Conserving Rainforests One Acre at a Time

Conservation groups are now providing avenues for greater public involvement in environmental issues with online campaigns. Conserving rainforests and resources remains pre-eminent in the agenda of many environmental groups. Despite the move toward sustainability, acres of rainforests are lost everyday to make way for farmlands and homesteads. Rainforests absorb a significant amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and thus have a key role in abetting global warming.

These efforts are not just aiming for increased awareness on urgent environmental and climate issues but for financial support from the public as well. Various land and water habitats are being destroyed affecting biodiversity and environmental stability. Now that the Internet can support a growing global community, conservation efforts are counting on partner agencies and the public to help drive their programs forward. Currently, there are two prominent campaigns being waged online to save the rainforests and habitats of the world.

Protect an Acre Program by Conservation International

“People need nature to thrive.” That is the simple battle cry of Conservation International (CI), which aims to “empower societies to responsibly care for nature.” According to Peter Seligmann, the Chairman CEO of CI recently presented the organization’s new logo, which more clearly depicts a “vision of a healthy blue planet.”

A visitor to Conservation International’s site arrives at this rather short yet riveting audio-video bit of burning forests and climate change and ends with a familiar face (and yes, the voice you hear initially might be familiar as well if you’re a “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” fan). Harrison Ford is the spokesperson for CI’s “Lost There, Felt Here” campaign. The AV presentation serves as the introduction to CI’s “Protect an Acre” program.

CI asks for a $15 donation in order to protect one acre of tropical rainforest, including all living things contained within it. A grid of rainforest fills the screen and an orange square in stark contrast to the lush green compels anyone with money to spare to give back to the environment. When you click on any of the boxes, a window will pop up and reveal the name of the donor and how many acres he or she has sponsored.

Adopt an Acre by The Nature Conservancy

“Protecting Nature. Preserving Life.” The Nature Conservancy motto accurately reflects the work that it has been doing in 30 countries since it was established in 1951. This non-profit organization’s aim is to address the most pressing issues by identifying locations that need conservation efforts. It is now one million strong in membership and together its workforce is implementing many programs that cover both land and waterways. The organization’s mandate covers various habitats including coral reefs.

Adopt an Acre was born in 1991 and had since protected a total of 600, 000 acres the world over, particularly in North America, Australia, and the Bahamas. This campaign enjoins the general public to “make a world of difference.” A visitor is presented with an interactive map of the world with six labels: Adopt US, Adopt Costa Rica, Adopt Brazil, Adopt Africa, Adopt Australia, Adopt a Coral Reef. The interface is user-friendly and immediately leads the potential donor to the process of choosing which acre of habitat to adopt and sponsor.