Whoo, whoo a major rainforest victory! Uganda’s cabinet has suspended a proposal to give away part of the Mabira rainforest near its capital and on the shore of Lake Victoria [more | search]. The significance of the protection remaining on this important Ugandan rainforest from sugar cane production (possibly for biofuel) lies not in the extent of the area — some 7,000 hectares were to be removed from the area — but more in the cooperation between local and international civil society to bring about the victory. Local activists organized boycotts of the sugar company that was to expand into the area. And Ecological Internet internationalized the issue, with 8,627 Earth Action Network participants generating 1,833,279 protest emails to the parliament that has now blocked the project. Now onward to the Congo where industrial rainforest logging’s very existence will be challenged. Expect a press release soon. Meanwhile, break out the beverage of your choice, and celebrate by making a donation to keep EI’s network in existence, the world’s life giving ecosystems best friend. Congratulations to all those that participated in the three alerts we ran on the campaign!
FUND-RAISER UPDATE: $19,130 raised, 57 donors, 32% to goal. This Ugandan rainforest victory is the sort of thing EI does all the time, internationalizing local conservation concerns to help local peoples achieve real ecosystem protection. We need to raise $20,000 in next 5 weeks. Help us out – donate now.