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Big Gift 1991–2006
Since 1991, children, teachers, and parents like you have helped save 489,000 acres of seventeen threatened habitats. 2006 Orangutan Habitat in Indonesian Borneo – 3,856 acres 2005 Brazilian Amazon Rainforest – 170,800 acres 2004 San Rafael Conservation Area, Paraguay – 6,260 acres 2003 Brazilian Cerrado – 6,250 acres 2002 Mata Atlantica, Brazil – 7,691 acres 2001 Madre de los Aguas, Dominican Republic – 9,625 acres 2000 Maya Mountain Marine Corridor, Belize – 13,650 acres 1999 Sierra de Lacandon National Park, Guatemala – 9,614 acres 1998 New River Land, Belize – 12,171 acres 1997 Brazilian Pantanal – 12,743 acres 1996 Mbaracayu Forest Reserve, Paraguay – 37,000 acres 1995 Talamanca Caribbean Biological Corridor, Costa Rica – 30,000 acres 1994 Punta Patino Reserve, Panama – 30,000 acres 1993 Guaraquecaba Environmental Protection Area, Brazil – 6,857 acres 1992 Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize – 9,857 acres 1991 Sierra de las Minas Cloud Forest Reserve, Guatemala – 8,571 acres Through your generosity, these forests may now be safeguarded forever! From time to time, Earth’s Birthday Project will bring you updates to the following site descriptions. 2006 - Orangutan Habitat in Indonesian Borneo Exquisite Rainforest for this Critically Endangered Species 3,856 acres In 2002, The Nature Conservancy and a team of local villagers discovered a large population of orangutans in the Kelay River basin, East Kalimantan, Borneo. Borneo and Sumatra are the only two places on Earth where natural habitat for these critically endangered primates exists. The newly discovered Kelay group could be as much as 10 percent of the total population of orangutans left in the wild. The Kelay orangutans live in one of the most beautiful wildernesses in the world. The dense forests of East Kalimantan conceal an otherworldly realm. Strange and colorful creatures like the honey-chested sun bear and clouded leopard roam among mist-shrouded trees and limestone spires draped with ferns, orchids and vines. Orangutans, gibbons, langurs, proboscis monkeys, leaf monkeys, macaques, and myriad birds and butterflies populate the trees. Bearded pigs and large hornbill pheasants scavenge the forest floor. Many of Borneo's animals and plants are unique in the world. Because large sections of the isolated rainforests of East Kalimantan have never been explored, it is likely that species and populations unknown to science remain to be discovered. These forests are also among the few habitats large and diverse enough to support healthy populations of orangutans. Borneo's forests are disappearing at record pace. Fires set to clear land for agriculture burn out of control. Large palm and timber plantations encroach on pristine landscapes. Local economic crises fuel a cycle of illegal logging and forest degradation. Although East Kalimantan is wild and remote, it is not immune to these threats. The Nature Conservancy is working to secure protected status for orangutan habitat in the Kelay River basin. Their "collaborative management" approach brings together key stakeholders, including local governments, NGOs, scientists, schools, business people, donors, local communities, and the indigenous Punan Dayak people. The Punan Dayak view forests as sacred places that nourish and support them. This belief and the traditional forest practices based on it are important reasons why areas near the Kelay River have not yet been ravaged by illegal logging. Teachers and students played a BIG role in saving acres of forest in the Kelay River Basin. Donations to the Big Gift supported the East Kalimantan project's ongoing forest conservation and community development initiatives, which include cooperative development programs with the Punan Dayak. In 2006, your donation was $192,822. Working together, teachers and students saved 3,856 acres of precious Borneo rainforest. Big Gift 2006-a partnership between Earth's Birthday Project and The Nature Conservancy. 2005 - Brazilian Amazon Rainforest One of the Most Important Natural Treasures on Earth 170,800 acres A land of unique natural wonders and awesome grandeur, the Amazon Rainforest contains one of the Earth's richest collections of plant and animal life. The Amazon generates a fifth of the world's free-flowing freshwater and sustains vast expanses of healthy forests, about 60 percent of the world's tropical rainforest. The Amazon Basin-2.3 million square miles of forest, flood plain, and river in an area about the size of the continental United States-plays a vital role in shaping global rainfall and climatic patterns. The Amazon is under siege. Pushing inward towards the heart of the Amazon Basin, agriculture, mining, road building, settlements, and logging encroach on pristine forests at alarming rates. Despite serious losses sustained in the Amazon, immense tracts of the Brazilian Amazon remain intact. A window of opportunity is open for actions to safeguard what may well be the most important natural place on Earth. Making the most of this critical opportunity, the Amazon Region Protected Areas (ARPA) program is designed to safeguard the Brazilian rainforests. World Wildlife Fund, the government of Brazil, and other international partners share a vision to ensure the preservation of key species and habitats, while helping to meet the needs of the people of the Amazon. The ARPA program also aims to protect an ecologically representative sample of the Amazon Basin's rich biodiversity through its system of strategically located parks and reserves. In 2005, your donation of $254,000 was matched by a $600,000 grant from the Global Environment Facility for a total Big Gift of $854,000. Working together, teachers and students saved 170,800 acres of precious Amazon rainforest. Big Gift 2005-a partnership between World Wildlife Fund and Earth's Birthday Project. 2004 – San Rafael Conservation Area, Paraguay 6,260 acres The Interior Atlantic Forest is one of the most richly diverse ecosystems in the world—and one of the most threatened. It is ranked as one of the top five global “hot spots” of endangered biodiversity. The Atlantic forests once covered almost 350 million acres, teeming with plants and animals that most of us have never seen and can hardly imagine. Now only about 27 million acres remain. Many of the animals that inhabit the forest are threatened or endangered by loss of habitat. Species never identified by scientists are already extinct. The San Rafael conservation area is the largest contiguous block of Atlantic Forest in southern Paraguay. In 1992, the area was designated a national park, and in 1997, it became Paraguay’s first Important Bird Area. However, most of the park remains in private ownership. Land purchase is the first priority for conservation of this precious forest and preservation of its abundant species. Big Gift 2004 conservation partners are The Nature Conservancy and Guyra Paraguay: Conservacion de Aves. Guyra Paraguay, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, works for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, with a special focus on birds. With support from a variety of U.S. and international funders, Guyra purchased 5,600 acres, a core site around which San Rafael National Park will grow. Your Big Gift 2004 donation will purchase at least 6,260 acres, to more than double the area secured for long-term preservation. 2003 - The Brazilian Cerrado 6,250 Acres! As of November, 2003, negotiations are underway for purchase of our Big Gift site in the Brazilian Cerrado. The Nature Conservancy has identified three tracts, a total of 24,000 acres, in the area along the Tocantinzinho River in the Upper Tocantins watershed. The area is just 33 kilometers south of Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, 540,000 acres of untouched wilderness. A range of habitats—grasslands, high-altitude Cerrado, semi-deciduous forest, and gallery forests—supports many threatened and endangered animals, including the giant anteater, giant armadillo, maned wolf and jaguar. The presence of rare species indicates that the area is well preserved, but its situation is precarious. The most serious threats are encroachment by commercial soy bean plantations and intensive cattle ranching. Ranching is bringing invasive African grasses to the Cerrado, which could permanently destroy native ecosystems. Teachers and Kids Making a World of Difference! The Brazilian Cerrado is classified as a "hot spot" of endangered biodiversity—the least protected of twenty-five hot spots worldwide. Less than a fifth of the Cerrado remains in its natural state; currently only 1 percent of what is left is protected in parks and reserves. In 2003, you made an important difference. Your generosity will launch a new reserve, dedicated to conserving the Cerrado by protecting thousands of acres of highly endangered habitat, raising public awareness and setting an example for future conservation. 2002 - Mata Atlântica, Brazil 7,691 Acres! Congratualtions, teachers and students — In 2002 you raised $300,000 to purchase and protect 7,500 acres of rainforest in Mata Atlântica — the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil! This is an accomplishment in any year. In 2002, following the events of September 11, it’s an amazing act of generosity and devotion to rainforest conservation. You are teachers and kids making a world of difference! Children’s Donation Leverages a Million Dollars! Your gift has been transferred to The Nature Conservancy, where it will be leveraged to raise up to $1,250,000 in climate-action funding. The Conservancy has identified land purchases that will
9,625 acres As of November, 2003, The Nature Conservancy and Fundacion Moscoso Puello are working together to purchase and provide long-term protection for 9,625 acres of threatened forest, to be included in Perez Rancier National Park. The purchase is part of a larger effort to unify and protect the entire Madre de las Aguas conservation area. In addition to enlarging the national park, conservation projects include linking the park to the Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve, hiring and training park rangers, reforesting abandoned farm land, and training local agricultural collectives in low-impact farming, sustainable forest harvest and wildcrafting. Both The Nature Conservancy and the Fundacion are committed to building local communities and enlisting them as forest stewards to ensure conservation. The Madre de las Aguas conservationa area includes 357,063 acres in the Central Mountain Chain of the Dominican Republic. This unique, "tropical alpine" landscape—a mosaic of coniferous pine, montane broadleaf, and cloud forest—contains the headwaters of seventeen major rivers. Of these, six rivers, the Nizao, Bao, Ocoa, las Cuevas, Yuna, and Camu, all relatively unspoiled, provide drinking water and energy to over 75 percent of the country's population. The Madre de las Aguas ecosystem is linked to the United States by migratory songbirds, including Bicknell's thrush, American redstart, black-throated blue warbler, and the endangered prairie warbler. These and other North American migratory birds over-winter in the conservation area and in threatened forests throughout the Caribbean and Central America, returning each summer to breed in the United States and Canada. 2000 - Maya Mountain Marine Corridor, Belize 13,650 acres From ridges to reef, the Maya Mountain Marine Corridor will soon include 1 million acres. Rivers flow uninterrupted from lush highlands to dense mangrove forests along the shore. Coral reefs thrive around tiny islands in the sea. Mayan families still live in small villages near streams. TIDE has begun purchasing land, developing community education and awareness, and encouraging ecotourism for the region.
9,614 acres Sierra de Lacandon National Park includes more than 500,000 acres of pristine forest in the Guatemalan highland frontier. It is part of the trinational, 10-million-acre Maya Biosphere Reserve. Centro Campesino, in the heart of the forest along the shores of the Usamacinta River, is a gateway into the forest, making it significant for the protection of the whole park. Defensores de la Naturaleza, in agreement with the Guatemalan government, manages the park and Centro Campesino. http://www.defensores.org.gt (Spanish)
12,171 acres New River is the most recent addition to the 240,000-acre Rio Bravo, managed by Programme for Belize. This intact tropical forest is home to jaguar, tapirs and over 350 bird species. In neighboring countries many of these species are near extinction. New River/Rio Bravo is part of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, which includes forests of the Yucatan and Guatemala, once the home of the Mayan civilization. http://www.pfbelize.org (English)
12,743 acres The Pantanal is an immense tropical wetlands whose annual cycle of flooding and receding covers an area approximately the size of Colorado. Its populations of large animals, spread among forests, grasslands and wetlands, are comparable to those of Africa. Millions of waterfowl, many migrating from North America, breed along its marshes and rivers. Giant otters, caimans and capybaras share the savannas and forest with jaguars, hyacinth macaws and anteaters. Ecotropica Foundation, a Brazilian conservation organization working in the Pantanal, and The Nature Conservancy are pursuing numerous strategies to preserve the ecology of this incomparable region. http://www.ecotropica.org.br (Portuguese)
37,000 acres This unique reserve is one of the last remaining stands of interior Atlantic rainforest. It is a refuge for many threatened species, including tapirs, white winged night jars, bush dogs, giant armadillos, hyacinth macaws and Paraguay's national bird—the bare throated bellbird. Recently the reserve was enlarged from 143,000 acres to 160,000 acres by purchasing the Jejui River watershed. Mbaracay Forest Preserve is owned and managed by Fundacion Moises Bertoni (FMB). In a struggling nation, the Fundacion Moises Bertoni endeavors “to create something that will last forever.” http://www.mbertoni.org.py (Spanish)
30,000 acres The Talamanca-Caribbean Biological Corridor connects 78,000 acres that is a patchwork of protected areas, indigenous reserves and private lands. From 12,500 foot peaks to Caribbean reefs, the intact forests of the corridor protect 358 bird species, native plant communities of the region, monkeys, ocelots, jaguarundis and margays. The aim of Asociacion ANAI is the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in the region of Talamanca, Costa Rica. Local communities are trained in organic farming, reforestation with native trees and ecotourism.
30,000 acres The 1.5 million acre Darien Biosphere Reserve is Central America's largest uninterrupted rainforest. Stretching across southern Panama from the Caribbean to the Pacific, the Darien is among the most diverse ecosystems of tropical America. The endangered capuchin monkey lives here, as does the harpy eagle, Panama's national bird. The Kuna and Embera people still live in traditional communities along its river valleys. ANCON actively protects several reserves such as Punta Patino. http://www.ancon.org (Spanish)
6,857 acres The Guaraquecaba Environmental Protection Area is a World Biosphere Reserve and a storehouse of biological diversity. More than 50 percent of its trees and plants are found nowhere else on earth. Of Brazil's 202 endangered species, 171 depend on the Atlantic forest, including the yellow-throated caiman, tapirs, red-tailed parrot and the black-faced lion tamarin. The protection area is a broad area of private reserves and national parks, as well as farms, ranches and logged areas. Once the Atlantic rainforest covered 400,000 sqare miles, today most of the remaining 7 percent is within this 775,000-acre tract. Boticàrio Foundation for the Preservation of Nature and The Society for Wildlife Research & Environmental Education (SPVS) are partners in the ongoing protection of Guaraquecaba. http://www.fbpn.org.br (Portuguese)
9,857 acres The large 240,000-acre Rio Bravo is a rich ecosystem managed by Programme for Belize. The intact tropical forest is home to jaguar, tapirs and over 350 bird species. In neighboring countries many of these species are near extinction. The Rio Bravo is part of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, which extends to forests of the Yucatan and Guatemala, once the home of the Mayan civilization. http://www.pfbelize.org (English)
8,571 acres The esteemed Guatemalan conservation organization Defensores de la Naturaleza has management authority over the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve. The quetzal, Guatemala's national bird, is protected among the river valleys and cloud forests of the reserve. Mostly primary forest, the Sierra de las Minas is a significant resource for reforestation projects throughout Central America. http://www.defensores.org.gt (Spanish)
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 © Mark Godfrey/TNC Borneo  © Don Bason/TNC Borneo  © Deborah Gainer/WWF Amazon  Rio Tebicuary San Rafael  Surucua Trogon © José L. Cartes San Rafael
 Little Tiger Cat © José L. Cartes San Rafael
 Giant Anteater © Hugo Arnal Cerrado
 Maned Wolf © Douglas Trent/FCF Cerrado
 Marmoset © Michael Giannechini Mata Atlântica
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