GIS Professionals Urged to Support Efforts to Save Central African Forest
Copyright 2001 Business Wire from ESRI
September 11, 2001
Press Release
SOURCE: ESRI
REDLANDS, Calif.(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 2001--During biologist Michael Fay's keynote address at ESRI's 21st Annual International User Conference, he made an impassioned appeal to save the Langoue Forest, a pristine area of more than 600,000 acres within the Congo jungle in Gabon.
He indicated that $3.5 million (U.S.) is needed immediately to purchase the logging rights to the forest and return it to the public domain. This is the first step in creating the Langoue National Park, which will preserve the land.
Dr. Fay, who works for the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society, documented his 15-month ``Megatransect'' trek through a remote forest corridor that included the Langoue Forest. The trek spanned the Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. During his speech, he detailed his exploration of the region.
The goal of his trek was to systematically survey the area, focusing on the plant and wildlife in the region, as well as determine the human impact of the sparsely populated villages in the region.
By carefully documenting the near-pristine wilderness of central Africa, Fay said that he hopes to convince the world of the importance of preserving this region.
Fay commented: ``My mission is to raise the $3.5 million (U.S.) needed to purchase logging rights to this forest and to support legislation to make it a national park. Should this mission fail, another magical place will vanish forever.''
In a spontaneous gesture, a few thousand dollars was raised at the conclusion of the conference with the passing of a tote bag. However, conference attendees wanted to do more.
``Our user community has asked us (ESRI) to help organize a fund-raising effort to protect the Langoue Forest,'' commented ESRI President Jack Dangermond. ``We believe that it is a worthy cause and wholeheartedly support his efforts.''
You can help save the Congo. For just $60 you can set aside 10 acres. Seldom has there been an opportunity to make such a huge impact on the future of bio-diversity in one of the wildest places on earth.
To make a difference, visit www.savethecongo.org. This Web site provides detailed information on the fund-raising effort, as well as a link to the Wildlife Conservation Society for making tax-deductible contributions online.
Alternatively, you can send a check made payable to ``Wildlife Conservation Society/Langoue Fund'' to Langoue Fund, c/o Susan Hannah, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, N.Y. 10460. Write ``ESRI'' on the memo line.
Contact:
ESRI
Jim Baumann, 909/793-2853 ext. 1-1807
E-mail: press@esri.com