Percentage of Project Backed

The Darien region in Panama is considered one of the most biodiverse regions of the world, according to Javier Mateo-Vega, Director of the Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Yale University, but increased access to the region has allowed cattle ranches and mining to encroach upon natural forest. Between 2000 and 2008 Panama was losing about 13,600 hectares (of natural forest) per year, says Mateo-Vega.

Episode Summary 

Our episode will highlight what is being done to preserve biodiversity as the region opens up to the outside world.

Can the efforts of Ecotourism in Parque Nacional Darien, education workshops on permaculture and greenhouse farming, and reforestation projects from international nonprofits, make an impact. The episode will show how the Darien can serve as an example for other regions of the world to avoids loss of rich biodiversity as the increase of roads allow new business interests link rich resources to the global marketplace.

Partner Organization: Global Brigades – Planting Empowerment