Why I love environMentalists! They "saved" the Atlantic coastal rainforest
The CHL already succeeded in destroying 93% of this forest. Conservation International calls the new law a conservation victory. The pieces on the chessboard may have been moved, but the CHL still has all its own pieces plus the environMentalists queen, rooks, knights, bishops, and most of the pawns. We are two moves from checkmate.

A law signed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in December 2006 provides clear and much-needed guidelines for the protection and management of the Atlantic Forest. The Brazilian Constitution declared the forest a national heritage in 1988, but the law to protect it was held up in Congress for the past 14 years. In that time, the Atlantic Forest suffered severe deforestation, and only 7 percent of the original rain forest remains today.

The Law of the Atlantic Forest aims to reverse the destructive trend. It establishes strict regulations on how the forest can be used and outlines laws regarding crimes against the environment. Future development will be restricted to sustainable projects, and property owners who agree to reserve or restore natural vegetation on their land may benefit from tax incentives.

“This is a major step for protecting one of the world’s most important tropical forests,” says Gustavo Fonseca, chief science officer at Conservation International (CI). "Now the challenge is to build on this law to create conservation models to allow local communities and the people of Brazil to benefit from this incredible natural resource."
- nostradamusfunkadelic, 10:40 AM | |