» Listings for April 2018

1. 2,500 acres of tropical rainforest saved in Guatemala

   Posted on 8:00pm Wednesday 25th Apr 2018

   World Land Trust supporters raised a staggering £625,000 for the Treasure Chest Appeal. The appeal was raising the money to save 2500 acres of tropical rainforest in the mountains of Sierra Santa Cruz in Guatemala. The appeal got off to an amazing start in the first week of the World Land Trust’s Big Match Fortnight.  In fact, £100,000 was raised during this time.   And after that, support flew in from all over the world. One eight year old girl tripled her £100 target to help save rainforest by completing  a mini-triathlon. Artists dedicated their work of Guatemala’s wildlife, including a specially commissioned Chinamococh Stream Frog ornament by Jess Smith.  The frog is a critically endangered species that can only be found in the mountains of Sierra Santa Cruz.   There was also an oil painting of Scarlet Macaws by Glyn Macey and a watercolour of a Blackburnian Warbler by Dan Bradbury who works for the World Land Trust. The appeal also received tremendous contributions from The Body Shop and Humble Bundle. The money goes now to the World Land Trust’s local partner in Guatemala – the Foundation for Ecodevelopment and Conservation (FUNDAECO) and they work through the process of buying the land and protecting it to safeguard it for the wildlife living in the mountains. Inspired?  You can support the World Land Trust's new appeal to save 400 acres in the Amazonian Andes.

    

2. Who says levying 5p on plastic bags doesn’t make a difference? It does!

   Posted on 9:00am Tuesday 24th Apr 2018

   I was reading through the excellent magazine Natur from the North Wales Wildlife Trust this morning. One piece of news particularly caught my eye and just shows how levying the 5p on carrier bags can help wildlife. The support of Tesco’s customers through this levy has enabled the North Wales Wildlife Trust to manage the Riwledyn Nature Reserve.  This is a 12 acre reserve close to the sea.  They’ve been able to maintain areas of limestone grassland and protect local wildlife. In 2017, the Trust: Purchased new hand-tools, 2 new brush-cutters, personal protective equipment and fencing materials to facilitate grassland and grazing management.   Three volunteers were trained in the art of using a brush-cutter. A group walk in July spotted a dark-red helleborine – the first time this orchid has been spotted at the reserve – plus spiked speedwell, white horehound and a loud chattering of chough Local volunteers and youth groups (Conwy Healthy Image Group and Itaca Youth Group) helped to install 2 new oak benches along a busy section of the Wales Coast Path – and they’re proving very popular for people to use after climbing up and over the Little Orme! ©Lin Cummins Visit the North Wales Wildlife Trust and find out how you can make a difference. You can find your local branch here.

3. 2,000 aluminium cans enable 40 trees to be planted!

   Posted on 8:00pm Saturday 21st Apr 2018

   There’s been a great effort in the Channel Island of Jersey by students at one of the schools there, Victoria College. The boys there have been collecting aluminium cans – 2,000 in all – for the Durrell Cans for Corridors initiative.   The 2,000 aluminium cans have provided enough for 40 trees to be planted! The scheme was set up in Jersey in 2002 and was supposed to run for a year but it's been so successful, it was continued.  The Cans for Corrridors project was founded back in 2002.  The aim was to help restore the natural habitat of endangered animals, as it had been destroyed by deforestation.  The money raised from recycling 50 cans means that the project can plant one tree in a tree corridor in Brazil! Durrell aims to restore, expand and link previously destroyed habitats.  Since the collection point at Durrell’s wildlife park was installed, islanders in Jersey have put over 1 million cans into it.  Aluminium is used over other materials because it is the most cost-effective reclaimable metal.   Recycling it is 90% more efficient than mining the raw material, according to Durrell.   And a recycled can will be back on supermarket shelves in approximately 2 months Even if you don’t live in Jersey, you can collect cans and other recyclable aluminium products.  There are a number of aluminium recycling centres around the UK and you can find your nearest and whether they can collect your cans.  Kitchencraft.co.uk even have a can crusher you can buy to make recycling easier.  The funds raised can then be sent to Durrell, marked ‘Cans for Corridors’.  There’s a poster you can download to raise awareness of the scheme for Durrell. If you’re a charity, find out how you can recycle and raise funds