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ECOLIFE NEEDS YOUR HELP TO LAUNCH OUR 2010 CAMPAIGN:
100,000 TREES FOR THE PLANET
For every dollar donated, a tree will be planted through our Mexico Reforestation Project in monarch butterfly overwintering habitat.
The Problem
The loss of forests worldwide is a major contributor to global climate change. In central Mexico the loss of forests not only contributes to global warming but also threatens the survival of the monarch butterflies who spend the winter in the oyamel fir trees.These trees are disappearing, taken by local residents for cooking and heating purposes and by illegal commercial logging interests.
In response to this situation ECOLIFE Foundation, along with the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources of the United Mexican States (SEMARNAT), the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) and the Climate Action Reserve, signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to implement and support forest management and reforestation practices for the forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental States of Mexico and Michoacán.
The Plan
The plan calls for the planting up to 1 million trees in the Sierra Madre Occidental Forest outside of the Monarch Butterfly reserves. These trees will provide fuelwood for local residents without impacting the trees on which the Monarch Butterflies depend. This collaborative, trans-border approach aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, support the forests’ vital ecological and economic functions and protect the Monarch Butterfly. At the same time, ECOLIFE Foundation is helping local families reduce their dependence on cutting firewood by providing them with fuel-efficient stoves.
It is hoped that this program will also benefit California businesses by allowing them to support the planting of trees to offset the effects of the carbon dioxide that their business operations produce.