http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news en http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_49   For the second time the truly aware organizers of the ROXY SNOWPRO 2012 in Saalbach/Hinterglemm Austria supported the Atlantic Rainforest Institution. They calculated the emissions created by the event. Considering mainly International flights of athletes, construction of the course, kilowatt hours preparing and troughout the event and also access to the event location by media and visitors. Our appreciation and thanks go out to Matthias, Roxy Europe, the athletes and all visitors. With the help of the Roxy Snow Pro 2012 a total amount of 1496 m2 of the almost extinct Atlantic Rainforest can be protected for future generations. May this also acts as a possible showcase scenario for other events!  With this Roxy is the outstanding leader on our Business-Donation list, check www.atlanticrainforest.org.  Let us enjoy our passion when and whereever we feel like. Let\'s also be aware of the fact that not every kid is lucky enouhg on this planet to even stand once on a surf- or snowboard in their entire lives. Their CO2 footprint is normally very small, even smaller in 3rd world countries.... therefore we should respect mother nature to the MAX when we play on her grounds and with all respect due, pay back mother nature what we took from her just for our own pleasure. OBRIGADO Chris 4 ARFI Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:53:16 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 49 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_48 Look forward to our homepage-update in April. Learn more about two new ARFI-invovments on site in Itacaré: - the most poisoned snake in South America, a project in Serra Grande by Dr. Rodrigo.   and the rainforest school "bosque da passagem" which boarders our new ARFI-office... stay tuned! In the meantime we can tell you that our Paypal service is up and running again. Thanks for supporting a small true project that really needs your help to fight deforestation and corruption. Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:31:30 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 48 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_47 We are in the process of creating a new Brazilian Paypal account. In the meantime our online-paypal service is not working. You can still transfer your donations to our bank account in Switzerland. Sorry for the inconvenience! Please add your email address on the payment slip, so we can send you a login by mail. Here our Swiss bank account: Bank: PostFinance, CHF-3000 Bern Name: Atlantic Rainforest Institution Account: 85-147517.6 IBAN: CH48 0900 0000 8514 7517 6 BIC: POFICHBEXXX Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:08:39 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 47 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_46 What began during the Breathe Festival in May 2010  is about to end in February 2011...., the construction of our first ever office in Itacaré, boardering the Rainforest school "Bosque da Passagem". We will shoot for an inauguration day in May 2011. We used recycled materials from the area, the walls for example are built out of old glass bottles, check the pictures:   View from the rainforest school, behind the little soccer field, our new office walk to the outside-meeting place, which also will be used by the school. the walls from the inside and one of the creators "milton" on the left side you can already imagine the door, on the right side the future window. view from our office to the boardering school called "bosque da passagem" even the workers are stoked and think about opening up a glass-bottle wall company - great inspiration... bamboo on top, glass bottles around the door... here comes the sun some of the bottles were donated, some we bought for 10 centavos a piece, still way cheaper then regular bricks!!! it's art baby, thanks Milton for your great work! inauguration MAY 2011 Sun, 02 Jan 2011 09:21:09 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 46 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_44 September 26, 2010 Right before the official price-giving at this years Freestyle.ch in Zurich Switzerland, two of the finest snowboarders drew the winner of the summer Atlantic Rainforest sweepstake 2010, thanks JP Solberg and Nicolas Müller for helping out!   AND THE WINNER IS: Evelyn Ammann from Switzerland Evelyn won one month free accommodation at the Eco-Villa from Sudden Rush in Itacaré, Brazil - CONGRATULATIONS!!! Sun, 17 Oct 2010 11:06:12 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 44 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_43 We are done updating our homepage. Now we can fully concentrate on the construction of our new office house in Itacaré, Brazil. During the awarness festival Breathe Brazil (www.breathefoundation.org) this may we started with the construction, hopefully we'll be done by the end of the year. Thanks Association for Conservation for your support!! This new office/gathering/storage place will allow us: - to patrol the boardering institution land easier - to stack material safe & close by - to have a dry and safe place for our computers - to invite school kids and local farmers to workshops - to have a place for meetings - to have a permanent ARFI address in Brazil   Check out international extremsport athletes working on the construction of the fully sustainable and recycled glass bottle walls:   Breathe banner on ARFI-land, painted by the boardering school "Bosque da Passagem" Xavier de le Rue and Ane Enderud building the glass bottle walls, local kid learing... not only is Xavier de le Rue one of the best big mountain riders, he knows how to build walls! 2 time snowboarder of the year and ARFI ambassador Nicolas Müller with actress Florine Deplazes Freeskier Mirjam Jäger and soul surfer Marcio Franca planting the first tree behind the new ARFI office Sun, 12 Sep 2010 10:56:29 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 43 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_42   Abrolhos National Park, Bahia, Brazil © Luciano Candisani      Teal : 025154 var imageWedgeControls = ["priImageID div span", "photoCaptionID div", "photoCreditID"]; collapseEmptyItems(imageWedgeControls); if (jQuery("#priImageID").css("display") == "none") { jQuery("#priImageColorBlockID").hide(); } else { var colortheme = jQuery("#colorThemeID").text(); if (!IsEmpty(colortheme)) { var themesplit = new Array(); themesplit = colortheme.split(':'); var hexColor = '#' + TrimString(themesplit[1]); //alert('--'+themesplit[1]+'--'); jQuery("#priImageID").css("background-color", hexColor); jQuery("#priImageColorBlockID").css("background-color", hexColor); } }     Over the last decade, Conservations International's Marine Program in Brazil has focused on the design and implementation of a network of multiple-use and no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Abrolhos Region, the richest South Atlantic marine realm. By establishing a strong field model in this vast 95,000 square kilometer area (37,000 square miles), we are producing solid knowledge and capacity for marine conservation, which can be replicated in other parts of the Atlantic and inform marine conservation globally. During this time, the conservation map of the Abrolhos area has changed dramatically. When CI's Marine Program began, Abrolhos National Park was the only MPA in the region. Currently, the area protected and co-managed with local communities is nearly four times larger, directly benefitting people. CI's Marine Management Areas Science (MMAS) Program has produced pioneering scientific knowledge to inform Abrolhos' management. Regional-scale habitat mapping using cutting-edge oceanographic technology led to the discovery of a large new reef area, at least two times larger than previously known. A decadelong database on the effects and effectiveness of Abrolhos MPAs demonstrates their importance for biodiversity conservation and sustainable fisheries management. Scientific data has been coupled with socio-economic and cultural information to producea holistic management plan for the entire region, targeting the maintenance of ecosystem services. By transforming scientific information into conservation actions and results, three marine extractive reserves totaling 2,900 square kilometers (1,120 square miles) were created in Abrolhos. Abrolhos MPAs are proving successful. Fish populations are stable inside multiple-use reserves while they continue to decrease outside of these reserves. This clearly demonstrates improved food security for over 15,000 people relying on the MPAs. Also, coral reef species richness and abundance have increased not only inside MPAs, but also close to their borders, demonstrating the positive spill-over effects of conservation. Devising adaptation strategies to climate change is a core conservation challenge, and Abrolhos will play a crucial role as a long-term and successful field model for such work. Research on coral bleaching, disease and susceptibility inform the identification of areas that must be protected to make the system more resilient to climate change. At the same time, scientific knowledge of calcareous algae banks is clarifying the role of these marine habitats in reducing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. The marine extractive reserves are strong instruments for securing traditional territories and ways of life. By relying on both traditional and scientific knowledge to inform the management of Abrolhos, local cultural practices that contribute to the maintenance of healthy natural ecosystems are recognized for their contribution to the provision of ecosystem services. In addition, the cultural value is amplified by implementing appropriate tourism development strategies, bringing tangible, direct economic benefits to local people. A bit up North "ARFI" is fighting agains the offshore-port "Porto du Sul". Local politicians care more about their profit, instead of protecting what's left of the Atlantic Rainforest. 1700 ha of world heritage land (primary rainforest & wetlands) will be destroyed if we don't get active: Please get active and fight against all similar projects on our planet. Read more at: http://www.portosulnao.org.br/   Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:01:30 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 42 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_41 Some Utilities Disappointed in Scaled-Back U.S. Energy Plan Senate Democrats’ decision to scale back energy legislation disappointed environmentalists, some utilities and the Obama administration, which took office promising to steer the U.S. economy away from fossil fuels Conversely, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s decision to drop a cap-and-trade plan, in which companies would buy and sell pollution rights, was “welcome news” for companies that sell coal to power plants, said Luke Popovich, spokesman for the National Mining Association. A cap-and-trade program to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases linked to climate change was a major feature of the first budget President Barack Obama sent to Congress last year. Climate legislation passed the House in June 2009, then took a back seat to overhauls of the health-care system and banking sector. “We are disappointed that we do not yet have agreement on comprehensive legislation,” Carol Browner, Obama’s senior energy adviser, said at a press conference with Reid yesterday in Washington. She said the White House will continue to work to get climate-change legislation passed, and Reid made a similar promise. Reid said he can’t round up enough support in the Senate this month for broad energy measures like a cap-and-trade program to restrict carbon pollution and a requirement that utilities buy more electricity from renewable sources. Instead, the majority leader said he will offer legislation to overhaul offshore drilling rules in response to the BP Plc oil spill, and establish household energy-efficiency programs and incentives for natural-gas-fueled vehicles. The measure is scheduled for Senate debate next week. $1 Billion on Lobbying For utilities that spent more than $1 billion over the past decade lobbying Congress for new energy policies, yesterday’s announcement will “mean continued uncertainty and delay,” said Ralph Izzo, president of the Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. utility based in Newark, New Jersey. Some utility officials said it will slow the spending of billions of dollars on solar, wind and other types of renewable energy. Power companies are ready to invest $1 trillion in new infrastructure “but much of that money remains on the sidelines” without clear rules for carbon dioxide emissions, said Howard Riefs, spokesman for Exelon Corp., the biggest U.S. nuclear-power producer. The American Wind Energy Association, a Washington group that represents companies such as Clipper Windpower PLC and Siemens AG, said it is “beyond comprehension” that the energy bill wouldn’t require utilities to buy more renewable electricity. Jobs in Jeopardy About 85,000 existing wind-industry jobs may be in jeopardy and the opportunity to create more than 270,000 new jobs may be lost, Denise Bode, the wind industry organization’s chief executive, said in an e-mail. Some utilities are in less of hurry for Congress to act. John Russell, president of Jackson, Michigan-based utility company CMS Energy Corp., said before Reid’s announcement that lawmakers should wait until “the economy has rebounded” to tackle the climate-change issue. “We feel more cost pressure today than we have in many years because of the state of the economy,” Russell said. Popovich said companies that own coal-burning power plants, including American Electric Power Co. and Southern Co., have been looking to Congress to pass legislation that supersedes greenhouse-gas regulations planned for next year by the Environmental Protection Agency. ‘Worse Than the Disease’ The cap-and-trade program sought by Senators John Kerry , a Massachusetts Democrat, and Joe Lieberman , a Connecticut independent, “would have been a cure that’s worse than the disease,” Popovich said. The news isn’t all good for the coal industry because the EPA’s rules are still coming next year, he said Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:42:46 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 41 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_40 The Commission decided today to encourage industry, governments and NGOs to set up certification schemes for all types of biofuels, including those imported into the EU. It laid down what the schemes must do to be recognised by the Commission. This will help implement the EU's requirements that biofuels must deliver substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and should not come from forests, wetlands and nature protection areas. The rules for certification schemes are part of a set of guidelines explaining how the Renewable Energy Directive, coming into effect in December 2010, should be implemented. Günther Oettinger, Commissioner responsible for Energy, said: "In the years to come, biofuels are the main alternative to petrol and diesel used in transport, which produces more than 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union. We have to ensure that the biofuels used are also sustainable. Our certification scheme is the most stringent in the world and will make sure that our biofuels meet the highest environmental standards. It will have positive effects also on other regions as it covers imported biofuels." Read more at: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/business/tax-directorate-investigating-wilmar-eu-set-to-ban-palm-oil-from-deforested-land/379785 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:42:35 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 40 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_39 UK backing loans for 'risky' offshore oil drilling in Brazil Documents show the UK government ignored risks in subsidising oil extraction from nearly 2,000m deep in Atlantic waters The Petrobras P-52 oil platform in the Campos basin, 125km off the coast of Brazil. Photograph: Marco Antonio Teixeira/Globo/Getty Images The British government is subsidising one of the world's largest and riskiest oil-drilling projects in the Atlantic Ocean and would be liable for tens of millions of pounds if a major accident took place. Documents seen by the Guardian show that UK trade ministers underwrote loans taken out by the Brazilian state-run energy company Petrobras in 2005 in order that Rolls Royce and other companies could contribute to the building of the giant P-52 platform. The platform is now operating 125km off the coast of Brazil in 1,798 metres (5,900 feet) of water - deeper than BP's Deepwater rig that exploded in April and led to the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But the 14-page environment report prepared by the UK's Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) and obtained under freedom of information rules by watchdog group Corner House, makes no mention of blowouts or the equipment needed to prevent them. Ministers have edited out all ECDG's comments assessing the risks involved in deep-sea drilling in the Atlantic. The oil and gas reservoirs of the Campos basin are considered some of the most hazardous in the world to access, pushing offshore technology to the limit. The P-52 rig replaced one that exploded and sank due to human error in 2001, killing 11 people. Environmental groups today accused the government of forcing British taxpayers to underwrite a project that could lead to a disaster similar to the spill in the Gulf of Mexico. John Sauven, the executive director of Greenpeace, said: "In this newly declared age of austerity in which we're told we can barely afford schools and hospitals the government is underwriting investments in dangerous deepwater drilling, despite events in the Gulf of Mexico and the obvious climate change implications of supporting frontier oil exploration." Margaret Ounsley, head of public affairs at WWF-UK said: "British taxpayers will be surprised to hear they are supporting this project. The ECGD is the shadowy arm of the British government and does nothing to make its procedures more open and transparent. We simply do not know what systems are in place to prevent an environmental disaster at this platform." A ECGD spokesman confirmed the government was still responsible for underwriting the loans, but said that the risk of a blowout was slim because the oil was not under high pressure like the Gulf of Mexico, and the most dangerous time - when the well was being drilled - had passed. "ECDG supported P-52 along with the US, Norwegian and Italian export credits agencies, who all undertook environmental assessments prior to supporting the project. ECDG assessed the P-52 project against international finance corporation guidelines for offshore oil and gas development and found it to meet the environmental criteria in these guidelines. Petrobras' oil-spill response plan was scrutinised against four international standards for such plans and was considered to be adequate for the project", he said. Last week Petrobras said it expected offshore drilling rules in Brazilian waters to be tightened in response to the Gulf spill and following increased interest by foreign companies in deepwater drilling off its coast. In March, just weeks before the Gulf blowout, BP announced a move into deep-sea drilling of the Brazilian coast with a $7bn deal with US company Devon Energy Corp. The deal included exploration blocks where oil is believed to lie in waters as deep as 2,780m (9,120ft). Yesterday the Brazilian government said it was still assessing whether the sale to BP should go ahead. The Agência Nacional do Petróleo, which grants licenses and supervises safety in the Brazilian oil industry, said that no decision has yet been taken on whether to approve what in normal cicrcumstances would be a formality. Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:02:21 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 39 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_38 ATLANTIC RAINFOREST CONTEST: Since we were super busy with the festival "Breathe/Respira Brazil" we couldn't promote the contest where you can win one months stay at the Eco-Villa. GOOD NEWS: The drawing will now be the end of this summer, SEPTEMBER 26 - during the freestyle.ch in Zürich. By absorbing your personal CO2 with the direct protection of your plot of Atlantic Rainforest on www.atlanticrainforest.org you automatically participate - good luck, boa sorte!!!   Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:46:12 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 38 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_37 REPORT BREATHE BRAZIL, June 2010 After a year of preparation, six weeks of on site build up, the second Breathe Foundation event completes an intensive 10-day program at Breathe/Respira Brazil in Itacaré over the 15th to 25th of May. Over 60 participants during the course of the event joined in a wide range of activities on offer including working with local schools, art, sport, seminars, reforestation and infrastructure building projects in the scenic location of the highly threatened section of the Atlantic Rainforest. In an intensive melting pot of ideas and experiences focused on local and global issues, it created an platform bringing an eclectic group of visionaries and activists together to focus on practical solutions. On the 5th day of Breathe Festival the participants have been taken by Chris Bachmann and Nicolas Mueller, President of the Breathe Foundation to plant trees. Nicolas Mueller, professional snowboarder, explained the efforts of ARFI, the Atlantic Rainforest Institution: “Only 7% of the original size of the rainforest are remaining and the ARFI Institute is protecting a corridor along the coast. Planting trees in this area together here with friends and everybody from the Breathe Festival is really cool.” AFRI, with support from the Breathe Foundation, The Association for Conservation and Swatch are constructing an Institution House at the school for the dual purpose of making it available to students during the day, farmers instructional seminars during the night and administration of the ARFI reforestation project.   Check the movie from this great day at:    http://www.youtube.com/user/BREATHECOSTARICA#p/u/6/gprBI3rj6E4 AND a full report about BREATHE/RESPIRA BRAZIL at: www.breathefoundation.org   Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:57:26 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 37 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_36 Win ONE MONTH stay at the Eco-Villa Tranquilla in Brazil by sponsoring at least one square meter of Atlantic Rainforest at WWW.ATLANTICRAINFOREST.ORG. This constest ends MAY 31st!  First price value - over EUR 5'000.- !!!! Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:41:20 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 36 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_35 With the ARFI we created the commercial project SuddenRush Guarana with the sole purpose to pay as much money/profit into the ARFI as possible. Even tough we didn't make any profit yet (3rd year) we already generated CHF 14'266.60 for the ARFI - this money was used to build, program and design www.atlanticrainforest.org. With each natural SuddenRush Energy-Shot you buy, you help generate funds for the Atlantic Rainforest. Obrigado for your support! Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:01:51 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 35 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_34 TED Talks Biologist Juliana Machado Ferreira, a TED Senior Fellow, talks about her work helping to save birds and other animals stolen from the wild in Brazil. Once these animals are seized from smugglers, she asks, then what? Check:  http://www.ted.com/talks/juliana_machado_ferreira.html   Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:49:55 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 34 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_33 Starting April 2010 we will build our institution headquater that is boardering the institution land. Like this we will have a local administration office in Itacaré and also a place to store fencing material and more. The budget for this construction is set at 7'000 Euro including all work, material and land.  Since locals still enter the institution land to steal precious woods and plants we have to protect this conservation area with guards that patrol once a day and we do need an internet access to push the project worldwide. Of course we'll only use recycled or natural materials to build that headquater, the walls are done with pet- and glasbottles. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:38:59 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 33 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_32   What is Breathe/Respira Brazil and the Breathe Foundation? The Breathe Foundation does not confine itself to a specific field of expertise, rather works to identify and promote all individuals or organizations working on positive ideas, practical solutions and sustainable systems for a world gone mad. Our world can be broken down into three main areas: Breathe Events challenge people to leave their regular surroundings and to re-immerse themselves with a isolated, vibrant, living, ecosystem. A chance to take direct action with organizations on the ground. A chance to stop for a second, take a deep breath, to interact and re-examine our place on the planet from a completely different perspective. Put simply, Breathe events offer a unique experience with like-minded people interested and working for change... Breathe Documentaries and media output work in tandem with the events on the local level while creating a global communication platform presenting the invaluable work and initiatives by local organizations, while following international developments on a diverse range of issues and solutions. Itacaré, Bahia, Brazil - 15th - 25th of May, 2010 Itacaré, Bahia, Brazil Breathe/Respira Brazil, taking place over 10 days in Itacaré, Bahia, is packed with field trips, sports events, workshops, seminars, music & art, relaxation, wellness and participation in direct action projects. Ample time is set aside to immerse yourselves in the beauty of the region, experience the local people and traditions, while finding time to meet and network with likeminded international participants and experts. Breathe/Respira Brazil is a chance to examine local issues while discussing global challenges that face us all.Breathe is a chance to holistically assess how we interact with our planet. Why Itacaré? Atlantic Rainforest Located approximately five hours South of Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, Itacaré sits in the Atlantic Rain-forest recognized by UNESCO as one of the five biodiversity hot-spots on the planet. Through logging, agriculture and population encroachment, it has been reduced to approximately 7% of it's original size.The remaining forest and the huge number of endemic fauna and flora species it supports is under continued threat from logging, poaching, multi-national farming companies and a growing local population. Added to this is a massive port development, Porto Não Sul, paid for by Indians to export minerals extracted from inner Bahia to China, that threatens to cut the sparsely remaining forest in two. Itacaré is a living example of the delicate management needed to address today's socio/ecological realities. What's on the Program? Activities, Workshops, Goals... Breath fuses music, art, workshops, surfing, Capoeira, wellness, Yoga, field trips, Candomble, wildlife reserves, reforestation projects, animal rescue centers, social programs, school visits, guest presenters, volleyball, documentary screenings and more published on a daily program. Workshops, held every second day, will focus on the following topics with key note speaker, check: http://www.breathefoundation.org/events/breatherespira-brazil.html Would be amazing having you down there?! Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:55:36 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 32 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_31 WHAT A GREAT WAY TO HIDE - LOOKS LIKE A LEAVE BUT IT'S NOT.... A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the orderLepidoptera. The differences between butterflies and moths are more than just taxonomy. Sometimes the names "Rhopalocera" (butterflies) and "Heterocera" (moths) are used to formalize the popular distinction. Many attempts have been made to subdivide the Lepidoptera into groups such as the Microlepidoptera and Macrolepidoptera, Frenatae and Jugatae, or Monotrysia and Ditrysia. Failure of these names to persist in modern classifications is because none of them represents a pair of "monophyletic groups". The reality is that butterflies are a small group that arose from within the "moths" and there is thus no way to group all of the remaining taxa in a monophyletic group, as it will always exclude that one descendant lineage. There are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth, with thousands of species yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal, but there are crepuscular and diurnal species.   AND NOW THE FULL BEAUTY.... Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:42:20 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 31 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_30   Welcome to the International Year of Biodiversity You are an integral part of nature; your fate is tightly linked with biodiversity, the huge variety of other animals and plants, the places they live and their surrounding environments, all over the world. You rely on this diversity of life to provide you with the food, fuel, medicine and other essentials you simply cannot live without. Yet this rich diversity is being lost at a greatly accelerated rate because of human activities. This impoverishes us all and weakens the ability of the living systems, on which we depend, to resist growing threats such as climate change. The United Nations proclaimed 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity, and people all over the world are working to safeguard this irreplaceable natural wealth and reduce biodiversity loss. This is vital for current and future human wellbeing. We need to do more. Now is the time to act. The International Year of Biodiversity is a unique opportunity to increase understanding of the vital role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth. Humans are part of nature’s rich diversity and have the power to protect or destroy it. Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, is essential to sustaining the living networks and systems that provide us all with health, wealth, food, fuel and the vital services our lives depend on. Human activity is causing the diversity of life on Earth to be lost at a greatly accelerated rate. These losses are irreversible, impoverish us all and damage the life support systems we rely on everyday. But we can prevent them. 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. Let’s reflect on our achievements to safeguard biodiversity and focus on the urgency of our challenge for the future. Now is the time to act.   Value of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Biological diversity - or biodiversity - is the term given to the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms. The biodiversity we see today is the fruit of billions of years of evolution, shaped by natural processes and, increasingly, by the influence of humans. It forms the web of life of which we are an integral part and upon which we so fully depend. This diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms. So far, about 1.75 million species have been identified, mostly small creatures such as insects. Scientists reckon that there are actually about 13 million species, though estimates range from three to 100 million. Biodiversity also includes genetic differences within each species - for example, between varieties of crops and breeds of livestock. Chromosomes, genes, and DNA-the building blocks of life-determine the uniqueness of each individual and each species. Yet another aspect of biodiversity is the variety of ecosystems such as those that occur in deserts, forests, wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural landscapes. In each ecosystem, living creatures, including humans, form a community, interacting with one another and with the air, water, and soil around them. The long term goal of the SuddenRush Atlantic Rainforest Institution (SRARFI) is to create a 30 kilometer long ecological corridor, that leads from the banks of Rio Contas all the way to the „Serra do Conduru State Park“, where a study realized by the Botanical Garden of New York identified 456 different tree species in one hectare (100m x 100m) – this is considered a world record in biodiversity!   Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:59:12 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 30 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_29   What is The Story of Cap & Trade?   The Story of Cap & Trade is a fast-paced, fact-filled look at the leading climate solution being discussed at Copenhagen and on Capitol Hill. Host Annie Leonard introduces the energy traders and Wall Street financiers at the heart of this scheme and reveals the "devils in the details" in current cap and trade proposals: free permits to big polluters, fake offsets and distraction from what’s really required to tackle the climate crisis. If you’ve heard about cap and trade, but aren’t sure how it works (or who benefits), this is the film is for you. Invest 10 minutes of your time to really understand what Cap&Trade means, check: http://www.storyofstuff.com/capandtrade/   THE SOLUTION: - Global Carbon Caps - Strong Laws - Climate Justice - A Clean Energy Economy   Please send this link to all your friends, even better if they are politicians! Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:36:24 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 29 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_28 Europe's biggest female freestyle snowboard event - "The Roxy Chicken Jam" will be held as a carbon neutral event. The compensation for the effects on the environment and the avoidance of CO2 and garbage are in the foreground. "The Quiksilver group being committed to sustainability and the protection of the environment, it is a great step to have the Roxy Chicken Jam being held as a neutral event", says Maritxu Darrigrand who is in charge of sustainable development at Roxy and Quiksilver. The emissions that will be produced at the production of artificial snow, at the use of the snow grooming vehicles, at the concert and at the journeys will be compensated in co-operation with the Suddenrush Atlantic Rainforest Institution (SRAFRI). Snowboard stars like Terje Haakonsen (NOR) and Nicolas Mueller (SUI) are actively involved in this project aiming to sustainably preserve the rainforest at the Brazilian Atlantic coastline (further information: www.atlanticrainforest.org) SRARFI thanks the 7th annual Roxy Chicken Jam 2010 for the pioneer work of organizing a carbon neutral event! Hopefully this will inspire many other organizers of different events to step into the foodsteps of Roxy! Let's have fun out there, but let's also be responsible for our action - OBRIGADO ROXY CHICKEN JAM     Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:10:59 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 28 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_27 TOUCANS: The Black-necked Aracari (Pteroglossus aracari) is a species of bird in the Ramphastidae family. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. The aracaris are medium-sized toucans in the genus Pteroglossus. They are brightly plumaged and with enormous colourful bills.All the species are basically fruit-eating, but will take insects and other small prey. They are arboreal and nest in tree holes laying 2–4 white eggs. They are resident breeders and do not migrate.The aracaris are unusual for toucans in that they roost socially throughout the year, up to six adults and fledged young sleeping in the same hole with tails folded over their backs. The one above just loves ACAI, as we do 2!!! Mother feeding the youngster! Enjoy!!!   SLOTH: The living sloths comprise six species of medium-sized mammals belonging to the familiesMegalonychidae and Bradypodidae, part of the orderPilosa. They are arboreal residents of the rainforests of Central and South America. The sloth's taxonomic suborder is Folivora, while some call it Phyllophaga. Both names mean "leaf-eaters"; the first is derived from Latin, the second from Greek. Until geologically recent times, ground sloths such as Megatherium lived in South America and parts of North America, but along with many other animals they disappeared immediately after the arrival of humans on the continent. Much evidence suggests that human hunting contributed to the extinction of the Amerian megafauna, like that of far northern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Madagascar. Simultaneous climate change that came with the end of the last Ice age may have also played a role in some cases. However, the fact that ground sloths survived on the Antilles long after they had died out on the mainland points towards human activities as the agency of extinction. Sloths are omnivores. They may eat insects, small reptiles, and birds, but their diet consists mostly of buds, tender shoots, and leaves, mainly of Cecropia trees. They have made extraordinary adaptations to an arboreal browsing lifestyle. Leaves, their main food source, provide very little energy or nutrition and do not digest easily. Sloths therefore have very large, specialized, slow-acting stomachs with multiple compartments in which symbioticbacteria break down the tough leaves. As much as two-thirds of a well-fed sloth's body-weight consists of the contents of its stomach, and the digestive process can take a month or more to complete. Even so, leaves provide little energy, and sloths deal with this by a range of economy measures: they have very low metabolic rates (less than half of that expected for a mammal of their size), and maintain low body temperatures when active (30 to 34 °C or 86 to 93 °F), and still lower temperatures when resting. Picture from our institution land! HUMMINGBIRDS: Hummingbirds are birds comprising the family Trochillidae. Here in Brazil we call them "BEIJA FLOR" (kiss the flower) They are among the smallest of birds, and include the smallest extant bird species, the Bee Hummingbirds. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12-90 times per second (depending on the species). They can also fly backwards, and are the only group of birds able to do so. Their English name derives from the characteristic hum made by their rapid wing beats. They can fly at speeds exceeding 15 m/s (54 km/h, 34 mi/h). Hummingbirds drink nectar, a sweet liquid inside flowers. Like bees, they are able to assess the amount of sugar in the nectar they eat; they reject flower types that produce nectar which is less than 10% sugar and prefer those whose sugar content is stronger. Nectar is a poor source of nutrients, so hummingbirds meet their needs for protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, etc. by preying on insects and spiders, especially when feeding young. Most hummingbirds have bills that are long and straight or nearly so, but in some species the bill shape is adapted for specialized feeding. Thornbills have short, sharp bills adapted for feeding from flowers with short corollas and piercing the bases of longer ones. The Sicklebills' extremely decurved bills are adapted to extracting nectar from the curved corollas of flowers in the family Gesneriaceae. The bill of the Fiery-tailed Awlbill has an upturned tip, as in the Avocets. The male Tooth-billed Hummingbird has barracuda-like spikes at the tip of its long, straight bill. The two halves of a hummingbird's bill have a pronounced overlap, with the lower half (mandible) fitting tightly inside the upper half (maxilla). When hummingbirds feed on nectar, the bill is usually only opened slightly, allowing the tongue to dart out and into the interior of flowers. Hummingbirds do not spend all day flying, as the energy cost would be prohibitive; the majority of their activity consists simply of sitting or perching. Hummingbirds feed in many small meals, consuming many small invertebrates and up to five times their own body weight in nectar each day. They spend an average of 10-15% of their time feeding and 75-80% sitting and digesting. Hummingbird flight has been studied intensively from an aerodynamic perspective using wind tunnels and high-speed video cameras.   Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:24:50 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 27 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_26  Surfers, protect your playground The surf community, always connected to this blue playground along with all other ocean lovers should mobilize and take action towards defending the preservation of marine coasts against irresponsible profit interests that do not bring sustainable development for communities. This month, Ilhéus is hosting the Panamerican surfing competition (Mahalo Pan Surf Games & Music, from the 7th to 14th of November at Batuba beach, Olivença). This big event will certainly reveal incredible talents amongst those prepared to surf the best waves. Unfortunately, in Brazil, there is insufficient financial support for such events, and the organisers usually have to accept money from polluting companies themselves. The polluters then use this opportunity to greenwash their dirty brands and to pose as if they were the good guys for the local communities. The Ilhéus region, in the state of Bahia, is one of very few remaining Atlantic Forest (one of the most biodiverse vegetation complex) preserved areas and has a coastal zone that has not yet been studied enough to understand the conservation measures necessary to preserve it´s biodiversity. The government and private companies pretend to bring to the region a huge new infrastructure, which will be situated in Ponta da Tulha - the Intermodal Complex of Porto Sul. A public-private partenership, worth 11 billion reais and that will bring unestimatable damages to the region in the socio-environmental aspect. The Bamin, main supporter of the surf competition, has interests in the construction of the port as it will enable the export of iron to India, China, Rússia and Kazakstan. If this isn’t enough, the construction of the port complex in this region will affect the coastal conditions, certainly impeding other competitions to bring brilliant surfers from over twenty countries to our exuberant Brazilian coast. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:19:17 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 26 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_25   PLEASE TAKE 4 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME AND GET INSPIRED! CHECK THIS LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kRP5x2MsAw     Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:39:33 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 25 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_24 ANACONDA Scientific name: - eunectes murinus - Portuguese names: sucuri English name: Green Anaconda The Anaconda is the biggest snake in the world and lives in the Amazon as well as in the NorthEastern Atlantic Rainforest. A grown anaconda can reach up to 9 meters in length,  unconfirmed sightings describe snakes from up to 12 meters. It is also the heaviest snake of the world with up to 250 kg bodyweight. The primarly nocturnal anaconda species tends to spend most of its life in or around water. When prey passes by or stops to drink, a hungry anaconda will snatch it with its jaws (without eating or swallowing it) and coil around it with its body. The snake will then constrict until it has successfully suffocated the prey. They eat fish, birds, a variety of mammals, and other reptiles.  Particularly large anacondas may even consume large prey such as tapir, deer, capybara, other snakes, and sometimes caimans and jaguars, but such large meals are not regularly consumed. There are many local stories and legends regarding the anaconda as a man-eater, but there is very little evidence to support any such activity. Also in the Atlantic Rainforest this species in threatened with extinction due to lost of their habitat. In the area of Itacaré you can still encounter anacondas in big conserved rainforest patches, and most of all on the banks of Rio Contas, our institution headquater!    BROMELIA Scientific name: - bromeliaceae - Portuguese names: bromélia, gravatá, caraguatá English name: bromelia   Bromelias are plants that practically only grow on the American continents. They have the ability to live in small little ecosystems, widely spread on trunks around our institution headquater. They create so many different types of life and beauty - just blowing you away again and again!     NUNBIRD Scientific name: - monasa morpheus - Portuguese names: chora chuva de cara branca, bico de cravo (bahia) English name: white-fronted Nunbird   A bird that can be encountered in the Amazon region as well as in the NorthEastern Atlantic Rainforest. A good example of a species bioindicator, that goes hand in hand with the fact and assumption that the Amazon and the Atlantic Rainforest were once one big connected rainforest, today separated by the "Caatinga" and the "Cerrado" ecosystem. This species is truly threatened with extinction in the State of Espirito Santo, in Bahia there is no data. They primarly eat insects during their flying. Around Itacaré you can find the white-fronted nunbird in protected areas of rainforest, mostly not moving on a branch.             Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:36:35 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 24 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_23 MONKEYS Scientific name: - Callithrix kuhli - Portuguese names: mico estrela, sagüi, sauim, saguim English name: Weid's black-tufted-ear Marmoset This is the smallest primate in Bahia, endemic to the area south of the Rio de Contas. Only weights about 450g and lives in families from 5 up to 15 individuals. They eat fruits, insects, small vertebrates, leaves and fruit juices (seiva). Their teeth are specially made to crack the bark of the trees to get to their tree-trunk-juice. Unfortunately this species is threatened with extinction, because of their loss of their habitat, geographical isolation and illegal trafficking of wild animals. On our instituion land you are welcome to feed up to 3 different families with bananas.   PUFFBIRD Scientific name: Nystalus maculatus Portuguese names: rapazinho dos velhos English name: Spot-backed Puffbird This is an endemic bird to Brazil. With the rapid deforestation you find this puffbird today at the boarder of dense and humid rainforests. He's know to sit steady and is pretty common in the area of Itacaré/Serra Grande. With a little luck you also get you perfect bird image! MUSHROOMS Today we idientified up to 70'000 species of mushrooms but maybe there are up to 1.5 million species, most of them still unknown and growing somewhere in one of our remaining rainforests. Mushrooms don't contain chlorophyll, like plants, so they can't realize photosyntesis and don't generate their own nutriment. To absorb energy they have an important function in the food chain, to recycle the nutrients, so they are actually the compost pile for all organic matter. All living substance is being decomposed by mushrooms when it dies...  The climate in Itacaré/Serra Grande is hot and humid throughout the year, this favours the growth of many hundered endemic species that you can discover on one of your jungle hikes.   Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:22:06 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 23 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_22 SRARFI welcomes local biologist "Fabio Coppola" and local Ornithologist "Leo Patrial" on board! The two truly aware rainforest activists joined forces with us and will send us on a weekly basis pictures of local and endangered species on and around our institution land in Itacaré, Bahia, Brazil! Their first documentary shows a general overview of our institution land and boardering patches. Obrigado for your donation that helps preserve the climate and the biodiversity of our planet!       Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:26:10 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 22 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_21 As a founder of Sudden Rush back in 1997 I still think it is a great thing to send kids and surfers to the ocean. Since this normally involves a flight to the ocean and back, which contributes to our climate problem, all I can do - to still fall asleep happy and aware is: to donate my personal profit over the year into our Atlantic Rainforest Institution - Sudden Rush GmbH now took the lead among the "business donations" with 1823m2 of protected Atlantic Rainforest! Which company is going to challenge us for that leader position??! ALOHA   Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:09:41 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 21 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_17 Everything started when BAMIN - Bahia Mineraçào - sold a licence to a huge foreign Indian company that wants to explore the area of "Lago Encantada" for  minerals and ship it to China. The size of 1771 HECTARES was taken away by politicians and private industry interests from local farmers. Now they want to destroy 17 Million and 700 hundred tousand square meters of intact rainforest, rivermouth's, the life of local farmers and the amazingly high biodiversity - all just to make more money and ship minerals to China - PLEASE help stop this insanity and support - WWW.PORTOSULNAO.COM.BR - otherwise again somewhere in this world we destroy paradise, many species and real life just for the interest of money... AGAIN, .... OBRIGADO FOR YOUR SUPPORT   READ MORE IN ENGLISCH AT:        https://nacla.org/node/6097 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:50:02 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 17 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_14 www.tagesanzeiger.ch/wirtschaft/unternehmen-und-konjunktur/Wie-Turnschuhe-dem-Regenwald-schaden/story/30675065 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:39:46 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 14 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_13 May 27 - The DAY of the ATLANTIC RAINFOREST in Brazil * new studies show that the state of BAHIA (where we are based) alone lost 24'148 hectares of intact rainforest from 2005 - 2008! * try to imagine, line up over 24'000 football fields in your mind..... AND??? 500 years ago, at the Portuguese landfall, the total area of Atlantic Rainforest comprised 30 times the size of Switzerland. One time the size of Switzerland is left today! * PLEASE PLEASE, help us save the Atlantic Rainforest with it's truly rich biodiversity * OBRIGADOWith your support we can maybe change this picture in the future... OBRIGADO for your support - upload your profile-picture and donate on www.atlanticrainforest.org Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:38:04 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 13 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_12 Check our "Non Profit Organization" now also NEW on Facebook Thanks for spreading the word! Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:04:03 +0200 Atlantic Rainforest 12 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_10 Hey GuysBack from breathecostarica.com, what a success!!!! (check youtube)The bugs from the BetaVersion are solved, since today "FRIENDS" version online.Please notify if you still find any bugs! Official launch soon to come!!PURA VIDA Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:58:54 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 10 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news#news_item_7 The ARCTIC CHALLENGE, Europes most important snowboard event is taking place this weekend in Oslo, Norway. Terje Haakonsen, Shaun White, Nicolas Müller, Kevin Pearce, Gian Simmen and more athletes are signing their snowboard, goggles, guarana-displays, maybe even their underwear?! Bet online from the 18. to the 24. of February 2009 on www.mycharitablelife.com. More info at: www.atlanticrainforest.org All Proceds will help save Brazil's Atlantic Rainforest! Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:06:05 +0100 Atlantic Rainforest 7 at http://www.atlanticrainforest.org//index.php?page=news