Kids helping the rainforest
Published on May 12th, 2004
STONEHAM, MA - It all started with a simple suggestion, and -- as is the case with most grassroots movements -- the idea took on a life and momentum of its own.
Colonial Park School first grader Jacob Moriarty is a big fan of the cartoon Tarzan, and as any self-respecting fan of the jungle-set action-adventure, Moriarty is concerned that the exotic vegetation and fascinating animals indigenous to the rain forest are protected from development and greed.
With that in mind, Moriarty and the other members of Ellen Levine's first-grade class put together a fund to save the rain forest. The kids did chores around the house, earned money from their parents for their toil, and then sent the accumulated $59.62 to the "Rain Forest Action Network Project on Acre Program" fund several weeks ago.
"The rain forest is shrinking everyday and the animals aren't going to have anywhere to live," said Moriarty, who brought in a $5 donation on the first day.
Levine saw the concern in the student's eyes and marvelled at the way an idea began to develop once their minds were set into protection mode.
She discussed the situation with Colonial Park Principal Maureen Burke, and the two women came up with the chores for donations drive.
The class also made rainforest posters to increase other students' awareness about the deforestation problem.
"This was the first year that a first grade class took the initiative to ask if they could help," said Colonial Park parent Stacey Hindle.
"I'd really never done anything like this before with a class, but the discussion about the rain forest really struck a chord with the kids," said Levine.
First-grader Brooke Hindle talked about the different jobs she performed in doing her part for the rainforest.
"I cleaned my room, and the kitchen, and the living room, and the bathroom," said Hindle. "It felt good to do something for the Rainforest."
According to the organization's Web site (www.rainforestweb.org), "the Rainforest Action Network established the Protect-an-Acre (PAA) program in 1991 as a tool to protect the world's rainforest and the rights of their inhabitants by providing financial aid directly to traditionally under-funded organizations and communities in rainforest regions. PAA projects prioritize gaining legal recognition of indigenous territories (a process called "demarcation"), the development of locally-based alternative economic initiatives, community organization, and resistance to destructive practices such as logging, fossil fuel development, and large-scale infrastructure projects in the rainforests.
The Protect-an-Acre program is an integral part of Rainforest Action Network's efforts to halt further destruction of the world's forests while supporting the livelihood of forest peoples. Traditional communities are stewards of the fragile rainforest ecosystem and possess a unique knowledge of these forests. Any real solution to the crisis of rainforest destruction must begin by recognizing the rights of these communities.
Many projects are aimed at securing specific and measurable tracts of rainforest and are typically implemented by local forest communities, indigenous federations, or supporting non-governmental organizations."
According to the Canadian Forester's Advisers Network Web site, there is a significant amount of rainforest being consumed by a n array of interests every year.
"There are approximately 2,000 million hectares of tropical forests in the world. They represent an enormously valuable resource in terms of the diverse economic products and environmental services they provide.
At the present time, 14 to 16 million hectares of tropical forests are being converted each year to other land uses, mostly agricultural. The principal agents of deforestation -- those individuals who are cutting down the forests -- include slash-and-burn farmers, commercial farmers, ranchers, loggers, firewood collectors, infrastructure developers and others.
The predisposing conditions that favor deforestation include poverty, greed, quest for power, population growth, and illiteracy. The indirect causes of deforestation include inappropriate government policies, land hunger, national and global market forces, the undervaluation of natural forests, weak government institutions, and social factors. The more visible direct causes of deforestation include the land uses that compete with the natural forests (e.g. agriculture, ranching, infrastructure development, and mining and petroleum exploration). Logging, fuelwood collection, and tree plantations also have a role in the deforestation phenomena. The economic and environmental consequences of deforestation are profound, making it one of the most critical issues facing our global society.
While it is impossible to stop deforestation in the foreseeable future, there are many opportunities for bringing it under control and minimizing its negative impacts. Alternatives include the protection and management of remaining forests, socioeconomic development in rural areas, and policy and institutional reforms."
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