Bosawas Reserve and the Moyangna

This is a bit of self-promotion, but nevertheless here it goes:

I’m trying to get this documentary on television, but to do so I need to produce a trailer to interest the decision-makers. I started this crowdfunding page in an effort to raise the needed funds to film the trailer. http://www.gofundme.com/ARTICLE750TRAILER

Please take time to read about the project and visit my page, make a contribution and ask your friends to do the same. Thanks!

“The Mayangna are the guardians of this lung of oxygen for Nicaragua, Central America and humanity, and we depend on these lungs to survive. This affects all of us.” -international human-rights activist Bianca Jagger

The BOSAWAS Biosphere reserve in north-central Nicaragua is one of the centrepieces of the ‘Heart of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor’. The area is renowned for its rich biodiversity and numerous rare or endangered species. It is also home to the Mayangna nation, a tribe that has lived in this rainforest for thousands of years.

Today these interlinked biological and cultural systems are under threat by a rapidly advancing agricultural frontier, increasing contamination of watercourses originating outside the reserve, illegal logging, as well as some trade in endangered animal and plant species.

Tropical rainforest contain about 7% of land surface but over half of the plant and animal species on the planet. If tropical rainforest deforestation continues at the current rate, it is estimated that by the first part of the 21st century about half of the remaining rainforest will be lost along with about 5 to 10% of all the species on the planet.

The Nicaragua government is seeking its own national solutions to mitigate the effects of deforestation and global warming. Part of that effort is the Ecological Battalion, deployed under authority of Article 750 of Nicaragua’s Constitution to protect natural resources as a matter of national security.

Article 750 reflects the important tie between conserving nature and conserving the peace. “Any act or action that severely impacts the environment of the country will be a considered a threat to national security,” the law reads.

But the leaders of the Mayangna nation, an indigenous tribe that has occupied the rainforest for thousands of years, don’t believe the eco-battalion is doing enough to save their way of life.

“The situation is precarious and the government is doing nothing about it. The land invaders have us up against the wall (due to deforestation), and there is nowhere else for us to go.” Jaymond Robins is a Mayangna representative. “[The Land Invaders] see the forest as no-man’s land. But it’s not; it’s the biodiversity that provides us with food security. Soon, we are going to have to start asking Sinapred (Nicaragua’s disaster-relief authority) for bags of food, because the advance of the agricultural frontier is destroying the forests and driving off the animals that we hunt for food.”

‘ARTICLE 750: With Guns and Shovels’ looks at the threat to indigenous cultures and the natural environment of Nicaragua due to deforestation and climate change and the country’s unique tactic to address the threat.

WHAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION PAYS FOR:

Our goal is to raise us$4500 to fund the production of a marketing trailer. With this trailer, we will be able to interest television channels in funding the full length documentary. When we reach our goal, we can afford all equipment and crew costs, travel and expenses, and editing fees.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Make a contribution, tell your friends to make a contribution, tell your family, tell your co-workers, your boss, tell everyone you know to make a contribution! Share this on your Facebook page, on Twitter, on Linked In– tell everyone you know!!!

 

 

Tagged: Bosawas, Bosawas Reserve, climate, Eco-Battalion, environment, Mayangna, mesoamerican biological corridor, Nicaragua, rich biodiversity, science, tropical rainforest deforestation

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