Amazonica
Encyclopedia
The name Amazonica unites numerous activities in the Amazon rainforest. Amazonica has taken on the task of preserving the most important forest-based ecological system in the world for mankind, together with the indigenous Indio peoples. An important underpinning of these activities is the Rainforest Academy in Ecuador
. This research and training institute, open to scientists and students from all over the world, was brought into being to communicate appreciation for, and understanding of, the tropical rainforest
. A just as important focus is the passing on and deepening of knowledge concerning forward-looking forms of indigenous community development that has resulted from tested model projects in the forest
. The effort is taking place under the auspices of UNESCO
. Amazonica is supported, among others, by the government of Ecuador and the European Climate Alliance. Founder and Chairman of the Amazonica Foundation is the publisher Mascha Kauka, who has been involved with the Indios of the Amazon region for 25 years as a development aid worker, environmental expert and advisor.
contains the world’s largest and most important forest-based ecological system. It sustains and renews one-third of the earth’s supply of fresh water
. This reserve is becoming increasingly important since today two-thirds of humankind have either insufficient or no clean drinking water
. The world’s climate is also considerably influenced by the tropical rainforest. It cleans the atmosphere of gaseous emissions such as CO2
that damage the climate. The disastrous effects that deforesting these primeval forest areas have on the world climate can in the meantime be felt everywhere. It is necessary to protect the tropical rainforest to ensure that the natural basis for life across the planet can be sustained in the long term. Only intact forests can guarantee a healthy climate, sufficient water (and thus also sufficient food) throughout the world. Exhaustive cultivation, however, is still the order of the day: year after year millions of hectares of forest are destroyed in the Amazon basin, mostly by timber logging and road-building.
. Its most important activities are the Amazonica Academy and the international Amazonica Foundation.
that are of central importance. These include, amongst others, the use of renewable energy sources for decentralized supply, climatology, hydrology, geo-information, and the cultivation and use of renewable raw material resources suitable to the locality. Studies in bio-diversity and earth biology are also offered. The Academy will be open to local and international students, lecturers and scientists. International research projects will also be carried out. Equally important is the dissemination of experience gained in tested model projects concerning contemporary community development for forest Indians – the custodians of the tropical rainforest. The Director of the Academy will be the educationalist Uyunkar Domingo Peas, one of the leaders of the Achuar tribe in Ecuador.
. The foundation brings together and administers donations and endowments and is responsible for financing the ongoing academic operation. It will provide the necessary means from revenues that include those arising from the Foundation’s own assets, endowments, public grants, donations and sponsoring. Setting up the Academy on two different locations (with the Achuar und the Shuar tribes) will cost around 1.3 million Euros.
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. This research and training institute, open to scientists and students from all over the world, was brought into being to communicate appreciation for, and understanding of, the tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...
. A just as important focus is the passing on and deepening of knowledge concerning forward-looking forms of indigenous community development that has resulted from tested model projects in the forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
. The effort is taking place under the auspices of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. Amazonica is supported, among others, by the government of Ecuador and the European Climate Alliance. Founder and Chairman of the Amazonica Foundation is the publisher Mascha Kauka, who has been involved with the Indios of the Amazon region for 25 years as a development aid worker, environmental expert and advisor.
The starting point
The Amazon basinAmazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
contains the world’s largest and most important forest-based ecological system. It sustains and renews one-third of the earth’s supply of fresh water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
. This reserve is becoming increasingly important since today two-thirds of humankind have either insufficient or no clean drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
. The world’s climate is also considerably influenced by the tropical rainforest. It cleans the atmosphere of gaseous emissions such as CO2
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
that damage the climate. The disastrous effects that deforesting these primeval forest areas have on the world climate can in the meantime be felt everywhere. It is necessary to protect the tropical rainforest to ensure that the natural basis for life across the planet can be sustained in the long term. Only intact forests can guarantee a healthy climate, sufficient water (and thus also sufficient food) throughout the world. Exhaustive cultivation, however, is still the order of the day: year after year millions of hectares of forest are destroyed in the Amazon basin, mostly by timber logging and road-building.
The Amazonica policy
The around 400 Indio peoples (almost 2 million Indigenous) in the Amazon rainforest are in an ideal position to protect it against damaging influences and preserve it for all of mankind. The natives want to live in contemporary fashion in the forest with their traditions while at the same time utilizing environmentally friendly technologies. The Amazonica initiative was founded in 2002 with the aim of allowing the Indios to have a future in the forest itself and thus protect it. The founder of Amazonica is the German publisher Mascha Kauka, who possesses more than 25 years of experience in organizing development projects in Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. Its most important activities are the Amazonica Academy and the international Amazonica Foundation.
Amazonica pilot project
In the course of a pilot project carried out between 2002 and 2007, around 12,000 forest Indians in the Amazon region of Ecuador gained profound experience in forward-looking development of the community. Selected communities in the territories of the Indio peoples assisted in this learning process. It focused on education and training (alphabetization, maintenance of the native culture, ecologically friendly farming and production, and the buildup of a domestic market in the forest, etc.), as well as the setting up of a medical infrastructure. This was accompanied by the introduction of renewable energy sources to permit decentralized supply in the rainforest as well as the protection of the primary forest through the creation of nature reserves and re-forestry. The pilot project was concluded in 2007. Results have been comprehensively documented and will in future be available to all the native inhabitants of the Amazon basin in cross-border fashion.Amazonica Academy
The Amazonica Academy is currently being set up in the Ecuadorian jungle to fulfill this purpose. It is intended that this co-operation between the Indios and German and international business and science communities in industrial nations should bring about a greater degree of understanding on how to deal responsibly with the rainforest. It is an academic establishment, offering faculties in global climate and hydrologyHydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
that are of central importance. These include, amongst others, the use of renewable energy sources for decentralized supply, climatology, hydrology, geo-information, and the cultivation and use of renewable raw material resources suitable to the locality. Studies in bio-diversity and earth biology are also offered. The Academy will be open to local and international students, lecturers and scientists. International research projects will also be carried out. Equally important is the dissemination of experience gained in tested model projects concerning contemporary community development for forest Indians – the custodians of the tropical rainforest. The Director of the Academy will be the educationalist Uyunkar Domingo Peas, one of the leaders of the Achuar tribe in Ecuador.
Amazonica Foundation
Financing is secured through the Amazonica Foundation, founded in April 2007 in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. The foundation brings together and administers donations and endowments and is responsible for financing the ongoing academic operation. It will provide the necessary means from revenues that include those arising from the Foundation’s own assets, endowments, public grants, donations and sponsoring. Setting up the Academy on two different locations (with the Achuar und the Shuar tribes) will cost around 1.3 million Euros.