WWF at work in the Amazon
Jun 18th, 2010 by wwftravel
- Spix’s horned treefrog blends well with rain forest tree roots. © André Bärtschi / WWF-Canon
The Amazon spans the borders of eight countries, contains the world’s largest river basin and is the source of one-fifth of all free-flowing fresh water on Earth. Its rain forests are the planet’s largest and most luxuriant and are home to, amazingly, one in 10 known species.
Despite its natural splendor, the Amazon ecosystem is fragile and imperiled. As Peru and the other countries in the Amazon become further integrated into the global economy, higher demand for increasingly limited natural resources significantly challenges conservation efforts.
WWF has been at the forefront of protecting the Amazon for more than 40 years. Among its projects:
Protecting the largest national park
The Peruvian government recently pledged $300,000 to boost the protection of the country’s largest national park in 2010, an area created with the support of WWF-Peru. The Purus Conservation Complex is one that WWF has actively promoted for more than six years and is comparable in size to the nation of El Salvador. It spreads across some of the most pristine forests within the Amazon Conservation Landscape and shelters jaguars, pink dolphins, arapaimas and other endangered species. It also houses at least eight ethnic groups, including an unknown number of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation.
Creating conservation landscapes
WWF collaborates with governments in Amazonian countries to support the creation and management of protected areas, extractive and indigenous reserves and buffer zones to maintain large blocks of intact forest. One of our biggest projects in the Amazon was our involvement in a historic debt-for-nature swap between Peru and the United States. The swap converted $10.6 million of debt into funds for conserving 27.5 million acres of Amazon rain forest.
Confronting deforestation
Each year, the Amazon loses forested areas equal in size to the state of New Jersey. Agricultural expansion, ranching, infrastructure projects and energy exploration are accelerating this rate of deforestation. WWF provides practical tools – such as stepwise forest certification, timber tracking and chain-of-custody monitoring – to producers, manufacturers and traders. Our staff also educates governments, corporations, financial backers and consumers worldwide about their role in stimulating a healthy market for responsibly-sourced wood and agricultural products.
Developing a sustainable forest economy
More than 33 million people rely on the Amazon for their homes and livelihoods. WWF works to make protection real on the ground, engaging local participants in the management of protected areas and the sustainable use of natural resources. Our efforts demonstrate how natural resources such as timber and fisheries can provide livelihoods without devastating the environment.
Conducting field research
The creation of protected areas is essential to safeguard species habitats and communities. WWF scientists conduct extensive field research to gather vital data on the habitat needs of wide-ranging species such as the jaguar. With this information, we can determine the appropriate size and configuration of protected areas.
Visit the Peruvian Amazon during WWF’s riverboat voyage, March 18-27, 2011.
If you liked this article, you might also enjoy School of Thought: 10 Things the Amazon Taught Us.
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