Posts for the ‘NGOs’ topic
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Drought in East Africa: The Human Benefits of Standing Forests
This week, an Associated Press article about drought in Kenya brought millions of people’s attention to the deep connections between the environment and human well-being. It is during years of extreme weather events such as severe drought, flooding, hurricanes and wildfires that we are all reminded how close many people live to the very edge of survival and at the behest of Mother Nature. This is the case for many in East Africa, which is now plagued by the worst drought in nearly 50 years. The failure of the last two anticipated rainy seasons has led to rivers drying up and ... -
Cheetah Sighting
Reason #17 why I love my job: not many people get to spend their lunch hour four feet away from a live cheetah. Then again, I suppose some people might see close proximity to a large, agile carnivore as less than desirable, but I trusted in the cheetah's more than capable handlers to control him. This 11-month old "cheetah ambassador" came as a visitor from the Columbus Zoo, along with an Anatolian shepherd dog that has been raised alongside the cheetah. The zoo staff has found that raising the dogs together with the cheetahs makes the cheetahs more relaxed and even-tempered ... -
Expedition: Phoenix Islands Protected Area
Corals, CI Scientists, and Climate Change The Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) is the ocean's largest protected area, containing one of the most pristine coral reef systems in the world. Human presence in the region is very limited. So the question is, why would we come here to study climate change? At this very moment, CI scientists are diving and collecting data in PIPA’s South Pacific waters. Because there are no human impacts on the reefs, they can study the effects of climate change without interference from other human-induced factors. Along the way, the scientists are sending back photos and ... -
Expansion of Protected Area Ensures Long-Term Water Security for at least 800,000 people
We are pleased to announce the expansion of the Três Picos State Park (Three Peaks State Park), located at the Serra do Mar Biodiversity Corridor, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in southeastern Brazil. The park, which protects headwaters of important river basins that are the major freshwater sources for the densely populated state, was expanded from 46,350 hectares (114,533 acres) to 58,790 hectares (145,273 acres), an increase of 21 percent. To put the region’s fresh water importance into perspective, a single portion of the park’s headwaters was estimated to provide water for more than 800,000 people. With support ...
