April 2009 Update from SALVEASERRA

By Roberto Lamego - Project Director, April 13, 2009 10:39 AM

Dear donors and project friends,

Once again thank you for your support and donations that makes all this possible.

As we are about to finish our year plantation operations we want to share with you what we are do with our forests and the donated seedlings. Since 1995, SALVEASERRA recovers forests with agroforestry plantations methods in an effort to attract and convince economically land owners and cattle ranchers to protect the environment with the use of these ecological and economical possibilities that brings profits to them and avoids deforestation. As farmers have very little information about these agricultural techniques and procedures, our pilot demonstration areas are used in courses and field training programs to show students and land owners that it is possible to preserve the forest, protect biodiversity and obtain income doing things like we do. We add value to the forest with our planting methods.

All the work starts at the tree nursery and our nursery produces low cost seedlings and costs very little to maintain since it was built under the forest shade and with local materials. We have produced countless seedlings since we started planting and when we buy seedlings they are brought here until definitive planting. From the nursery the seedlings are taken to a place near the plantation areas and then separated by species before planting. Each tree species is planted in its best appropriate ecosystem condition. In our plantations, trees, palm trees and fruit trees are planted in squares that have 3 or 4 meters sides and a great quantity of new plants can be introduced in a small area. This year we opened three new areas for different agroforestry system planting plots. In two of them timber trees were mainly planted and the other one was directed to fruit trees. Remember that when you plant agroforestry systems you never stop planting and there is always room to plant something else in the same area. All plants must have an economical and ecological interest to be there and because these areas are ecologically balanced areas there are no pest attacks and ants are rarely a problem.

But maybe this is the easy part of the act of planting trees as people always forget that if we want these baby trees to become mature trees they have to be inspected and cared for at least 2 times a year and during 4 years. If you don't do this, there is an enormous chance that these very fragile seedlings will die, be it by drought, by fire, eaten by ants, crushed by branches or tree trunks, swallowed by lust vegetation or stepped up by cows. What I want to say is and it is absolutely necessary to have this always in mind, is that for at least 4 years, it is not possible to abandon these young trees after they are planted otherwise many plants will not survive and this international effort in resources and manpower to aid the environment will be useless and meaningless. I am very much concerned with this plant abandon situation because I have witnessed this happen many times here in Brazil and I would not like to see this happen with GlobalGiving Green so dearly donated trees. Donor must consider that in many situations one dollar one tree is not enough to make this sapling become a big, mature and reproductive tree.

I am writing this update in the middle of GlobalGiving's fundraising campaign, “Give a Little Green" and you can be sure that if you want to contribute, every extra dollar our project can obtain from this campaign will become a nice tree, timber, palm tree or fruit tree.

Who knows if some time donors will be able to visit the planting areas and plant a few trees with their hands?

Thank you all very much and all the best,

Roberto Lamego

The "Give A Little Green" campaign at GlobalGiving runs until 28th April. Every donation made before then is elegible for a 50% match - which means you have 50% more impact!!

There is also a "Green Challenge" running until the 28th of April - GlobalGiving Green projects are competing for additional funding. The three projects receiving the greatest number of donations will receive bounty prizes of $5,000, $2,500, and $1,000, respectively - so donate to SALVEASERRA and spread the word!!

You can also help SALVEASERRA by purchasing a WE ADD UP organic cotton t-shirt - 10% of your purchase will be donated to SALVEASERRA.

By downloading and using the How to Make a Difference Toolbar you will generate donations for SALVEASERRA - all at no cost to you!

March Update for SALVEASERRA

By Roberto Lamego - Project Director , March 23, 2009 01:04 PM

Dear donors and project friends,

First of all I want to thank all donors for the donations that makes this project "Trees and Education Protect Rainforest in Brazil" possible. As you know, our objectives are to teach and educate farmers, students, local citizens and communities to preserve and restore the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil, with the use of sustainable forest farming methods. With this we hope they will adopt new attitudes and practices towards the environment and nature.

Walk in Nature: Every year the Serra da Concordia Wildlife Sanctuary is opened to the community for a non-competitive walking event called “Walk in the Nature” that is sponsored by SALVEASERRA, our NGO and ANDABRASIL, the Brazilian local representative of IML Walking Association, a non-political, non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote walking as a worthwhile and healthy ecological recreation, and to foster understanding and goodwill by encouraging participation at walking events in countries through a program of incentive awards. This is accomplished by promoting national and local one day non-competitive walking events.

This is the fourth time the 12 kilometers Serra da Concordia Circuit takes place and we had 128 walkers this time. It takes about 2 hours to arrive to our base. To enrich the day, a lecture about the importance of the preservation of the forests and its importance and relation with the water, was once more empathized to our visitors. Please see attached photos.

Ongoing projects: We are about to reopen this year school groups visiting program to the Concordia Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary where students follow the environmental education course called “A Day in the Forest” and the new SALVEASERRA CARAVAN project is starting with its mission of taking the information, self-consciousness and knowledge we want to spread directly were it is needed in the fields, upcountry to farmers, families and communities. More news soon.

Please also see at: http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/2300/proj2239a.html, for more information of the Vegetable Gardens donation program.

Thank you all for your support and donations.
Roberto Lamego

You can donate to SALVEASERRA at GlobalGiving. You can also help raise funds for SALVEASERRA at no cost to you by downloading the How to Make a Difference Toolbar. Or if you would rather wear your support for reforestation efforts check out the We Add Up Plant Trees tee. I will donate 10% of every purchase is to SALVEASERRA.

February Update from SALVEASERRA

By Roberto Lamego - Director, February 12, 2009 09:54 PM

Project report - February, 2009

Dear donors and project friends,

First of all I want to thank all generous donors that made "Trees and Education Protect Rainforest in Brazil" project to be classified among the top 5 in bringing in donations as shows a GlobalGiving January made study. Thank you for your confidence in our work and in 2009 we will have more.

As you know our objectives are teaching and educating farmers, students, local citizens and communities to preserve and restore the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil with the use of sustainable forest farming methods and adopting new attitudes towards the environment. We show them ways to protect and recover the landscape, the water and the wildlife, searching means to enhance rural earnings.

This year we have already planted part of this season trees, fruit trees and palm trees, we are still going to plant more and we expect to plant 3.000. Many seedlings were from our local production and we bought more with resources from SALVEASERRA/GlobalGiving Fund and a GlobalGiving Green donor.

This year school groups will continue to visit the Concordia Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary to follow our environmental education program “A Day in the Forest” in a mountain environment, seeing its biodiversity and noticing the importance of the water sources. They will also visit the agroforestry plantations at the Agroforestry Educational Center. These visits will take place two or three times per month and are sponsored by the SALVEASERRA/GLOBALGIVING Fund cover all the costs. Please see attached pictures of the last group that came to our mountain in December 2008.

This year we are starting a new phase of our project with the creation of the SALVEASERRA CARAVAN, that will be a way to take the knowledge we want to spread directly were it is needed in the fields, upcountry to farmers, families and communities. The SALVEASERRA CARAVAN will transport knowledge and new ideas, bring back wisdom, experiences and students to our home base and will settle "Small Family Oasis" along the way. A "Small Family Oasis" is a place where families with water for irrigation can live all year round, planting their food, producing goods for the market, with permanent jobs and occupation. You will hear more from this project soon. This new project will also be sponsored by the SALVEASERRA/GlobalGiving Fund, where all the donations go.

Thank you all for your support and donations that make all this possible.
Roberto Lamego

Want to help SALVEASERRA to continue their work?

• Donate at their GlobalGiving Project page 'Trees and Education Protect Rainforest in Brazil'.
• You can also help at no cost to you by downloading the How to Make a Difference toolbar. Its powered by Conduit and works on both Firefox and Internet Explorer. Every download raises money for SALVEASERRA!
  
• Purchase a WE ADD UP 'Plant Trees' Tee and 10% of the purchase price will be donated to SALVEASERRA - on top of that WE ADD UP will also plant or save ten trees for you in the rainforests of Central America with the help of their partner, Sustainable Harvest International.

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Diversity of Species in the Rainforest

“The destruction of the rainforest comes in many shapes. And there are all kinds of animal and plant species which suffer as a result. Every hour three different types of animal and plant life are made extinct. Help us to save the rainforest: www.oroverde.de."

I discovered this wonderful ad over at Osocio.

You can help save the Atlantic Rainforest for only $2 - and every donation goes in to the draw to win a fabulous WE ADD UP 'Plant Trees' Tee!

Let's Make 2009 the Year for saying "No"

Image via Wikipedia

All the great men and women in the world have been people who, rather than say "Yes", said a very resounding "No" to everything that did not fit their ideal of bounty and growth.

- Paulo Coelho

There are a lot of things wrong in the world, from pointless wars and starvation amidst plenty, to a deepening recession and all the fear and uncertainty that entails.

Its easy to feel powerless in the face of it all, to shrug our shoulders and wonder what 'they' are going to do to fix it for us. But playing the victims isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to take action.

Lets make 2009 the year to lay claim to greatness and say 'No' to the things that don't fit our ideals of bounty and growth. Lets make this the year of standing up for what we believe in, being accountable and making a difference.

I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions, but here's a few things I'm saying 'No' to this year:

Deforestation
We need trees! They purify the air we breathe, provide habitats for countless varieties of flora & fauna, and they soothe the soul, amongst other things. Lets all say 'No' to chopping them down en masse so a few can make a transitory profit.

Whether its the Atlantic Forest, the jungles of Borneo or that patch of green on the edge of your neighbourhood, lets not stand by and let it happen in 2009!

You can say 'No' to deforestation in the Atlantic Forest by donating $2 here - and you go in the draw to win an awesome WE ADD UP 'Plant Trees' tee.

Greed
Lets make 2009 a year to exercise greed control. A recession is no place for selfishness and hoarding. Join me in saying a resounding 'No' to greed and fear and lets share what we have - time, knowledge, skills, money, possessions. Lets build strong communities, neighbourhoods where we support each other through the tough times ahead. Lets create hope, dignity and opportunity through our generosity.

Poverty
Almost half the world lives on less than $2.50 a day and at least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. That can't fit anybody's ideal of bounty and growth!

And lets not assume that poverty only happens overseas, to other people. There are people in our own communities who, for reasons beyond their control, don't have enough. Let's say a huge 'No' to that this year.

In our world of relative plenty there is no excuse for poverty, hunger, homelessness, hopelessness. We all have a responsibility to do something about it, in our own neighbourhood, in our own country and further afield. With a little generosity, kindness and a shift in our thinking of what is enough we can all create opportunities to lift others out of poverty.

Junk Food
McDonalds is moving in just up the road in Gore. I guess that means we are on the map. But junk food really just doesn't fit my ideal of bounty and growth. It is wasteful, creates vast quantities of rubbish, is less than nutritious and full of empty calories.

For many people junk food - and I don't just mean fast food, but processed food, soda, candy bars, ice-cream - has become a staple part of their diet. According to Dr. Scott Olson most people eat around 1/4-1/2 pound of sugar a day.

And its bad for us. All this junk. It makes us sick, and tired. Its not the food our bodies were made to run on.

So this year lets get back to eating food our Grandparents would recognise as food. More fruit, more vegetables, more wholegrains. Real food.

Lets say 'No' to corporations making money at the expense of our health and wellbeing by selling us junk and calling it food. Lets say 'No' to blindly following their advertising directives and take responsibility for choosing to spend our hard earned money on food that is good for us instead.

Stuff
How about we choose this year to stop accumulating stuff. Lets choose to define ourselves by our relationships to people rather than by the things that we own and the stuff we consume. Lets make do, buy second hand, opt for reusable rather than throw-away items, borrow from a neighbour, share, make our own . . .

The current economic climate is a marvellous excuse to explore the joys of frugality. Lets embrace it. Lets learn new skills to make the most of what we have.

Lets get out of debt, choose not to get into debt, live within our means. Think of the freedom, think of the choices we will have. Would you really work all that overtime rather than spend the time with your family if you didn't have to pay that huge mortgage for a huge house when a smaller house would do just fine? Does the latest fashion, the newest gadget, the shiniest appliance, the swankiest nick-nack really make your life more rewarding?

This year lets make a point of saying 'No' to stuff. Lets take our lives back, lets focus on the important things instead.

What's your resounding 'No' for 2009?

There's only 7% of the Atlantic Forest left. Help Preserve It!

This January YOU can help save the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. All it takes is $2 - and a few minutes of your time to spread the word.

Please Digg, Stumble and Twitter this post to help us get the word out for the Atlantic Forest. Your efforts will make a difference!




Why Save the Atlantic Forest?Image via Wikipedia

In 1500, when the Portuguese arrived in Brazil, the Atlantic Forest stretched the entire 2,000 mile length of Brazil's eastern seaboard,covering an area twice the size of Texas. It was once the world's richest biological reserve; it has more plant and tree diversity in 2.5acres than the entire eastern seaboard of the United States.

Today, a huge 93% of the Atlantic Forest has been destroyed, largely in the last 50 years.

The Atlantic Forest and Amazon Rainforest really are the 'Lungs of the World'. Even with 93% of the Atlantic Forest destroyed the Atlantic and Amazon Rainforests produce 20% of the world's oxygen!

Scientists estimate 50-60 percent of plant and animal species found in the Atlantic Forest are only found in that region alone. Its an amazing treasure trove of biological diversity.

Who are SALVEASERRA?

SALVEASERRA are an NGO in Brazil working to restore degraded areas of the Atlantic Forest by promoting sustainable land use and agro-reforestation techniques through their 'Trees & Education Project' with GlobalGiving.

Since 1995 they have planted over 80,000 trees in the Atlantic Forest. They maintain a seed bank of local forest species to ensure that reforestation respects the original genetic profile of the forest.

SALVEASERRA also take groups of school children through the forest to help build awareness of its importance.

In addition to this they offer training courses tailored to the needs of local rural communities, farmers and others interested inorganic,ecologically sound farming and agro-forestry practices. In 2007 250 students took part in these courses.

They also work directly to alleviate poverty in the area by training local communities on how to use forest resources to make handicrafts to help provide employment and increase local incomes.And they run a course teaching eco-friendly ways to produce organic food at home to supplement family diets and increase income from surplus production.They also prepare and donate vegetable gardens to local communities.

Donate $2 and WIN

Everyone who donates $2 or more to SALVEASERRA before the 31st of January 2009 goes into the draw to win a fantastic We Add Up Organic Cotton 'Plant Trees' Tee.

WE ADD UP is an organic t-shirt campaign that counts you in the fight to stop climate change. Each tee is custom hand-printed with a unique number. YOUR number represents your position in the worldwide count of people doing something to do their part. No two shirts are alike. When you purchase a WE ADD UP tee and join the count, you help our number grow. Our goal is to show that small changes do make a big difference and WE ADD UP.

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Brazilians Try to Restore Atlantic Rainforest

Image via Wikipedia

Living Planet looks at the fightback of the other Brazilian rainforest.

- Report: Tim Hirsch

The destruction of the world's rainforests shows no signs of let-up, especially in Brazil's Amazon region. But there is the other Brazilian forest, the Atlantic Forest, where the local population is fighting hard to restore at least parts.

Recent news from the Amazon region has been grim, with satellite data showing no let-up in destruction of the world’s largest rainforest. But better signals have been coming out of an even more threatened South American rainforest, one which is even more diverse in wildlife than the Amazon itself.

The Atlantic Forest, which once stretched continuously for some three thousand kilometres along the Eastern coast of Brazil, has already lost nearly ninety-three per cent of its original cover – giving way to farms, coastal developments and cities. New figures, however, show that the rate of deforestation has slowed by more than two-thirds, and there are ambitious plans to restore at least part of what has been lost.

Listen to the Podcast at Living Planet here (the piece about the Atlantic Forest starts about 3/4 of the way through the podcast).

All the revenue generated here at How to Make a Difference is donated to SALVEASERRA, an NGO working to restore degraded areas of the Atlantic Forest by promoting sustainable land use and agro-reforestation techniques.

You can support them by donating directly at GlobalGiving, by downloading and using our How to Make a Difference Toolbar, or by purchasing a fantastic WE ADD UP T-Shirt.

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The Importance of Optimism

I discovered this advertisement the other day by Saatchi & Saatchi in Brazil:

"There's only 7% of the Atlantic Forest. Help preserve it."

And underneath it I discovered this comment:

If this about preserving this tiny piece of forest, they might as well give it up. Besides, I'm sure that park is crawling with homeless people pissing all over the place.

www.storytellerscreative.com

I am always unimpressed by comments like this - and especially when they come from someone who apparently makes their living from creating advertisements. This comment really does nothing to inspire confidence in STORYTELLERS ability to compose effective advertising copy - instead it shows them up as lacking in imagination, foresight and optimism. Surely all prerequisites for designing a compelling advertising campaign.

This comment represents STORYTELLERS in the worst possible light. Instead of showing them as being an agency alive and inspired by possibility, this thoughtless and ignorant comment shows them up as the type of agency that would just give up when something got too hard, the sort of agency that would stoop to using negativity as an advertising tool because they are too lazy to focus on benefits, the kind of company that would shout 'CAN'T BE DONE' from the rooftops simply because they can't be bothered trying.

Giving up without even trying and denigrating other people's efforts to effect positive change is easy. Actually putting yourself out there and committing to making a difference takes courage and a commitment to maintaining optimism.

Its not easy to do - especially in the face of ignorance and stupidity. Try these tips to help you from getting discouraged in your endeavours to change the world:

1. Choose your company carefully. Hang out with other optimistic people who believe it is possible to make a difference.
   
   
2. Focus on what you can do. There are times when looking at the big picture is useful, but sometimes you need to keep your focus within your sphere of influence. If your dream is BIG then focus on widening your circle of influence.
   
   
3. Lead by example. Commit to walking the talk. You're never going to convince anyone else if your life is incongruent with your values. And its hard to be happy and optimistic when you are not living what you believe.
   
   
4. Look for the good news. Its true that only 7% of the Atlantic Forest remains, its true that illegal logging has increased recently in Brazil, and its true that the Brazilian Government's efforts to stop it seem at best to be ineffectual . . . if you focus just on the negative statistics it really does seem that we might as well give up on the Atlantic Forest.
   
   There's no harm in being realistic, but try to dwell on the positives. There is great international support for the Brazilian Government's efforts to end rainforest destruction, there are many fantastic organisations working hard to save the Atlantic Forest and doing great things (check out SALVEASERRA for instance), recent research has suggested that the Atlantic Forest may well be capable of recovery . . . There is good news out there!
   
   

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SALVEASERRA November Update

By Roberto Lamego - Director

Dear donors and project friends,

"Trees and Education Protect Rainforest in Brazil" project continues steadily its course developing the objectives of teaching and educating farmers, students, local citizens and communities to preserve and restore the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil with the use of sustainable forest farming methods and adopting new attitudes towards the environment. We show them ways to protect and recover the landscape, the water and the wildlife, always searching means to enhance rural earnings.

At the Wildlife Sanctuary it is time for the 2008/9 season to plant trees, fruit trees and palm trees and we are going to plant more than 2.000 seedlings this year. Besides our local production of seedlings, we are buying with resources from the SALVEASERRA/GLOBALGIVING Fund, $1000 of seedlings from different and rare tree species from a nearby tree nursery. We are at present finishing the fertilizing of the organic coffee plantation of the Shaded Coffee Tree Corridor project.

School groups continue to visit the Concordia Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary to learn about the mountain environment, its biodiversity and importance for water production. They also visit the agroforestry plantation plots at the CETAR, our Agroforestry Education Center. For most, it is the first time they visit a forest and see a water source. This week another group of more than 30 students and teachers from a local Municipal School came to visit us and attend the environment education program called “A Day in the Forest”. These visits normally take place two or three times per month and are sponsored by the SALVEASERRA/GLOBALGIVING Fund that invites them and rents the bus for this trip. Please see attached photos.

Thank you all for your support and donations that make all this possible.

Roberto Lamego

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Birdwatching in the Atlantic Forest

Broadcasting Live with Ustream.TV


Earlier in the year (with a little help from my readers!) I adopted SALVEASERRA as my blog charity project. Any revenue generated from How to Make a Difference is donated to SALVEASERRA to help them continue their great work restoring the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.

You can help by downloading and using our toolbar, or purchasing a fantastic organic cotton t-shirt from WE ADD UP.

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Good News for the Atlantic Forest

Image by de Paula FJ via Flickr

Brazil moves to protect and restore endangered Atlantic rainforest
mongabay.com
November 22, 2008

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has signed a decree to protect and restore critically endangered rainforest along the country's Atlantic coast, reports the Associated Press.

The Mata Atlantica has been reduced to less than 7 percent of its original range as a result of logging and conversion for agriculture and cattle ranches.

The decree, signed Friday, "provides financial incentives for local residents to protect and recover forest through green businesses," according to the AP.

Carlos Minc, the country's Environment Minister, said the government aims to restore the Atlantic forest to 20 percent of its original cover.

Earlier this year the Nature Conservancy announced a program to plant a billion native trees in the region, in hopes of restoring the ecosystem. Research published last year suggests that with such efforts the Mata Atlantica may be capable of recovery.

Earlier in the year (with a little help from my readers!) I adopted SALVEASERRA as my blog charity project. Any revenue generated from How to Make a Difference is donated to SALVEASERRA to help them continue their great work restoring the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.

You can help by downloading and using our toolbar, or purchasing a fantastic organic cotton t-shirt from WE ADD UP.

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