In June 2024 our sponsorship funded the formation of a new group of forest guardians in the Cobra Grande Indigenous Territory, involving 3 Indigenous groups, namely the Arapiun, Jaraqui and Tapajo peoples. Their territory is located on the banks of the Arapiun River, which lies off the Tapajos and Amazon, in Pará, Brazil.
The Indigenous people here face many challenges and dangers in their territory from illegal loggers, miners, and farmers who encroach on their land, cutting down the forest, poisoning the land and water, with no consideration for the communities or nature itself. However, the Indigenous people stand against those who destroy the forest and risk their lives to defend their ancestral home.
Thanks to the recent training and new technology purchased, the communities can now operate more efficiently and safely, ensuring that any illegal invasions are halted or in the worst case, documented, so that the required evidence can be used by trusted law enforcement partners.
The training was led by the head of the Treesistance Forest Guardian program Chief Dadà Borarì and the TI Maro guardian group. During the training, there were maps created, discussions on safe confrontation techniques and de-escalation of potential violent situations, working with technology in the field and sharing of best practices and experiences.
“We would like to express our gratitude to Synergy Business Lawyers who made the formation of this new group of forest guardians possible. The Guardians have intrinsic motivation to protect their territory from illegal extractivism and are our best hope to protect the primary rainforest that our planet and future generations rely upon. This is a wonderful example of how businesses in the Global North can join forces with Indigenous people to protect the environment and make a meaningful difference.”
