Fundação Opção Verde
The air is filled with fresh air, the rivers are full of playful pink dolphins. The monkeys are starting to become more energetic in the cooler air and the birds are showing us the way on the rivers.
It has been twenty years since my first trip to the state Amazon Brazil, and it has been 15 years since my first real trip to the Amazonian jungle. At the time it was a trip that changed my life; swapping all the worries I had about walking through the ominous forest full of danger, for dreams of preserving such biodiverse richness. I decided to write my Bachelor thesis on business models for non-timber related forest products. If I could show that there was money to be made from leaving the forests as they are, it would perhaps be possible to convince some people to stop deforestation. If my grandfather could provide jobs and growth for people working on natural rubber growing in the forest, perhaps I could add other business models. I graduated and became committee member of this foundation that was set on preserving a large area surrounding the area where my family roots lay.
Today I am very proud of the vast amount of land that we have been able to preserve through the help of hundreds of thousands of donors, customers of Greenchoice. Furthermore, I am proud of our committee members in Brazil; scouting the rivers for new lands, communicating with local communities, and organising workshops, education, and opportunities. Their work on maintaining strong and reliable relationships with local law enforcement for proper land registration, management, and tackling illegal deforestation has been imperative. We have come a long way and I am delighted to present to you our new committee and website. We learn from our friends and other projects in the world. We aim to involve more researchers; several research reports have already been written about the area; for example, on the carbon storage in the area, or on various ecosystem services. The latest two reports will be published in the summer of 2019. We will consider more innovative technologies which you can read more about on our website, but feel free to contact us. Throughout the year you will also be able to find experiences and stories of local communities that we work with.
Thank you so much for your advice, donations, and enthusiasm. Our new committee is determined to work hard and smart. With your continued help, I am sure we will remain successful.
Com os melhores cumprimentos,
Jaclyn Bolt