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NEW PROTECTION FOR MEXICO'S THREATENED FORESTS

14 October, 1998

click here to read the Protected Areas brochure, which gives an update on the implementations of the pledges...

London, UK - HRH, The Duke of Edinburgh, WWF's International President (Emeritus) announced new plans to protect the world's remaining forests through new commitments to WWF's Forests for Life protected areas target.

Speaking at a WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature - reception, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, presented the President of the United States of Mexico - Dr Ernesto Zedillo with a WWF Gift to the Earth award for new plans to protect forests affected by fires in Mexico.

In the first six months of this year, fires raged through Mexico burning approximately 200,000 hectares of forest. Most of the fires are thought to have been caused by farming preparatory practices, including slash and burn agriculture. In some cases, fires were deliberately set to provoke changes in land use.

President Zedillo's Gift to the Earth identifies 85 priority forests in 21 of the 32 Mexican states - covering a total of 188,000 hectares. These forests are "Sites of Ecological Restoration" and will now be subject to a legal status which prevents change in land use and enables the Ministry of the Environment to develop and implement forest recovery plans for each area.

"WWF has been campaigning for substantive commitment and action from the world's leaders to protect the Earth's remaining forests," said Dr Claude Martin - Director General of WWF International. "We applaud President Zedillo for taking such a bold step by announcing this new strategy to protect Mexico's threatened forests, and hope that other countries will follow Mexico's example and adopt similar legislation" he said.

Some of the most devastating fires this year occurred in ecologically sensitive forests, such as the Chimalapas in southern Mexico which contains one quarter of Mexico's tropical moist forest and is home to over one third of Mexico's plants and animals. One-third of the forest in Chimalapas was affected by the fires, and many people now see the burnt forest as areas for extending their agricultural lands, opening new ones or indeed claiming property. Without legislation, many of these areas will be settled or used for agricultural purposes eliminating the possibility of natural forest regeneration.

"With annual deforestation rates as high as half a million hectares in Mexico, preventing change in land use in forests affected by wild fires is a key forest conservation policy," said Dr Guillermo Castilleja, WWF Representative in Mexico. "Until now, such policies have not existed but this new Gift to the Earth will enable WWF and others to work with government agencies to ensure that the commitments expressed in the Decree are implemented on the ground," he said.

In addition, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh presented a Gift to the Earth certificate to the Head of the Komi Republic in Russia. This Gift to the Earth is significant as it represents protection of 16 per cent of the Republic's land - one of the largest surviving areas of untouched woodland in Europe - an area nearly the size of the Netherlands.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. WWF's Forests for Life Protected Areas target: The establishment and practical realisation of an ecologically representative network of protected areas covering at least 10 per cent of each of the world's forest types by the end of the year 2000.

Countries which have committed to WWF's Protected Areas Target: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peoples' Republic of China, Colombia, Greece, Lithuania, Malawi, Mozambique, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Romania, Russian Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Slovak Republic, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

2. A new Protected Areas Brochure is available detailing commitments made and progress on implementation. Also available on the web: http://www.panda.org/forests4life

3. Beta copies of a News feature incorporating interviews with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, WWF staff and background footage of forests in Mexico is available.

4. Map: A map showing the 85 priority forest areas in Mexico is available.

5. Colour 35mm slides are available of Mexican and Russian forests.

CONTACTS:
Alison Lucas/Tori Lyall: +44 (0) 1483 419266 or mobile 0468 688011
Rachel Thackray/Simon Forrester: 0171 470 8846 or mobile 0973 618304

For further information, please contact:

or

Forests for Life Campaign
WWF-International
Ave. du Mont-Blanc
1196 Gland, Switzerland.
Direct : +41-22-364.90.08 (new number)
Fax : +41-22-364.05.26 (new number)
http://www.panda.org/forests4life


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