My name is Paul Rosolie, and rainforests are my passion. Over the past several years my work in conservation has brought me to the deepest corners of the Amazon, the wild lowlands of Borneo, the dwindling tiger-lands of India, and the fragmented remains of the once expansive Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Each of these rainforest regions is home to incredible wildlife found nowhere else on Earth; and each one is in danger of annihilation. I plan to change that.And here is how.
The mission of the Junglekeeper is to revolutionize conservation. Everyone knows rainforests are in danger, but few people know what they can do about it - or even that they can help. But they can, we can - all of us. Growing up I was captivated by documentaries about incredible wildlife in rainforests I dreamed of exploring myself. I remember thinking that nothing on Earth seemed as awe inspiring or important as these tangled natural worlds. In the case of almost every documentary however, the last five minutes were a sobering education about the chainsaws, guns, flames, and destruction facing the featured region. This 'curse of the last five minutes' as I called it, had a tremendous influence on me. Each time I was left frustrated and scared that these places would be gone before I would have the chance to see them. And the worst part was, it seemed that there was nothing I could do about it.Today as a conservationist I have spent the past several years exploring these regions for myself. In rainforests I have found more adventure and beauty than I could have ever imagined; and I have found that the documentaries I watched as a child were not exaggerating - these places are under siege. I thank the stars every day that I have had the chance to see some of the pristine nature I have seen. But future generations mayl not have the same opportunity unless something changes NOW. This is why I consider it my responsibility to start The Junglekeeper Project..
Past conservation campaigns have asked for donations, or shown dramatic images to stir our emotions - but these methods don't work. We plan to end rainforest destruction through public awareness. It is possible and I can prove it. Numerous times I have seen plans to turn forest into paper stopped because of public outcry. That translates to ordinary people making noise, and large companies changing their agenda in response. Earlier this year an exploration into a remote corner of Guyana accomplished a similar goal. The exploration of an area which was intended to be exploited for gold yielded the discovery of a land so wild that the news influenced the Guyanian government to ban all gold-related activities and protect the region: http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0228-hance_giants.html. This is how to achieve change. It is a tactic I plan to exploit to the fullest. People care about wildlife, and people care about the health of the environment. When there is a dam being built in virgin Amazon jungle, the Junglekeeper will be there to document the habitat that will be destroyed and the indigenous people who will be displaced. The same goes for palm oil in Indonesia, tiger poaching in India, oil drilling in the Amazon, and wherever else there is a threat to Earth's rainforests – the Junglekeeper will be there. We will do whatever possible. Whether it is educating local people, informing tourists, or fighting a large company - we will be combating deforestation through direct action tactics. By documenting, investigating, and confronting the forces which threaten tropical ecosystems we can preserve our planet’s biodiversity for future generations.
I hope you join me on my mission to end habitat destruction in tropical forests. These are some ambitious promises I am making, but I intend to fulfill them – even if that means being armed with nothing but a video camera and a passport. By following this blog you can follow the progress of this campaign. There are many challenges ahead, and I cannot do it without you.
