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Land for Life Circular 15 April 2012

Land for Life challenges deforestation drive

Salta managed to get Argentina’s Supreme Court to lift a ban on deforestation (see previous Circular). They did this by complying with federal legislation that required them to produce a land-use plan for the province. This theoretically delimited areas where deforestation would be allowed and where not. A legislative loophole, however, means land owners can have their properties recategorized!

In coordination with ASOCIANA we have taken the lead in formally challenging this new wave of deforestation. Over the past weeks we have studied three proposals, two of which are located in areas where deforestation was not permitted.  We travelled to Tartagal and took part in a public hearing for the first one, a 26,000 acre plot close to the indigenous communities of the Pilcomayo.  We have presented similar challenges on the other two proposals (see map). In each case we have identified significant shortcomings and “economies of truth” in the environmental impact assessments presented by each land owner.  

Whilst unlikely to stop any deforestation, at the very least our actions are telling the authorities that someone is watching and reporting on what is going on. This, however, is very time consuming, because we have to first locate, access, copy or photograph, then  read and an  analyze each proposal, which can be hundreds of pages long. The effort involved is beyond our current capacity, and we know there will be more proposals emerging over the coming weeks and months.  We are sharing information with other organizations concerned with environmental justice, including ASOCIANA, indigenous organizations and the Catholic Church, as they will be in a stronger position to challenge the government on this issue.

Land Search

Andrew and Marcelo travelled to Las Lajitas (3 hours drive from Salta) to meet a family wanting to sell land near the Los Palmares Reserve (see Circular 14). Whilst the plot is of interest, the family is currently trying to sort out inheritance rights, and until that is defined we cannot proceed any further. The positive aspect of the trip was that we met more people, including christians, with whom we can continue to develop our network of contacts in the region.  

Church outreach and bird survey

Gringo, our friend from Church, continues to spread the news on Land for Life among his contacts. He has recently convinced a pastor from the Brethren Church to become interested in Land for Life work which is very exciting.  Click here for a short video on Gringo’s testimony  on the work we are doing.

Bird survey

As mentioned previously, CeBIO, a leading conservation organization from the neighboring province of Jujuy has helped us think further about the methodology for the bird survey we will start this winter. They have also put us in touch with several key scientists here in Salta who may also be able to give a hand. We aim to get this work underway in June.

Funding

We are on the verge of getting an account opened, but just when we think it’s done the bank asks us more questions!  We really do need the account so we can transfer funds soon for the bird research work. Government policy and the increasingly difficult financial scenario in Argentina mean banks are not so keen to get involved with charities.

We continue to require additional funds, especially for the unforeseen work in challenging deforestation projects. Even small amounts are helpful, as we need to cover photocopying, travel, and some pocket money for folk who give of their time to help us evaluate the proposals. If you would like to help, please contact us via the email address below and we can let you know the best way to send your gift.

Other work

Andrew took part in a two-day meeting run by the Diocese for Christian leaders from the Toba tribe (see photo). The meeting focused on the issue of how families can best disciple their children. Andrew presented a talk on the changing environment that children are growing up in and the challenges this presents to parents. Andrew’s father (who was brought up as a child among Tobas) participated in the meeting via a long phone call with Mateo Alto, a Toba pastor. (see inset photo below).

Andrew travels to Ecuador next month, where he will be reviewing a new initiative being undertaken by Compassion and STADIA in church planting.  Click here for a brief video of the work he will be looking at.

Family news

Tomas recently travelled to Chile with his University to visit FIDAE, the region’s largest annual air show.  He has also moved into a new flat in the centre of Cordoba, where he will be closer to his student colleagues. The girls are doing well at school, and have resumed their dancing classes with gusto. Carolina has now also added gym to her extracurricular activities. Cecilia is still deciding where to continue with university studies.

We were recently woken up in the middle of a big storm to find a lightening hit had set our neighbour’s house on fire. Andrew (in pouring rain and clad only in his pajama shorts!) helped to rescue people from the burning house. Thankfully they are now doing OK, though have to rebuild their house

Prayer Pointers

·         Thank God for what he is enabling us to do vis-à-vis the new advance of deforestation in the Chaco. Pray for discernment in the extent to which we should get involved.

·         Continue to pray that we may get a bank account for Land for Life!

·         Pray for the children in their studies. Also pray that we might find help with University fees for Cecilia.

·         Pray for Andrew’s trip and work in Ecuador (20-27 May), and Maria and the girls who stay at home. 

November 2011-February 2012

Land search

Two properties have come up for sale within the area where we are interested in acquiring land. They are called Santa Helena and Pelicano Quemado (Burnt Pelican). Both are close to El Saladillo, a property we had looked at previously (see Circular 12). We are particularly interested in looking at Santa Helena (9000 acres), which has a good mix of habitats and shares its northern border with Palmares Reserve. The properties were identified by a member of our Church (“Gringo”) who has relatives that live in the region (see Circular 11). This fact underlines the value and potential of working through local Church networks! Though the Santa Helena property (equivalent to 6000 football fields)  is relatively small when compared to others in the region, the asking price is most likely to be well beyond the current level of pledges we have received so far (approx $100,000). If after inspecting the land and talking to the owners we consider this to be a viable option, we will put together a prospectus for potential donors and/or ethical investors.

Santa Helena and Pelicano Quemado   

24°14'40.91"S/ 63°28'20.49"W

Bird survey

Discussion with local conservation biologists (who work for the Universidad Nacional de Jujuy and CEBIO, a private conservation organization) has led us to consider starting our bird survey work by replicating a study that was conducted in 1985. The area looked at in that study has since been deforested, so by doing a repeat study using the same methods we should be able to get a good idea of how the bird species list and abundance have been affected by these changes. We will then apply the same method in the area of the Chaco that still has forest cover but which is under threat. This will provide a baseline for monitoring what happens there over the coming years. We are on track to conduct survey work during the dry season, and are in the process of putting work teams together. There will be another survey during the wet season, towards the end of the year. We have at least three people from the UK who have expressed an interest in participating in this study, and aim to arrange a visit for foreigners sometime in July and August. This is a unique opportunity to come and visit the Chaco, and get first-hand experience of the region´s wildlife, its indigenous peoples as well as seeing some of the spectacular scenery of the Andes.   

 It could be you!

Ongoing funding needs

In order to host researchers and visitors in the Chaco we are aiming to acquire a robust (industrial) caravan. The Chaco can be a pretty rough place, especially for those who are not used to such conditions, and adequate accommodation is often difficult to arrange. Having something mobile means that it will afford us great flexibility, as the unit can be used at multiple locations, according to need and season.  A unit like the one shown on the right would allow us to host up to 6 persons in relative comfort. We can buy a mobile home in the range of £20,000; especially if we go for a second hand one. If this is something you would like to contribute towards, please contact Andrew, via the email address shown below.

Where you might be staying if you come and  count birds with us in the Chaco

Other work

During January Andrew was in Cambodia, helping facilitate meetings for Compassion International.  Working with Christian professionals is always inspiring. A key challenge during the meetings was aligning vision, mission, actions, outputs and impacts (not as easy as it might first appear!), but so crucial to ensuring effectiveness. Lessons learnt there will be helpful in running Land for Life. 

The trip took him via the UK, which on the way there allowed him to spend a few hours in meetings with CMS in Oxford. It was a good opportunity to meet staff there and discuss some of our work. On the way back he was able to visit his parents in Norfolk.

Andrew with Compassion staff in Cambodia, including members of their executive team, during a quick visit to Angkor Wat temple ruins. 

Andrew has also been involved in helping Catherine Le Tissier (our Bishop´s wife) to put together an exciting proposal for mobilizing local indigenous churches to help young families to bring up and disciple their children.

Family  news

The kids had a wonderful time in the UK, visiting grandparents and some of their friends. Tomas spent a few days in Mallorca with Maria’s parents, who then in turn went over to the UK to see Cecilia and Carolina.  A highlight for Cecilia was a 2-day visit to her godmother in France. Andrew and Maria enjoyed a great holiday in Costa Rica. Their travels took them via Bolivia, where they met up with friends from their work days in Honduras. We are now back into school routine and all those travels seem like a distant dream now. Tomas has already been back at University for a week. He is doing well, having just passed another major exam. He is now hunting for a flat.

Prayer Pointers

·         Pray for funds to be made available for the land purchase.

·         Pray that we may get a bank account for Land  for Life

·         Pray for encouragement in what we are doing, as it often feels like an uphill struggle (including vertical climbs!)

Contact: andrewleake@gmail.com

Circular 12 October 2011

A quiet but busy few months

Andrew has been tied down for the past weeks with travel and report writing, and will resume his trips to the Chaco later this week. Marcelo, through his contract work with the government agency for protected areas has kept tabs on events in the Chaco. The registration for Fundación REFUGIO with the tax authorities has moved forward. Our accountant hopes to have that completed in the next few weeks.

For Sale: Saladillo (24 000 acres of Chaco Forest)

Our search for land has led us to Saladillo (see map below) . It is next-door to Tortugas, the land we had previously been looking at, but which has some complications with the title deed.  It also shares a border with the Los Palmares nature reserve, and another plot, Palma Chueca, which could eventually become a private reserve.

Saladillo covers an area equivalent to over 16 000 football fields, (24 000 acres). If acquired, it would add to what is already being protected and effectively help to create the single largest protected area in the western Chaco.  Its location makes it ideal for the implementation of income generation projects (e.g. eco-tourism), as well as for initiatives aimed at encouraging neighbouring land owners to protect and manage their lands.

If Saladillo can be protected and managed effectively, it would make a significant contribution towards helping protect a broader region that connects the dry tropical forests of the Chaco with the more humid yungas (cloud forest) of the Andean foothills. It is also in a strategic location with regard to the advancing deforestation front, as shown in the map below..

Government conservation authorities would be keen to see Saladillo protected, but political inertia means there is little appetite for doing anything themselves. However, it may be possible to get the government to give the initiative its moral backing, which may help with attracting funding, both to purchase and manage the land.

The map shown here was produced by a CEBIOS, a conservation organization with whom Marcelo works closely. They have done much of the ground work in researching the conservation needs and potential for the region, and are a group we are keen to work closely with in the future.

The challenge ahead

The owners of Saladillo are asking for somewhere in the region of 95 pounds per hectare (approximately 950 000 thousand pounds). We are making informal enquiries about potential donors, and will in the meantime develop a detailed prospectus and business plan. We are learning as we go here, as we have little to no experience in how to go about this particular challenge! We would value help and advice from anyone out there who could help us put together a plan.

Future Work

•    Having just secured permission from Saladillo’s owners, we will be undertaking a rapid assessment of Saladillo, to determine its potential for conservation work. This will require walking the land, taking photos and conducting mapping work to be used in developing a prospectus for fund raising. If funds allow, we would also like to fly over the region and take air photos.

•    Andrew and Marcelo have been invited to contribute a chapter to a Christian book on the environment to be published by Fundación Kairos.

•    We hope to attend the upcoming Land Forum 2011- ILC LA Regional Meeting "Land, territories, management and social inclusion”, which is to be held in Salta in November.

Bird Survey

We are currently waiting to hear from the St. Pauls Church building tithe on the outcome of our request for financial support for the Chaco bird survey project we have previously mentioned.  We are very pleased for the park rangers in Los Palmares who have managed to secure a grant to monitor the rare Orinoco Goose (Ganso de Monte) Neochen jubatus.

Other news

Cecilia and Carolina are very much looking forward to the UK after Christmas, a fact that has them very excited. Ceci will be gaining some work experience in biological research at the University of Hertfordshire and making enquiries about the possibilities for her to study in the UK. Carolina will be spending time with her grandparents and cousins in Norfolk. Tomas may travel to Spain, but this is subject to exam dates (and results!). He continues to enjoy his course, though it is a lot of hard work and not much play at the moment.

Since July Andrew has been in El Salvador, Bolivia, England, Ethiopia, Sydney, and Singapore on contract with Compassion International. He was also in Peru, where he was invited to speak at a gathering of the Anglican Communion´s Environmental Network meeting, which provided a good opportunity to share our vision for Land for Life internationally. His next trip overseas may be in January, to Cambodia.

Prayer Pointers

Please pray:

1.  for Andrew and Marcelo to be able to make the assessments of Saladillo quickly (as rainy season is approaching)
2. for speedy production of a prospectus
3. for much wisdom for the L4L team
4. for patience and flexibility from the owners of Saladillo

Contact: andrewleake@gmail.com

Circular 11 July 2011

Bruno meting some interesting

machete-waving relatives

Making local contacts

During June, Andrew made three trips into the region where we are focussing our conservation effort. On the first trip he travelled with two local Christians Benjamin Diaz (AKA Gringo) and Bruno. They travelled to the area east of the Los Palmares Reserve. Most of the people living in this region happen to be Gringos relatives, a fact that greatly helps us in terms of making contact with them. Meeting and developing a working relationship with locals is a key part of our work. We are convinced that successful conservation requires working with local people. A protected area is in essence a social space, socially conceived and preserved. 

An unexpected but welcome experience in ecotourism

Flooded palm savannah (note pink spoon 

bills roosting on the dead trees)

The second trip saw Andrew taking a couple of visitors from the UK to a region north of Los Palmares (our first experience with ecotourism!). The plan had been to drive through the area, but this changed after a giving a lift to park ranger Nicefaro Luna. He took them off-road and into some interesting birding sites on a property called Tortugas (aprox. 5000 hectares). Along with an amazing number of bird species they also saw fresh tracks of cayman, puma, ocelot, wild cat, capybara, crab-eating racoons and foxes.

Dr. Patterson and Nicefaro Luna bird watching

 Andrew later met the owner of Tortugas, Dalmacio Romano, a humble man  who is keen to protect the forest on this property that he and his brothers inherited from his father. Andrew was astounded when in a quiet moment together he whispered to him that he was a Christian and had for years been praying for someone to come and help him ensure that his land could be conserved.  Though we must not get overly excited, this experience has led us to do some careful thinking as this  may be a plot (or neighbouring ones) will probably be the area we will  focus on as the first acquisition.

Challenges with land titles

Gringo and Dalmacio

Andrew made a return trip to the Chaco with Marcelo (Land for Life board member) and Gringo to talk to Dalmacio and visit the area in more depth. Discussions with him revealed that the title deeds to the property are in the name of his deceased father, and this will make any transfer quite complex. This a typical situation in the Chaco and one that is sadly being exploited by unscrupulous lawyers keen to grab land off unsuspecting owners by offering their services to help sort out the titles.  In the meantime we are exploring ways in which Land for Life might help Dalmacio to receive and guide bird watchers as a means of generating an income. This would be useful experience for other local land owners to observe.

Bird monitoring project begins to fly

Fundación KAIROS has formally accepted to work with on the bird survey, and is currently engaged in publicising the project. As part of the initiative we are keen to hear from anyone who may be interested in joining a small group of people who can visit Argentina in July 2012 and spend 2 weeks helping establish baseline surveys. The trip will include extensive travel in the Chaco and meeting with local Christians.  Do get in touch if you would like further details.

Other news

 Andrew has been invited to speak about Land for Life and his experience in Argentina tot the Anglican Communion Environmental  Network (ACEN)  which meets in Lima from the  4th to 10th August.  He also has other trips with Compassion International which include the US, El Salvador, Ethiopia and Singapore. He will be in the UK briefly on the 20th and 21st August (St Albans) and again from the 26th to the 29th August (Cromer)

Family  news

We look forward to the school-winter-holidays which start on the 9th July Argentina´s day of Independence.  Volcanic ash has all but closed tourism operation down south, so we are looking for other options for a short break.  The kids are doing fine, but more than ready for a rest from their academic activities.

Prayer pointers

•    Give thanks for the amazing series of contacts made in the Chaco.

•    Pray for wisdom in ongoing discussions regarding the Tortugas property.

•    Pray for funding for the bird survey project.

•    Pray for the paperwork to register Fundación Refugio with Argentina´s tax system (complicated!)

Contact: andrewleake@gmail.com

Circular 10 May/June 2011

Fundación Refugio now Recognized by Salta Government

Fundación Refugio was formally certified as a Non-Government Organization (NGO) on the 6^th May. The photo shows Andrew receiving the relevant paperwork from Dr. Godoy, President of the Camara de Diputados and the provincial Governor, Dr. Urtubey (just behind Dr. Godoy). The formal recognition now means we can function as a legal entity. This is a prerequisite to being able to apply for and receive funding from either private or government donors.

Networking

We are very grateful to Erica Dunn (Canadian Wildlife Service) for her assistance with helpful comments and literature related to the methods we will be using in the monitoring of birdlife in the Chaco. This  is a project that we are launching with support from a Christian education organization  from Buenos Aires, and one on which we will also be receiving  technical advice from A Rocha International and Clarke Expeditions (bird watching specialists here in Salta).

Land search

We have now narrowed down the area in which we would like to acquire the first plot of land. The actual process of finding what’s on sale takes time, and other than what gets published in the newspapers depends very much on word of mouth. Andrew has put out “feelers”, and we are waiting to see what comes up. While our focus is on something we can afford with the funds that have been pledged so far, we also have our eye on some big plots that are located in what has been recently described by a local conservation biologist as the most important area for the conservation of the Chaco in the province of Salta.

The region we are looking at includes one of the last areas of the Chaco that still has Tapir (Tapirus terrestris), South America’s largest land mammal. It is strange looking animal, with the distinctive elongated flexible nose that looks like a mini version of an elephant’s trunk.  

Fund managers in the UK

We continue to work on establishing an account for the reception of funds to be put towards land purchases in the Chaco. In the meantime St. Paul’s Church in St Albans (UK) has kindly agreed to receive (and gift aid) donations from the congregation or others locally in the St Albans area. Donations can be made by cheque to St Paul's PCC, c/o the Treasurer, Lindsey McLeod, 10 Edward Close, St Albans AL1 5EN.   Please mark any donations clearly for Land for Life – Fundación Refugio. If you wish to make an online donation please email  Lindsey at mcleod1206@btinternet.com, for bank details.

Mapping capabilities set to increase

We are extremely grateful to Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) which has granted Fundación Refugio a Not for Profit license to use its geographic information system software (ArcGIS10). This will significantly contribute towards our ability to gather, store and analyze conservation related data.

Coming up…

These are some of the key events coming up over the next few weeks:

·         Andrew is coordinating an over-flight across the area we are interested in buying land in. This will involve a professional photographer, Ossian Lindholm, who has kindly offered his services along with use of a whole catalogue of wild life shots.  

·         Together with a member from his local Church, Andrew will be visiting Manantial, a community with a strong evangelical presence deep inside the region where we wish to buy land. This will allow him to make contact with folk and identify others with whom we may become eventually involved with in the bird monitoring project.

·         Andrew and Marcelo are currently finishing the first draft of the bird monitoring proposal. It has been an interesting task as it has served to focus our thinking and to reach out to specialists who can help.

·         Bank accounts, tax exemptions and board meetings. All very tedious but necessary items we now need to contend with.

Family News

The family is keeping well. Tomas continues with his studies and flying lessons in Cordoba. The maths is proving quite a challenge! The girls continue to battle through secondary school here in Salta. Cecilia is doing a lot of thinking about her future options for study, and is currently keen on Biology. A few questions to sort out include; what area of biology she is most keen on, what country to study in, what university, and the big one: how do we fund her studies if she chooses to study in the UK or abroad?

Autumn is well on its way here, and temperatures have dropped. We spend a good amount of time gathering firewood, which is wonderfully therapeutic, especially when we all go down to the river with the dogs and fill the truck with drift wood.  Having said that we do look forward to the day we get our central heating installed, as it can and does get very cold at this time of year!

Prayer pointers

·         Give thanks for the successful application to register Fundación Refugio as an NGO.

·         Give thanks for the donation of a free license for ESRI mapping software.

·         Give thanks for the growing interest shown by people in what we are doing and for their helpful input.

·         For discussions with Fundación Kairos, with whom we are  seeking to formalize an agreement on working together on strategic issues, including the bird monitoring project with local Churches in the Chaco.

·         For safety and wise use of scarce funds as we plan and carry out the over flight to photograph the area we wish to buy land.

·         For the right piece of land to pop up at the right price!

Circular 9 March/April 2011

Andrew to the UK (briefly)

Andrew will be travelling to Kenya in March to undertake work for Compassion International. Due to the oddities of international airline travel, his best route from Buenos Aires to Nairobi is via London. Though rather long in flying hours, it does provide the opportunity to continue discussions with several people and organizations who are interested in supporting Land for Life. He will be in the UK on the following dates: 18th and 19th March, and then again from the 26th to the 29th March. He will be based in St Albans, and can be contacted via the email address at the end of this letter.

Networking

Andrew recently met the president of the Sociedad Rural de Salta, that represents the interests of the province´s land owners and farmers. This was a “get to know you” meeting, aimed at identifying some common ground that we can begin to engage on with land owners. It was positive, and left a door left open for us to have further discussions. We consider this an important step, as encouraging land owners towards adopting a more biologically friendly land ethic is one of the key aims of Land for Life.

Marcelo, in the meantime, has continued to strengthen his links with individuals and organizations engaged in conservation here in the province of Salta. This has allowed him to informally share with others what were up to, and has contributed to helping us further understand the scenario in which we will be working. It is interesting to see how Marcelo´s role as a contractor and consultant with both government and non-government organizations is enabling him to provide valuable insight into how we can be most effective in contributing to what others are already doing. We also continue to develop our links with organizations and businesses that may be able to contribute towards our work. We are still not free at this time to disclose details, but want you to be aware that we are certainly working on this strategic front!

Marcelo sharing the Land for Life concept with a local Christian leader in Salta

Mapping capabilities

Over the past months, and with a GPS kindly provided by Christ Church in Oughton, we have helped Bishop Nick Drayson map the various churches in the Diocese. Visualizing the spatial distribution of congregations has been interesting for several reasons. Other than help the Bishop understand where his flock are located across the rather large Diocese, it is interesting to see where Churches (Anglican) are in relation to areas of interest to some of the conservation we aim to engage in.

Draft version of the map made for the Diocese

The image above shows an early draft version of the resulting map, with communities with an Anglican Church shown in red.

One of our proposed research projects is to monitor bird lists over large regions of the Chaco, as a means of identifying some of the biological impacts that may be linked to deforestation and the expansion of agro industry. Churches, or at least some of their members, could play a key role in helping to gather that data. We feel this would be a practical means of “gently” engaging Churches and Christians in becoming more aware and document what is happening to their local environments.

We see this initiative as a tentative first step in establishing and developing our capabilities to produce top quality cartographic products though which to monitor Chaco´s environment and empower other organizations and communities with data relevant to their needs.

Family news

We enjoyed a week away in Cordoba over the summer, and combined the trip to take Tomas back to University and finding somewhere for him to live. Other than bad weather, not nice accommodation and the truck breaking down, we had a good time! Girls are now back at school and into all their extracurricular activities (this year; dancing, ballet, music and art).

Iguana 

The iguana shown above  (Tupinambis teguixin) (approx 3 feet long) was a regular visitor where we stayed in Cordoba. It was interesting to see how this species (also native to the Chaco) has adapted so well to living among people. It serves to remind us how resilient nature can be if and when given a chance.

It is a species that can be bred in captivity and its skin can be sold commercially. Andrew can vouch for the fact that it is edible, based on some of his past eating habits.

Prayer pointers

We would welcome you prayer support for the following specific items:

• Andrew´s meetings with supporters in the UK

• Andrew’s upcoming travels and meetings

• For the various networking opportunities that we are pursuing – that they may prove fruitful.

• For further funds for the initial land purchase.

• For patience as we develop and endlessly write project proposals, web pages, leaflets, emails etc!

Contact: andrewleake@gmail.com