December 14, 2016

Celebrating Forest Health

2016 Highlights

The more biodiverse a forest is, the more carbon it holds. That’s why we use the health of the forest and the species in it as an indicator of the success of our partnerships. And when we find evidence of threatened species thriving, that’s an even bigger reason to celebrate.

“Keeping forests standing is important because they capture CO₂ and purify the air. They are important for clean oxygen. That’s how we live in a relationship between the rivers, the animals and the trees, we are all related.”

Roberto Weepiu Orrego,
Huaracayo, Peru

Camera traps

Our indigenous partners know more about the forest than we ever will. That’s why they are the best biodiversity monitors in Peru and Papua New Guinea. Armed with camera traps and laptops, our local team mates are sending back data from the forest, so we can prove that the forest’s health is improving under their stewardship.

Biodiversity workshops

Workshops with the whole community make sure that everyone gets to share their ideas on the links between the forest animals, the plants, the villages and the whole planet. This keeps the dialogue open about why it’s so important to keep the forest healthy and why it’s great to keep an eye on its health. It also provides the opportunity for the biodiversity team to keep everyone up-to-date with the monitoring results from the forest.

great finds

The camera traps have uncovered some brilliant species so far this year. In Orangerie Bay, there’s a thriving population of the elusive Southern Crowned Pigeon – the biggest pigeon on earth. In Peru we’ve seen evidence of Spectacled Bears close to our partner villages. Having these rare species in their forest is a great advantage for our partners. Their presence and need for protection is another weapon in their armoury against the loggers.

GIS mapping

We’ve harnessed the latest satellite technology and the brightest researchers to make sure we’re monitoring the impact of our partnerships. This year we found next to no canopy loss across every single one of our partnerships – a sure sign that your support is making a real difference.

Gorillas

Our forest watch teams in Lubutu stumbled across not one but five families of Grauer’s gorilla in May. They’re the most endangered gorillas on the planet and we’re thrilled to see them thriving in our Congo partnership.