ACT Partners with 14 Tribes to Map and Protect Amazon Forest

摘要

The Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) has completed a three-year project in partnership with the Brazilian government and the 14 tribes of the Xingu Reserve to map and improve protection of 7.5 million acres of tropical forest. The Xingu--located in thestate of Mato Grosso--harbors more cultural diversity than any other reserve in lowland South America and represents the largest stand of tropical rainforest and savanna in the southeast Amazon. Indians of each tribe made sketches of their ancestral lands, and were then supplied with satellite photographs and portable GPS (global positioning system) technology to accurately map and record their home territories. Resulting data were then compiled and used to create over 30 maps of the Reserve.