Spanish

Friends and colleagues,

The Earth Overshoot Day took place this July and we have once again exceeded the capacity of the planet with our demand for resources. We must change the way we produce and consume, and even if we are facing great challenges, there are also great opportunities to achieve it. On this occasion, the work in Governance from several offices stands out among other Practices.

With regard to Forests, technology is boosting efforts to stop environmental crimes in the state of Acre, with the support of WWF-Brazil. Meanwhile, forests users in Bolivia, including a community from the Monteverde Chiquitanía Indigenous Territory, received green certification.

In Wildlife, WWF-Brazil donated equipment to the Wildlife Recovery Center of Mato Grosso do Sul to support the rescue of animals during fires, for the second year in a row.

In relation to Governance, Peru’s “Amazon Woman” Indigenous Fund announced its first winners. WWF-Paraguay and Pacto Global Paraguay presented the 2021 Green Award to five business initiatives that generate a positive environmental impact. On the other hand, WWF-Chile proposed to generate a large governmental program to promote native forest restoration practices. Lastly, 89 % of Argentina’s population assured that the state of the environment affects people through a public opinion survey conducted by Fundación Vida Silvestre.

Lastly, in relation to the Markets Practice, Colombia now has regulations for the sustainable management of wild flora and non-timber forest products, thanks to the support of WWF. On the other hand, Ecuadorian banana companies with responsible practices are taking care of their natural spaces and monitoring the biodiversity of the sector with camera traps and citizen science. Finally, WWF-Mexico announced its partnership to create sustainable agave and mezcal production models.

Enjoy this new edition,

Roberto Troya

Vice president & Regional Director

WWF-LAC

Technology is boosting efforts to stop environmental crimes in Acre

After receiving drones, high-capacity computers and training from WWF-Brazil, the Environmental Policing Battalion of the State of Acre (BPA-AC) improved its actions and passed on the knowledge to the Fire Brigade and the Public Ministry, which also received equipment donations. The BPA-AC has already trained 39 people in drone piloting and, from September 2020 to May 2021, 82 actions has carried out using the equipment, including monitoring the Alto Tarauacá Indigenous Land and surveillance missions on conservation units and areas impacted by invasions, illegal deforestation, and fire. Several arrests of environmental criminals were made.

Community in the Monteverde Chiquitanía Indigenous Territory receives green forest certification

After an extensive evaluation process, the Bolivian System of Forest Certification, and Incentives (SBCBI), an initiative from the Bolivian Forest and Land Supervisory and Social Control Authority (ABT), certified forest users who demonstrated their commitment to continue to carry out integrated and responsible forest industry management in harmony with nature. As a result of this performance evaluation process, the management plan of the Palmarito de La Frontera indigenous community located in the Monte Verde Indigenous Territory and the forest management plan, sawmill and carpentry of the companies DEKMA Bolivia S.A. and SOEX S.R.L., received "green" certification in compliance with SBCBI standards.

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WWF-Brazil donated equipment to support the rescue of animals during fires

For the second year in a row, WWF-Brazil donated fauna management equipment to the Wildlife Recovery Center (CRAS) in Mato Grosso do Sul. The aim is to help structure the entity to better serve fire victims, avoiding the disastrous situation similar to 2020.

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The “Amazon Woman” Indigenous Fund announced its first winners

The “Amazon Woman” Indigenous Fund (FIMA in Spanish) was created to continue promoting projects and strengthen the leadership and protagonism of indigenous women who belong to the federations and base organizations of AIDESEP. As a result of their first edition, after an arduous selection process, five winners from the regions of Ucayali, Junin and Cusco were selected. Each of them will receive up to 18 thousand Peruvian soles that will allow them to promote their entrepreneurships.

New environmental initiatives received the Green Award

As part of Environment Month, WWF-Paraguay and Pacto Global Paraguay presented the 2021 Green Award to five business initiatives that generate a positive environmental impact. The awards ceremony was held on June 30.The awards ceremony was held on June 30.

This year the contest was adapted so it could be carried out during the pandemic, focusing on the need to continue motivating the environmental commitment of companies who contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, primarily SDG 12 (Sustainable Production and Consumption), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life of Terrestrial Ecosystems).

WWF-Chile proposes government program to encourage restoration of native forest

WWF-Chile believes trees can be part of the solution to the current crisis, through the restoration of native forests, a key part of the Nature-based Solutions, to face climate change and reverse the loss of habitats and wild species. 

These natural forests must be part of a post-pandemic green reactivation that creates access to employment and essential services. Therefore, WWF calls for the design of incentives that make this possible, through the generation of a new large-scale Development Law that complements the current Native Forest Law, but this time focused on supporting the native forest that has been lost and degraded.

89% of Argentina’s population said that health of nature affects people

Vida Silvestre conducted a public opinion survey across the country whose results showed that citizens are concerned for nature. The interest was greater among women and young people between 16 and 23 years old.

In addition, the same survey shows that 98% of the population of Misiones, an important ecoregion for conservation of jaguars, considers that extinction of jaguars would be a serious issue.

Colombia will now be able to make better use of non-timber forest products 

In 2017, in the midst of the execution of the GEF Biodiversity and Mining project (which aimed to strengthen community conservation companies to generate new livelihoods and promote alternatives for the sustainable use of biodiversity), WWF detected a lack of clarity in the legal framework that existed for the use of non-timber forest products in Colombia. Since then, along with different institutions and communities that make use of these products, different meetings and activities took place to address gaps in regulation. Today, thanks to this process, the country has a new regulation: Decree 690 of 2021 for the sustainable management of wild flora and non-timber forest products, which facilitates access to these products, especially in rural communities.

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Ecuadorian banana producers are leading the way towards sustainable production

Becoming sustainable companies has been the goal of several banana farms which, thanks to the support of WWF-Ecuador, now combine the production of one of the country's largest export products, with the care and conservation of their natural areas. As part of WWF's work together with DOLE and EDEKA that seeks to produce export bananas with high sustainability standards, the pilot plan for a Participatory Biodiversity Monitoring program, was implemented in 4 banana farms. The workers were trained in the use of the application iNaturalist, as well as in the installation of camera traps and identification of routes for wildlife observation.

At the moment, there are more than 2000 observations, and more than 200 species identified includingsloths, ocelots, otters, ferrets, anteaters and guantas in forest patches as well as areas surrounding the rivers and estuaries in these banana plantations.

WWF partners with producers to create sustainable mezcal production models

This July 23, WWF-Mexico and Mezcal Amarás announced their partnership to create sustainable agave and mezcal production models and promote the sustainable use of water, with a positive impact on the quality of life of Oaxacan mezcal makers and their families. The first year's activities benefitted 77 people from the communities of Santa María Velató, San Luis Amatlán and Santiago Matatlán, in the state of Oaxaca. The project hopes to create sustainable production models that can be replicated in the Mexican mezcal industry and other groups of Mezcal Amarás producers.