Secretary's Report
Introduction
During its first year Equafor achieved its first objective, which was to assist Fundacion Jatun Sacha to establish a reserve in the highly threatened Bilsa Forest of Western Ecuador.
Situated in the Cordilleras de la Costa, within Esmeraldas province, the Bilsa Forest represents the largest remaining tract of wet tropical rainforest of its type west of the Andes. Its importance and vulnerability had been highlighted in Conservation International?s Rapid Assessment Program's report published in 1992. Fundacion Jatun Sacha took up the challenge to conserve as much of this forest as possible, and called upon organisations such as Equafor to assist it to raise the funds necessary to purchase the land from settlers. Equafor raised £11,000, enough to purchase about 19% of the original 800 hectares which make up the Bilsa Biological Station. In recognition of this, we were granted permission to designate part of the reserve as the Yorkshire Rainforest Reserve.
The Yorkshire Rainforest Reserve exists, thanks to the hard work of the trust's volunteers and to the generosity of the people of Yorkshire. It is, now, the task of the trust to ensure that the reserve has a secure future both in Ecuador and in the imaginations of the people of Yorkshire
.
The Launch of the Yorkshire Rainforest Project.
Equafor's appeal on behalf of Jatun Sacha was launched at Tropical World (Leeds Botanical Gardens) on 28th May 1994.
With the encouragement and approval of the City Council and the Management of Tropical World, the Trust presented a general exhibition on the plight of the tropical rainforest. This included photographs of Ecuador by John Briscoe, Paul Millard, James Savage and José Manzanares. It also featured scientific displays by Drs Edward & Elsie Broadhead, Steven Compton and students of Leeds University. The University also provided a display of South American butterflies, and Leeds Museum provided much associated material. Artwork and technical presentation were by technicians and staff of Temple Moor High School, Leeds.
Special thanks must go to Leeds City Council, whose Graphic Design Officers designed the publicity leaflets and a set of laminated display boards. A group of local artists painted the otherwise bare walls of the connecting corridor leading to the newly opened Amazon House. The mural depicts a view from the Rainforest canopy illustrating a range of South American animals and plants. Individual boards feature orchids, birds, bromeliads and amphibians. The artists, Francisca Ting, Shirley Warrenburg, Michael Hall and Naya Falle, gave their services free of charge. Tropical World Management provided the paint. Equafor purchased the boards and other art materials.
The South American Folk group, Apu, performed outside the Coronation House on the Sunday following the launch, to great public acclaim. Other features included Anne Jones and her collection of captive bred Macaws.
The Initial Period.
Though scheduled to last only a few weeks, the exhibition was much appreciated by visitors to Tropical World and the trust was asked to maintain it until the end of June and, later, throughout the Summer and Autumn.
The continued presence at Tropical World allowed the trust to reach a much larger number of the public than would otherwise have been possible. Thanks must go to the relatively small number of volunteers who gave up their weekends to stand by the exhibition and promote the trust.
Dr Michael Hall, joined the trust as Exhibition Co-ordinator in the summer of 1994. He supervised the updating and development of the Exhibition material, providing much needed back-ground information himself.
Publications.
The trust?s first publication, "Big Forest", produced by Dr Hall for the launch, sought to explain the aims of Equafor and Jatun Sacha. Funds only permitted the printing of 500 copies, and these were soon in short supply. It is planned to update and reprint it in 1996 should sponsorship be found. The newsletter, equaForum, also the brainchild of Dr Hall, saw the first light of day in time to be issued at the Environment Film Festival in October 1994. Since then, there have been 3 further issues. It is distributed to donors, local schools, and has been made available at Tropical World and has proven a cost-effective means of maintaining interest in the project. Regular sponsorship is being sought from local businesses, in return for advertising space, to increase the print run to a projected 10,000.
A series of Information sheets is in preparation, to provide for frequent requests for information about the trust. More comprehensive information packs intended for schools are in preparation but their development has been slower than anticipated owing to the time commitments of the volunteers who undertook the task.
A scrapbook, outlining the activities, history and progress of Equafor is being continually updated and has been made available at cost to interested parties.
Scientific Research.
The trust has developed links with a number of departments of the University of Leeds.
Professor K. Bartle and Dr A. A. Clifford of the School of Chemistry undertook to investigate the extraction of compounds from Ecuadorian plants obtained under licence by the trust from the Ecuadorian Authorities in accordance with the Rio Summit?s Treaty on Biodiversity. The initial projects involved undergraduate students, whose reports have been made available. Should the research show promise, Express Ltd (of the University of Leeds) intends to work in conjunction with the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew to investigate any biological activity present in the isolated compounds.
Members of the Departments of Pure and Applied Biology and Geography of Leeds University have also expressed interest in assisting with research projects at Bilsa. It is anticipated that the University will be represented there, at least by a student presence, in 1996. Thereafter, projects utilising the facilities within the Biological Station should be set up as an on-going programme. So little is known about the biodiversity within the Reserve that an immense and fruitful area for research awaits anyone adventurous enough to travel there.
At least two other Further Education Colleges have undertaken to consider participation in research within the Yorkshire Rainforest Reserve in 1996.
Schools Participation.
Over 30 local schools took part in the pilot art competition held at Tropical World over Easter 1995. Only schools within the 3 local authorities were circulated, but the trust was inundated with paintings, collages, sculptures and models on a rainforest theme. These were displayed in the corridor and on the exhibition boards on a rotating basis so that as many entries as possible could be displayed.
The trust is indebted to individuals who donated craftwork prizes and to The Book People Ltd. for donating 20 superb rainforest books.
Other schools have contacted the trust, and a number have raised money for the reserve. Heckmondwike Grammar School became the first to be represented in the Yorkshire Reserve by a plaque, specially designed within the school. It is hoped that their example will be followed by many others in the future. Because the trust was not in a position to provide an adequate follow-up service for schools during its first year of operation, the trustees decided not to petition schools to raise funds for the project. It is anticipated that the trust will be in a better position to do so in 1996.
Mention has been made by the Chairman of the participation of pupils from his school in the first Expedition to be made to the Jatun Sacha Napo Biological Station in Amazonian Ecuador. Facilities on the Yorkshire Reserve are, as yet, too basic for schools? expeditions.
Grant-Making
It is within Equafor?s remit to award grants for rainforest research and expeditions. Although no specific budget has been allocated to this area, two small grants were awarded in 1995, following applications submitted to the Trust.
The awarding of such grants will always be at the discretion of the Board of Trustees and policy may change in the light of experience. Each case is considered on its merits but, it is unlikely these grants will constitute a major portion of the trust?s expenditure for the foreseeable future.
Business Sponsorship.
Following initial approaches to the business community for financial assistance, it was decided that the time, energy and commitment necessary to be successful would be better employed in raising the public?s awareness of the trust and its work to the point where businesses find the association more attractive.
More positive responses have been received for requests for goods and services Taylors of Harrogate Ltd has included Equafor in its ?Trees for Life" Campaign.
The trust will actively seek sponsorship for a number of events and publications planned for 1996.
Applications to Grant-Giving Bodies.
To date, only one application has been submitted by Equafor. This was in conjunction with Biosphere Publications to the Royal Society, to obtain a seed grant to develop information leaflets and display material on biodiversity. The initial application was unsuccessful but the trust was encouraged to resubmit. In 1996, the trust intends to seek support for a number of educational and public awareness projects.
Media Interest
The only disappointing feature of the launch was that, due to lack of experience, the trust was able to attract only limited media attention. Useful contacts have since been made with local and regional newspapers. Aspects of the trust?s work have been featured on cable television and, recently, on BBC?s "North of Westminster" and "Look North"; though, in the latter, the editors managed to erase any mention of Equafor. Such is life.
