After hearing someone on KMUD radio today mention the Cloud Forest Institute, which is located in Ukiah, I decided to research the organization a little. On their website. Their mission statement is as follows:
Cloud Forest Institute (CFI) offers educational alternatives to students of all cultures and ages through learning contracts via the internet and at designated research sites around the world. The sites are self-sufficient utilizing alternative energy technologies and sustainable, organic food production techniques. CFI’s goals are to make quality education accessible globally and, to foster an environmentally conscious philosophy.
I am interested in learning more about this organization. The article that is on the front of their web site discusses protecting the Cambugan Watershed in Ecuador. It claims that we can buy an acre for $50. Although I like the sound of this organization I wonder if privatizing nature is the best way to protect it? How do I know that there aren’t native people living on this acre I buy and now they will need to relocate?
Shankar Wolfananda 
October 18, 2007 at 2:47 pm |
Privatizing land for the sake of preservation can be a very useful tool. Every parcel of this world is owned by an individual, government or institution. On the other hand, I dislike the word “property” due to its sense of exclusion. I much prefer being a “steward” of the land. Thus if these institution practice good stewardship, indigenous people could continue living on the land, as long as they are not a part of the environmental damage. Privatizing is a way to safekeep the land, and should be a holistic practice with people included in the ecology.
October 19, 2007 at 7:09 am |
We’ve auctioned off all the land now – we’re struggling here as they sell off plots of the sea for oil and gas exploration… I’m not sure that all the money goes to the resident sea dwellers????!
If it’s the only way maybe we need to buy the sea – it’s the next rainforest, spoilt before we recognise it’s value as it is.
Too many places though have been purchased and those humans who really have any right to it thrown off…
There’s a really interesting piece by a Yanomami tribesman about the effect of ‘saving’ this land on the Brazilian ranforest here…
http://www.survival-international.org/news/2512