Biodiversity

Biodiversity, or the diversity of living things, is the totality of animal and plant species that inhabit the earth and the sea.

It concerns genes, living organisms and ecosystems. Human beings are part of it. Preserving nature and its biodiversity has become one of the major concerns of current development.

We now know that all living organisms are closely interdependent, each dependent on the others in the great web of life: the disappearance of one animal or plant species means the disappearance of the other organisms linked to it.

Today, man is primarily responsible for upsetting the natural balance. By devastating meadows and forests or draining marshes, we are degrading sites that are home to large numbers of plants and animals.

The survival of human beings depends on the biodiversity of which they are a part: it is up to each and every one of us to pollute less, to respect all forms of life, plant and animal, and to ensure their survival.

Animals

The project concerns all animals, whether they are wild or abandoned, injured, or have suffered mistreatment. Our action takes place in the municipality of Quebrangulo, State of Alagoas, in the northeastern region of Brazil. After saving the forest, which became a Federal Reserve in 1989, and building several schools, we would now like to commit to the protection of animals. We have already welcomed some animals, housed in temporary structures. The immediate objectives are to ensure food and care, as well as the improvement of housing structures through the construction of shelters and living spaces.

Medium and long-term objectives: Raise awareness among the population, especially schoolchildren, about animal suffering. Provide information on the role animals play in our lives, whether wild or domestic.

Organization of media campaigns: conferences, displays, messages on social networks, and disclosure to the media. The municipality of Quebrangulo becomes a pilot location without abandoned or mistreated animals, without poaching, and bird cages.

A future for the Hyacinth Macaw

The mountainous regions located south of the Amazon host the Hyacinth Macaw, one of the largest parrots in the world. Even today, its most significant population survives in this region.

However, this marvelous bird is increasingly threatened, primarily due to the scarcity of native palms whose fruits and kernels constitute its essential food. As a result, this bird is forced to seek alternative food sources less rich in oilseeds, which diminishes its resistance and further accelerates the decline of its population.

Awareness and collaboration from the local communities allow the project to be sustainable and witness an increase in the numbers of these Hyacinth Macaws. The goal is for this bird to no longer be on the "Red List of Threatened Species," established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Why protect the Hyacinth Macaw?
It is the only animal capable of breaking the tough nuts of particular native palms, such as the "Naja." It ensures the dispersion and propagation of these species. But, beyond this "utilitarian" aspect, the Hyacinth Macaw must be protected because it is one of the most beautiful treasures of our earth and contributes to the richness of biodiversity.

For the Survival of the Harpy Eagle

The rare, mighty, and majestic Harpy Eagle symbolizes a precious natural heritage that must be protected.

The population of these birds is declining due to the destruction of the forest areas that make up their habitat and also because of species trafficking, poaching, and hunting. The slaughter of a single harpy eaglet threatens the species' survival, as an adult pair has only one young every three to four years.

The region in which we operate is located in the southern Amazon and covers six Brazilian states: Mato Grosso, Para, Tocantins, Maranhão, Piaui, and Bahia.

In the field, Nordesta develops environmental awareness campaigns through a series of short, medium, and long-term actions. We always prioritize dialogue with people in rural areas who directly interact with nature, such as small farmers and their families, teachers, and pupils.

Monkey protection

We were asked to develop a project to protect monkey populations living in regions where deforestation threatens their survival. After an in-depth study, we decided to commit ourselves to six regions for the following reasons:

With its 113 recorded species, Brazil is home to around half of the world's monkey species. Most of them are endangered, with 26 species on the Red List of Threatened Animals. The leading cause is ecosystem degradation and forest fragmentation.

Our project involves planting forest corridors to link fragmented forest patches together, allowing movement and promoting genetic exchange for these primates.

We are developing our projects in so-called "hotspot" regions, i.e., those with the world's richest and most threatened biodiversity: the Cerrado, the Atlantic Forest, and Amazonia.