6 ways that One Tribe helps to protect our rainforests

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4th August 2021

Minute Read

One Tribe are proud to announce 6 projects we’ve been supporting to help protect the rainforests and wild life of the world.

Flora and fauna are potentially the most important and valuable groups that maintain the balance of nature on our planet earth. We need to take action now in order to fight for their conservation.

These projects aim to protect biodiversity, halt deforestation, expand environmental reserves as well as saving indigenous lands in multiple locations across the globe.

Stopping Deforestation at the Edge of the Bolivian Amazon

The Amazon is known as the world’s largest rainforest. Its lands cover nine countries in South America and one of them is Bolivia.

The first project we present comes from a partnership established between Rainforest Trust and the Fundación Natura Bolívia, an organization that helps local communities to protect their water sources through forest conservation.

Rainforest Trust and our partner, Fundación Natura Bolivia, propose to work with the Guarasug’we indigenous tribe and local governments to create the San Ignacio and Concepcion Municipal Protected Areas in the Bajo Paragua Rainforest.

The proposed protected areas will safeguard over 2 million acres of land and up to 1,273 species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and many charismatic large mammals.

Project Goals

One of the main objectives is to train, equip and deploy patrols and fire brigades to protect the forest and its indigenous residents.

Supporting the Guarasug’we to fight wildfires will lead to a better management of the protected areas. They will be provided annual training ahead of each fire season and equipped with water tanks and hoses.

Our partner’s top priority will be to work closely with the Guarasug’we community to take back control of their land and forest to preserve their culture.

The year of 2021 is bringing fruitful outcomes for our partner the Rainforest Trust. The organization has already hosted two virtual wine tasting events to raise funds that will help save two million acres of Bolivian Amazon rainforest.

The Role of The Rainforest Trust

According to Leslie VanSant, vice president of philanthropy at Rainforest Trust, over 100 people attended the first wine tasting in March, 2021. The money raised helped to support a critically endangered species of bird: the blue-throated Macaw in Bolivia’s rainforests.

VanSant points out that these events serve not only to raise funds but also to raise awareness of Rainforest Trust’s projects in other countries.

The Bajo Paragua also forms a critical corridor between two vast neighboring protected areas–securing it will maintain an unbroken expanse of forest through to Brazil. By helping us create the San Ignacio and Concepcion Municipal Protected Areas a new long-term legal protection to the forest will be provided.

Eric currently works as an independent consultant at the intersection of nature and climate, focused on catalysing market and non-market solutions to drive the just transition.

He previously was Head of Product at Earthshot Labs, supporting nature conservation and restoration projects across the global south secure project finance. Prior to Earthshot Labs, Eric led nature-based carbon project development for Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique and founded the Carbon Cooperative, a global alliance of leading nature conservation and restoration practitioners exploring carbon finance. After serving in the Peace Corps in Mozambique out of university, he spent much of his 20s working in community-based conservation and ecosystem restoration efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa interspersed with two startup ventures as co-founder and CEO of a mental health tech startup and COO of a sustainable coffee company. Eric has a dual Masters in Environmental Engineering and Environmental Policy from Stanford University where he was a NSF Graduate Research Fellow and a BS in Environmental Engineering from Tufts University.

Alan is a risk management thought-leader, superconnector, and FinTech pioneer. His mission is to enable an Earth Positive economy which includes nature in global accounting systems.

Alan is Founder of Generation Blue, a venture studio dedicated to planetary game changers powered by exponential technologies. Previously, Alan established Natural Capital Markets at Lykke AG, pioneering blockchain based forestry and carbon backed tokens. Alan has over two decades of risk management experience advising global financial institutions, and was a founding member of the RiskMetrics Group, a JPMorgan spin-off. Alan is an investor and advisor to regenerative impact ventures, including TreeBuddy.Earth, Regenativ, and Vlinder Climate.

Lori Whitecalf made history when she became the first woman to be elected Chief of Sweetgrass First Nation in 2011. She served three terms of office from 2011-2017.  

Lori took a two-year hiatus from leadership to expand the family ranch and serve as the FSIN Senior Industry Liaison. She was re-elected on November 29. 2019 and again on November 30, 2021, as Chief of Sweetgrass. Chief Whitecalf practises a traditional lifestyle of hunting, fishing and gathering. She currently sits on the following boards: Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology, FSIN Lands and Resource Commission, Battle River Treaty 6 Health Centre and Battleford Agency Tribal Chiefs Executive Council, FSIN Women’s Commission.

Tina is the Chief Business Officer for MLTC Industrial Investments, the Economic Development arm of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council. She has a diverse background of experience. Having spent 15 years as a municipal Chief Operating Officer, 20 years involved in Saskatchewan’s Health Authority Board Keewatin Yatthe and 9 years with Northern Lights Board of Education. 

 

She continues as a Board Member with Beaver River Community Futures supporting small business development in her home region. Tina brings a wealth of experience in a variety of fields and many connections to the Indigenous communities of Northern Saskatchewan. In addition Tina holds a BA Advanced from the U of S, a Certificate in Local Government Authority from the U of R and is certified as a Professional Economic Developer for Saskatchewan and a certified Technician Aboriginal Economic Developer (TAED).

Tootoosis’ career spans 40+ years in HRM, political leadership, and Indigenous economic development, as a dedicated bridge builder and advocate for Indigenous causes.
As a key member of the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) team since 2021, he develops strategies for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission final report and Call to Action #92.

He is a graduate of the First Nations University of Canada and a certified Professional Aboriginal Economic Developer. Spearheading various community initiatives while serving as a Chair of the SIEDN while directing ILDII and WIBF. Founder of MGT Consulting Tootoosis is based in Saskatoon, Treaty Six Territory.

Cy Standing (Wakanya Najin in Dakota) has a long and distinguished career including serving overseas as an Electronics Technician in the Royal Canadian Air Force, former Chief of Wahpeton Dakota Nation, former Vice Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indigenous Nations (FSIN), past Executive Director of Community Development Branch of the Department of Northern Saskatchewan as well as an Order in Council appointment to the Federal Parole Board.  

Mr. Standing has served as a Director on many Profit and Non-Profit Corporate Boards, including serving as a Director for Affinity Credit Union with assets of over six billion dollars as well as IMI Brokerage and Wanuskewin and is currently a member of the One Tribe Indigenous Carbon Board.