Tag Archives: World Wildlife Fund

Deforestation

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Cleared trees in forestYou may have heard the term “deforestation” before in talks about the environment and issues such as about land use, natural resources, and conservation. So what is it, exactly? Deforestation is technically the removal of forests or trees, however the term is also commonly used to describe when trees or forests are cleared out and the land is viagra for sale then used for non-forest

purposes, such as growing crops. As the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) points out, “Deforestation comes in many forms, including fires, clear-cutting for agriculture, ranching and development, unsustainable logging for timber, and degradation due to climate change.”

Forests are incredibly important. They “cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Many of the world’s most threatened and endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6 billion people rely on benefits forests offer, including food, fresh water, clothing, traditional medicine and shelter.” Forests also combat climate change by acting as a carbon sink, which means they soak up the carbon dioxide that would otherwise go up into the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. According to WWF, about 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are caused by deforestation! Check out their deforestation” webpage to learn more about the issue. 

The National Geographic webpage on deforestation describes what happens when massive amounts of trees are cleared. “Deforestation has many negative effects on the environment. The most dramatic impact is a loss of habitat for millions of species. Seventy percent of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests, and many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes.” To learn more about how forests can turn into deserts due to moisture loss and an increase in extreme temperatures, check out the site.

For top stories, articles and photos on deforestation, there is the Guardian UK’s deforestation webpage. Issues such as Brazil’s hydroelectric dam boom, the ongoing battle with paper companies, and serious deforestation in the Amazon are some of the topics discussed. If you’re interested in deforestation in the Amazon specifically, check out this January 2013 article that delves into the subject on multiple levels.

Elephant Flying Squad

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An African Elephant trying to reach leaves in Kenya

An African Elephant trying to reach leaves in Kenya

Elephants are being poached for their tusks, which are made of ivory. The demand for ivory is highest in China, and to supply that demand tens of thousands of elephants across Africa are being killed each year for their tusks.

Elephants are not only beautiful, majestic creatures, but they are also incredibly important to local ecosystems. The “Why They Matter” section of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Website on African elephants states that, “The presence of African elephants helps to maintain suitable habitats for a myriad other species. In central African forests, up to 30 percent of tree species may require elephants to help with dispersal and germination. They play a pivotal role in shaping their habitat because of the enormous impact they have on factors ranging from fresh water to forest cover.”

For some people, elephants are a serious nuisance because they can eat crops or destroy land, but there are groups that are striving to help man and animals co-exist. Peaceful coexistence is the first step to valuing elephants and their benefits to the environment.

In Sumatra, the habitat of elephants is being rapidly cleared, leaving smaller and smaller areas for elephants to roam. As their habitat disappears, so do their food sources, so they often go looking for food at farms and commercial plantations. The conflict that arises between these elephants and people protecting their crops was dangerous for

all parties involved, so in 2004 the World Wildlife Fund started an Elephant Flying Squad.

The flying squad is helping people live in harmony with elephants and recognize their importance to ecosystems. The Flying Squad is made up of “[R]angers, noise and light-making devices, a truck, and four trained elephants that drive wild elephants back into the forests if they threaten to enter villages.” The humans and elephants went through training to bond with each other and become partners, and their efforts were so successful that one Flying Squad expanded into four in the Riau Province. The immediate action of separating elephants and humans allows for more sustained education and conservation efforts, such as World Wildlife Fund research on elephants and working with local communities and organizations to spread the message that “there is space for humans and elephants to coexist.”

My Horn Belongs on My Head! World Rhino Day

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The third annual World Rhino Day is today, September 22, 2012. It is currently co-organized by Lisa Jane Campbell of Chishakwe Ranch in Zimbabwe and Rhishja Cota-Larson of Saving Rhinos in the United States. It was first announced by World Wildlife Fund South Africa in 2010 and became an international event in 2012, seeking to raise awareness for the conservation and preservation of all five species of African and Asian rhinos.

What is the main message of World Rhino Day? The official website describes it thusly: “At the root of the rhino crisis is the myth that rhino horn contains curative properties. World Rhino Day highlights efforts to debunk the myths and diminish the demand for rhino horn.”

Learn more about World Wildlife Fund South Africa’s new national program to “strengthen and support rhino conservation efforts in South Africa.” They have created a five-point plan in response to the severe increase in rhino poaching in recent years. The plan focuses heavily on working with local communities living near key rhino populations, to provide “tangible benefits” for their safeguarding efforts. In addition, the plan’s goal of breaking the illegal rhino horn trade chain looks into the demand side of the operation, in markets such as Vietnam,

as well as other countries that are on the trade route between where rhinos are poached and where they are being sold.

Jo Shaw, World Wildlife Fund South Africa’s Rhino Coordinator has a message for South Africa’s residents that is important for all people to read: “Rhinos have ranged far and wide across Africa and formed a magnificent part of our cultural

and natural heritage for thousands of years – we urge all South Africans to play a part in their protection at this pivotal point in their future.”

Conservation Organizations

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There are large international organizations working in dozens of countries on conservation issues. Here we take a look at three of the biggest and most successful: Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund, and the Nature Conservancy. Later in the month we will discuss smaller, community-based organizations working on these same important conservation efforts. Are you familiar with any of the programs of the three groups below?

Conservation International

Conservation International

Conservation International is a non-profit with offices in more than 30 countries, with over 1,000 partner organizations and thousands of projects happening worldwide.
They “are in places such as Raja Ampat, Abrolhos, Andasibe, Tonle Sap Lake and the Nangaritza River.” What do they do, exactly? “Our field work includes expeditions to remote places that are the strongholds of biodiversity, and helps local communities protect the forests, rivers, lakes, mangroves and wetlands that provide shelter, fresh water, food, carbon storage and protection from storms. CI [Conservation International] leverages those discoveries and experience[s] to rally public engagement and call on governments to secure the sustainable management of vast swaths of abundant, threatened ocean[s] and sea[s].” Check out their programs to see if they are working on a project in your country!

World Wildlife Fund

World Wildlife Fund

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me-full.html%20″ target=”_blank”>World Wildlife Fund(WWF) specializes in wildlife conservation, specifically for endangered species. Check out their What We Do page for links and information about all of their various projects. Don’t miss the great Where We Work map on that page that will lead you to this site, which gives you a list by continent and country of everywhere they have programs, from the Amazon to Borneo to Madagascar. WWF says its “way of conserving the planet’s natural resources combines [with their] unmatched global reach with a foundation in science, it involves action at every level – from local to global – and it ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.”

Nature Conservancy

Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy “addresses the most pressing conservation threats at the largest scale” and describes themselves as “the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.” They address threats to conservation that involve “climate change, fresh water, oceans and conservation lands” in over 30 countries.  Learn more about their projects, including habitat protection and what they consider the most pressing conservation issues.

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