazon is experiencing rapid deforestation. As you read, illegal loggers are devastating the rainforest resources of many tribal communities.
- A sea creature
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Fish: The deep sea
I'm just a simple fish, check out the projects!
