September was a great month for us, we were able to raise £73 for One Tree Planted (which was used to plant 88 trees) and £69 for The Ocean Clean Up Project. Donations are taken from sales of our Paper labels (for One Tree Planted), and Plastic Labels (for The Ocean Clean Up Project).
ABOUT GUATEMALA
Guatemala has the second highest biodiversity in Central America (after Costa Rica). The country is home to 1,246 known species of animals and 8,681 species of plants, of which 13.5 percent are not found anywhere else in the world.
Most forest loss in Guatemala has resulted from agriculture and fuelwood collection. Population pressures around protected areas have resulted in illegal timber harvesting and land clearing for agriculture, even inside national parks.
Creating a sustainable model for communities to harness their natural resources is essential to improving Guatemala’s forests and the country’s social wellbeing. Our partner has spent many years working with indigenous communities to build their trust. Almost 700 hectares of biodiverse land around Laguna Brava has been protected with the help of such local communities. Empowering people to look after their own land in an economically and environmentally sustainable way is key to this project.
Throughout Guatemala, One Tree Planted reforests and restores landscapes by working with communities in the northwest region of Huehuetenango and the Pacific South Coast. By planting a combination of hardwood trees (long-term value) and cacao plants (short-term value), the project teaches local people how to diversify through agroforestry. Through workshops in planting, tending, processing forest products, and valuing local resources, we can empower communities with the knowledge and skills to become economically and environmentally sustainable.
The Ocean Cleanup
Most recently, since the end of September, The Ocean Clean Up Project has been operating in Jamaica. Five of their Interceptors have been deployed in the gullies around the city.
They have collaborated with local governments, and partners, to educate the locals regarding their effort to keep our oceans and rivers clean. Another task is to help the local government and partners improve the quality of life for the locals.
- The new System 003 has been deployed in the Pacific Ocean, extracting thousands of Kilograms of waste over hundreds of Kilometres.
- Many of their Interceptors have been deployed throughout Jamaica to prevent waste flowing through Kingstons gullies into the Caribbean Sea.
Operations are being conducted in Malaysia, namely on the River Kwang. - 140 tons of trash extracted from the Rio Las Vacas River in Guatemala, intercepted before reaching the Caribbean Sea.
