The site „Floresta da Vida“ is situated on the banks of Rio Negro in a 50 km-distance from Manaus. This private owned property dominated by virgin rainforests represents the last bigger stretch of primary forests next to the Amazonas capital. Timber companies have offered $ 20 Million US for the property! The Owners Zygmunt Sulistrowski (78) and Dr. Bernardino Ritta, owner of close by Ariau Jungle Tower Lodge have contracted an option with Forest of Life e.V. to sell the property including the 14-room ecolodge to FOL for $ 1 Mio. 500ha are already purchased.
Forest of Life will as soon as possible secure the Forest. It is projected to establish conservation of 99,5 % of the property by sustainable use of 0,5% namely by eco-tourism.
The field station is operated by Dr. Pabst since 1998. In a close co-operation with the Barzil population several ways of sustainalble use of the Amazon will be trained. The in-situ program for several macaws just started.
back
Financing
Purchase of property will be financed by fundraising. Besides donations for Forest of Life, Ocean Star Club GmbH has designed a concept taylored to sponsoring needs. By merchandizing FOL-products and press-coverage popularity of FOL is currently raised. It is foreseen, that our direct-mailings and a welfare event on the way will cover the costs of property purchase by our Braszil NGO sister Hileia Ass
.
The International Pilot-Project for conservation of Brazilian rainforests has offered a listing of the project as very promising and promised to support especially the education sector.
Scientific work will be supervised by the Director of Munich Botanical Gardens, Professor Dr. Jürke Grau.
Project Vision
Primary target of Amazonas Park is to materialize the conclusions on the role of eco-tourism in conservation as a result of the Rio Conference. A matter stressed again in the follow-up Biodiversity-Conference in Bratislava 1998. It is evident, that rainforest destruction can only be stopped if viable and profitable modes of alternative sustainable use of forests can be demonstrated. Therefore it is foreseen to conduct the project in close cooperation with locals.
AMAZONAS PARK and its 44 direct employers will such demonstrate a sustainable way of use. Besides its function for education and leisure AMAZONAS PARK is designed to create sympathy for the community of life in the rainforest. Last not least it will demonstrate its capabilities as a model for handling resources as solar energy, waste avoidance-and recycling. So even larger tourist numbers will leave nothing but their shadow.
Thank you very much for your interest. We will be glad to provide more detailed information together with a complete project-plan and sponsoring opportunities on request. Just contact:
Sven Thanheiser,
Managing Director OSC-GmbH
Neuhauser Str. 15, D- 80331 MÜNCHEN
Phone: +49-89/23 23 60 66, E-Mail: oscmuc@t-online.de
back
