Jaguar Detectives

Category: Day by day | Date: Jul 16 2008 | By: jaguardetectives

A genetic bank, with 3 thousand seedlings of 100 species of Atlantic Forest trees, was planted last Friday in a collective effort of IPÊ, volunteers, students and land owners.

All the seedlings was obtained in partnership with CESP (Electric Company of São Paulo) and the objective is to maintain, in the same place, a large diversity of species, to preserve Atlantic Forest regional diversity. “We will have an area to collect seeds to our reforestation projects, it is an alive Atlantic Forest museum.” explains Laury Cullen, IPÊ – Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas researcher.

Genetic resources bank with 3 thousand seedlings from Atlantic Forest species.

This bank will improve the reforestation programs that IPÊ has promoted and have already reforested 500 ha (5 Km²) only in Pontal do Paranapanema. The firsts seeds from the last action can starts to be collected in three to four years.

The planted area has 2 ha and was purchased by IPÊ thanks to Programa Petrobras Ambiental (Petrobras Environmental Program) sponsorship. In this area, close to the Paranapanema river, will be constructed also the Centro de Capacitação em Meio Ambiente da Petrobras (Petrobras Environment Capacitating Center), a reference place to agroecology, water conservation and environmental education. It will attend students, teachers, stake holders and technician from all over the country.

Source: ABIDES
Photos: Fernando Lima

I do not remember the last time I had the same sensation that I felt last Friday helping planting the seedlings. They use to say that all men need to write a book, have a child and plant a tree. Well… actually, we did plant a small forest!!! To know that you can come back in some years and see a small forest knowing that you help to create it with your own hands is priceless. I felt a mix o idealism and belief, the same feelings that bring me to work on conservation but – unfortunately – is, sometimes, so easy to forgot in the rush or even getting discouraged and hopeless in the middle of so much destruction and stupidity all around the world.

Dear friends, this is part of a great effort to promote landscape connectivity between forest fragments and ultimately connect biodiversity. We are doing this using our jaguar and ocelots data by understanding how these species “sees” or “perceives” the landscape. But is not easy and we need all help we can get. Even if you cannot be here personally and help us to plant or to gather jaguars and ocelots data, you still have the opportunity to help us by donating to the project. Please, think on it.

See you on Friday!

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