Deforestation is a huge issue that has swept the globe in recent decades. The ecosystems of forests all over the world have been forced to adapt as humans have taken more and more trees from their original homes. Luckily, there are some groups out there who are determined to combat this catastrophic force.
Conservation International is one such group. They want to help better the planet, and one of the ways they plan to accomplish that is through reforestation. On their website, Conservation International explains that they “measure success in human terms. [Their] ultimate goal is to protect the most fundamental things that nature provides to all of us: our food, our fresh water, our livelihoods and a stable climate.”
This organization is on the brink of something huge: they are heading the largest tropical reforestation project in history. Over the next 6 years, they plan to restore 73 million trees to the Brazilian Amazon. With such an enormous project underway, Conservation International is doing their best to make the proper preparations for the project.
“This is a breathtakingly audacious project,” explained M. Sanjayan, C.E.O. of Conservation International, on the organization’s blog. “The fate of the Amazon depends on getting this right – as do the region’s 25 million residents, its countless species and the climate of our planet.”
How does the group plan to accomplish such an immense undertaking? They explain that by “building upon a foundation of science, partnership, and field work, [they] find global solutions to global problems.” The organization works by protecting the natural resources themselves, ensuring that pro-environment policies are passed, and working with big companies to protect the planet.
Although the project is so enormous, Conservation International is approaching the problem with urgency. According to National Geographic, nearly 20% of the Amazon has been destroyed in the past 40 years. With ever-increasing advances in technology, scientists fear that even more of the forest will soon be lost.
The loss of trees is not the only cause of concern. Researchers from the World Wildlife Fund reported discovering almost 400 new species during their studies of the Amazon in 2014 and 2015. Further deforestation could mean displacing thousands of animals from their homes.
Conservation International is determined to make a difference. “A new chapter is being written for the Brazilian Amazon,” said Rodrigo Medeiros, vice president of C.I.’s office in Brazil. “Protecting the Amazon is not something we should [think of] in the future – we have to do it now.”
When it comes to saving the planet, each of us must do our part. If you would like to join Conservation International in their efforts, visit this page.
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