Deforestation has long been known to be a crime against the planet and of serious detriment to the environment. Rainforests that have covered the land for thousands of years are being eaten into every day with little or no regard for the consequences once this valuable carbon sink has been destroyed in order to feed the developed world’s hunger for consumer products.
New schemes are now being put into place however to try and help launch regeneration of the lost rainforests in countries such as Ghana where the area of rainforest remaining has been significantly reduced by the uncompromising greed for the forest’s wood. Hundreds of tree seedlings are being grown and the world’s worst polluters can purchase trees to be planted where deforestation has occurred in order to offset some of their business’s carbon emissions.
2009 has been officially declared as ‘Year of the Gorilla’ in an attempt to promote this important creature and increase awareness of the threats the species faces that could have a serious effect on gorilla populations. A project by YoG is looking to supply local people of the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo with affordable fuel efficient stoves to reduce the demand for charcoal from the rainforests.
Harnessing the power of digital media, Prince Charles has launched a new campaign to spread public awareness of the importance of the rainforest and acting to stop further deforestation and destruction while we still can.