Latest news with #RainforestTrust
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The World's Strongest Coffee Released - Cafely's BanMe Blend
LAS VEGAS, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cafely, the premium Vietnamese coffee brand known for bold flavor profiles, today announced the official release of BanMe, its most potent offering yet and a legitimate contender for the world's strongest coffee. These exceptional beans are sourced directly from Vietnam's renowned coffee capital, Buon Ma Thuot, at an altitude of 800 meters in the lush Central Highlands. BanMe stands apart through its exclusive use of rare peaberry beans—nature's concentrated powerhouses that constitute just 5% of coffee harvests. "This isn't just another strong coffee—it's an entirely different category of energy," explains Mimi Nguyen, Cafely co-founder. "We've created BanMe for those who find conventional coffee insufficient for their demanding days. The 100% peaberry robusta composition delivers approximately twice the caffeine of standard arabica beans while maintaining a surprisingly complex flavor profile." What Do Customers Say About Cafely's Strongest Coffee? Early customer feedback has been enthusiastic, with BanMe earning a 4.78/5 rating from over 250 verified buyers. One reviewer notes: "The intense flavors explode in your mouth with a lingering cherry aftertaste. And what a powerful caffeine rush!" Despite its formidable strength, BanMe offers remarkable flavor complexity with tasting notes of dark chocolate, toasted almond, and black cherry. The natural dry processing method preserves these distinctive characteristics while developing the coffee's full-bodied richness. "What separates BanMe from other high-caffeine coffees is our refusal to sacrifice flavor for strength," adds Alex, Cafely co-founder. "Many competitors boost caffeine content at the expense of taste. We've demonstrated you can have both when you start with exceptional beans and apply meticulous roasting techniques." Cafely maintains its commitment to ethical sourcing through direct farmer partnerships in Vietnam, ensuring fair compensation while protecting the environment. A portion of all profits supports initiatives dedicated to fighting climate change through the company's partnership with Rainforest Trust. BanMe Coffee is available for purchase in both whole bean and ground formats, with special introductory pricing of $21.95 (regularly $25.95). All orders include Cafely's 100% Happiness Guarantee with a 60-day risk-free trial. For more information about BanMe or to experience the world's strongest coffee, visit MEDIA CONTACTMimi Nguyen | Cafely LLC5940 S Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas NV 89118Phone: +1 (877) 947-7947 PHOTO link for media: Caption: Cafely's BanMe Blend. This release was issued through Send2Press®, a unit of Neotrope®. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at View original content: SOURCE Cafely LLC Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
27-04-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Cloud Forest Reserve Created In Ecuador To Conserve Endangered Parrot
A cloud forest reserve was recently created in the Andes of southern Ecuador to help conserve the range-restricted Endangered Red-faced Parrot by improving its habitat connectivity. Parrots have the largest number of threatened species of all bird families in the world: Almost one-third of all parrot species are under threat of extinction. The Red-faced Parrot, Hapalopsittaca pyrrhops, is a vanishingly rare species that dwells in the montane cloud forests of the high Andes in southern Ecuador and adjoining parts of northern Peru. Thanks to deforestation, mostly for grazing and agriculture, this parrot's population is rapidly decreasing. In 2023, there was estimated to be between 1200 and 1600 individuals alive worldwide, so the species was formally classified as Endangered by IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Most people – even the most avid birders and aviculturists – have never seen nor even heard about these Neotropical parrots, and to the best of my knowledge, they are not kept in any zoo collections. Red-faced Parrots are quite small, roughly 22 cm (8.5 inches) long. They are mostly emerald green in color but they have a beautiful royal blue tail that is relatively short and sharply pointed, royal blue primaries, reddish-orange shoulders, forehead, face and throat, with lemon-yellow streaks on their ear coverts. (If I was in charge of such things, I'd name this lovely bird the flame-faced parrot.) These parrots usually are seen in pairs or small flocks that fly rapidly over the forest and then disappear quickly into the canopy, where they can be very hard to see whilst they forage for fruits behind foliage. To protect the dwindling population of these parrots, a new nature reserve in Selva Alegre, Ecuador was created by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and its partners, the Rainforest Trust and the Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco, specifically to help conserve this rare parrot's habitat. This nature reserve comprises 518 acres (210 hectares), with a total of 1,388 acres (500 hectares) being the ultimate goal. The nature reserve was named the 'Ridgely Reserve' in honor of the world-renowned neotropical ornithologist and conservation biologist Robert Ridgely. Dr Ridgely has long advocated for the establishment of private nature reserves as a species conservation strategy. With this idea in mind, Dr Ridgely helped set up the Fundación Jocotoco in 1998 to preserve the bamboo and wet montane forests on the slopes of Cerro Tapichalaca in the eastern Andes – specifically to conserve the Jocotoco Antpitta, Grallaria ridgelyi, a bird species that Dr Ridgely discovered in 1997. 'Rainforest Trust board member and ex-President Bob Ridgely has committed his life to conserving Ecuador's rich biodiversity, especially birds, and it is so fitting that his name will grace the newest reserve established and managed by the Ecuadorian NGO he founded, Jocotoco Foundation,' said zoologist James Deutsch, CEO of the Rainforest Trust. "The Rainforest Trust is honored to support this initiative.' 'Bob Ridgely and all the other founders of Jocotoco have created a remarkable legacy by establishing our reserves, founding the Jocotoco Foundation, and expanding our protected areas across Ecuador,' elaborated conservation biologist Martin Schaefer, CEO of Jocotoco. 'Today, we can see how that legacy has flourished, with the Ridgely Reserve in southern Ecuador serving as a prime example. This new sanctuary in Selva Alegre, home to the world's largest known population of the Endangered Red-faced Parrot, shows our commitment to safeguarding Ecuador's incredible biodiversity. The reserve plays a key role in ensuring that our conservation legacy continues to thrive, inspiring future generations of conservationists.' The Ridgely Nature Reserve is located in the Chilla Mountain Range near Saraguro in southern Ecuador. It comprises a stunted forest of tough and gnarly Andean Polylepis trees and shrubs that grow at elevations of 5,000 meters, making them the highest altitude trees in the world. These high altitude forests gradually transition into Northern Andean Páramo habitat, which are wet grasslands located above the tree line and below the snow line within the equatorial Andes. The páramo is home to the greatest biodiversity of high elevation open vegetation types in the world interspersed with pines, along with eucalyptus plantations, and agricultural and livestock areas in the lower valleys. Tragically, human driven deforestation has increased dramatically in this ecosystem in southern Ecuador during the past 28 years to support local grazing and agriculture activities. Currently, these activities cover 46% of the total area of Selva Alegre and contribute to the growing pressures on biodiversity and valuable (and vanishing) ecosystems. 'The Red-faced Parrot is a very rare Neotropical species whose habitat is restricted to montane cloud forests of southern Ecuador and adjacent northern Peru,' reported ecologist Marcelo Tognelli, the International Project Officer at ABC. 'Unfortunately, deforestation and habitat loss have been contributing to its rapid decline. The creation of the Ridgely Reserve in southern Ecuador will help ensure this endangered species thrives by improving habitat connectivity, while also providing a healthier environment for local communities.' This new reserve serves as a bright promise that will not only help wildlife but will also benefit local communities such as the Guambuzari community that Jocotoco collaborates with. Guambuzari land connects with several of Jocotoco's reserves, so the goal is to create a corridor for habitat connectivity to aid wildlife movement and to establish effective regional protection in this area. This will generate numerous environmental benefits for the Guambuzari as well as for the residents in the city of Saraguro, and in surrounding areas – clean water for human consumption, reduction of landslides, preservation of the area's unique ecosystems, and – potentially – generate local economic benefits from ecotourism. Ecuador as a country is almost as big as the US state of Colorado, but it is a global biodiversity hotspot that is home to nearly 1,600 bird species. In contrast, the entire continental USA hosts about 800 regularly observed species. Although this area in Ecuador has not been fully explored, more than 90 bird species have already been recorded there. The star attraction of the reserve – Red-faced Parrots – have been consistently recorded there since the mid-1990s, making it the best-known location for this very rare species. This concentration of biodiversity highlights the importance of protecting Ecuador's habitats and the species that depend on them. Creating nature reserves has been a badge of honor for ABC since its founding 30 years ago. Together with its partners and local communities, ABC has protected over 1.1 million acres of land in more than 100 nature reserves spread across 15 countries, benefiting 3,000 bird species to date – roughly 30% of the world's total. Partner Jocotoco has become a leader in conservation and nature-based tourism and has helped set the standard for international bird conservation. Jocotoco has collaborated with the Rainforest Trust on 14 conservation projects covering 63,914 acres, with an additional 3,726 acres in progress. The Ridgely Reserve is part of the larger Conserva Aves initiative, led by ABC, National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC), and supported by the Bezos Earth Fund. The initiative aims to foster climate resilience and sustainable development. Answers to my questions, related materials and photographs courtesy of Agatha Szczepaniak, a media relations specialist with the American Bird Conservancy. © Copyright by GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes | Socials: Bluesky | CounterSocial | Gab | LinkedIn | Mastodon Science | Spoutible | SubStack | Threads | Tribel | Tumblr | Twitter
Nahar Net
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Amendment to Peru law raises fears of Amazon rainforest destruction
A recent amendment to Peru's Forestry and Wildlife Law is drawing fierce backlash from environmental groups and Indigenous groups that warn it could accelerate deforestation in the Amazon rainforest under the guise of economic development. The amendment eliminates the requirement that landowners or companies get state authorization before converting forested land to other uses. Critics say the change could legitimize years of illegal deforestation. "To us, this is gravely concerning," said Alvaro Masquez Salvador, a lawyer with the Indigenous Peoples program at Peru's Legal Defense Institute. Masquez added that the reform sets a troubling precedent by "effectively privatizing" land that Peru's constitution defines as national patrimony. "Forests are not private property—they belong to the nation," he said. Supporters of the amendment, enacted in March, say it will stabilize Peru's agricultural sector and provide farmers with greater legal certainty. The Associated Press sought comment from multiple representatives of Peru's agribusiness sector, as well as Congresswoman Maria Zeta Chunga, a vocal supporter of the law. Only one person in the agribusiness sector responded, saying they did not want to comment. A legal reversal and unconstitutional amendments Peru holds the second-largest share of Amazon rainforest after Brazil, with over 70 million hectares—about 60% of Peru's territory, according to nonprofit Rainforest Trust. It's one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet and home to more than 50 Indigenous peoples, some living in voluntary isolation. These communities are vital guardians of ecosystems and the rainforests they protect help stabilize the global climate by absorbing large quantities of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is the main driver of climate change. Passed in 2011, the original Forestry and Wildlife Law required state approval and environmental studies before any change in forest land use. But recent reforms have steadily weakened those protections. The latest amendment allows landowners and companies to bypass that approval, even retroactively legalizing past deforestation. Peru's Constitutional Court upheld the amendment after a group of lawyers filed a constitutional challenge. Although the court struck down some parts of the amendment, it left intact the law's final provision, which validates past illegal land-use changes. Legal experts say this is the most dangerous part. In its ruling, the court acknowledged that Indigenous communities should have been consulted on reforms to the law and affirmed the Environment Ministry's role in forest zoning. Environmental lawyer César Ipenza summed it up like this: "The court admits the law violated Indigenous rights and (tribes) should have been consulted but it still endorses the most harmful part." Support from powerful alliances in agribusiness The push behind the reform mirrors dynamics seen under former President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, where political and economic forces aligned to weaken environmental protections to favor agribusiness. While Brazil's effort was led by a highly organized, industrial agribusiness lobby, Peru's version involves a looser but powerful coalition. In Peru, support comes from agribusiness interests, land grabbers and figures linked to illegal mining and drug trafficking. Small and medium farmers with concerns about securing their land have also been swept into the effort. "What we're seeing is a convergence of both legal and illegal interests," said Vladimir Pinto, the Peru field coordinator for Amazon Watch, an environmental advocacy group. Was amendment push to comply with EU regulations? Julia Urrunaga, Peru director at nonprofit Environmental Investigation Agency, warned that the Peruvian government is now "falsely arguing" that the amendments are necessary to comply with the European Union's regulations, which will soon require companies importing products like soy, beef, and palm oil to prove their goods were not sourced from illegally deforested land. If products tied to illegal deforestation are later legalized and allowed into the market, that will weaken the effectiveness of demand-side regulations like those in the EU, she said. "This sends the wrong message to global markets and undercuts efforts to curb deforestation through trade restrictions," Urrunaga said. Olivier Coupleux, head of the Economic and Trade Section of the EU in Peru, has denied that recent changes to the law are linked to the EU's deforestation-free regulation. In interviews with Peruvian media, Coupleux has said the regulation aims to prevent the purchase of products linked to deforestation and does not require legal reforms, but rather traceability and sustainability in goods like coffee, cocoa, and timber. Peru's Indigenous communities say their communities are threatened With no further recourse in domestic courts, civil society groups are preparing to take the case to international tribunals, warning that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent for other countries seeking to circumvent environmental law under the banner of reform. For many Indigenous leaders, the law represents a direct threat to their territories, communities, and ways of life. Julio Cusurichi, board member of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest, said the measure will embolden land-grabbing and worsen environmental oversight in already vulnerable areas. "Our communities have historically protected not just our lands but the planet," Cusurichi said.
The Independent
15-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Amendment to Peru law raises fears of Amazon rainforest destruction
A recent amendment to Peru's Forestry and Wildlife Law is drawing fierce backlash from environmental groups and Indigenous groups that warn it could accelerate deforestation in the Amazon rainforest under the guise of economic development. The amendment eliminates the requirement that landowners or companies get state authorization before converting forested land to other uses. Critics say the change could legitimize years of illegal deforestation. 'To us, this is gravely concerning,' said Alvaro Masquez Salvador, a lawyer with the Indigenous Peoples program at Peru's Legal Defense Institute. Masquez added that the reform sets a troubling precedent by 'effectively privatizing' land that Peru 's constitution defines as national patrimony. ' Forests are not private property—they belong to the nation,' he said. Supporters of the amendment, enacted in March, say it will stabilize Peru's agricultural sector and provide farmers with greater legal certainty. The Associated Press sought comment from multiple representatives of Peru's agribusiness sector, as well as Congresswoman Maria Zeta Chunga, a vocal supporter of the law. Only one person in the agribusiness sector responded, saying they did not want to comment. A legal reversal and unconstitutional amendments Peru holds the second-largest share of Amazon rainforest after Brazil, with over 70 million hectares—about 60% of Peru's territory, according to nonprofit Rainforest Trust. It's one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet and home to more than 50 Indigenous peoples, some living in voluntary isolation. These communities are vital guardians of ecosystems and the rainforests they protect help stabilize the global climate by absorbing large quantities of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is the main driver of climate change. Passed in 2011, the original Forestry and Wildlife Law required state approval and environmental studies before any change in forest land use. But recent reforms have steadily weakened those protections. The latest amendment allows landowners and companies to bypass that approval, even retroactively legalizing past deforestation. Peru's Constitutional Court upheld the amendment after a group of lawyers filed a constitutional challenge. Although the court struck down some parts of the amendment, it left intact the law's final provision, which validates past illegal land-use changes. Legal experts say this is the most dangerous part. In its ruling, the court acknowledged that Indigenous communities should have been consulted on reforms to the law and affirmed the Environment Ministry's role in forest zoning. Environmental lawyer César Ipenza summed it up like this: 'The court admits the law violated Indigenous rights and (tribes) should have been consulted but it still endorses the most harmful part.' Support from powerful alliances in agribusiness The push behind the reform mirrors dynamics seen under former President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, where political and economic forces aligned to weaken environmental protections to favor agribusiness. While Brazil's effort was led by a highly organized, industrial agribusiness lobby, Peru's version involves a looser but powerful coalition. In Peru, support comes from agribusiness interests, land grabbers and figures linked to illegal mining and drug trafficking. Small and medium farmers with concerns about securing their land have also been swept into the effort. 'What we're seeing is a convergence of both legal and illegal interests,' said Vladimir Pinto, the Peru field coordinator for Amazon Watch, an environmental advocacy group. Was amendment push to comply with EU regulations? Julia Urrunaga, Peru director at nonprofit Environmental Investigation Agency, warned that the Peruvian government is now 'falsely arguing' that the amendments are necessary to comply with the European Union's regulations, which will soon require companies importing products like soy, beef, and palm oil to prove their goods were not sourced from illegally deforested land. If products tied to illegal deforestation are later legalized and allowed into the market, that will weaken the effectiveness of demand-side regulations like those in the EU, she said. 'This sends the wrong message to global markets and undercuts efforts to curb deforestation through trade restrictions,' Urrunaga said. Olivier Coupleux, head of the Economic and Trade Section of the EU in Peru, has denied that recent changes to the law are linked to the EU's deforestation-free regulation. In interviews with Peruvian media, Coupleux has said the regulation aims to prevent the purchase of products linked to deforestation and does not require legal reforms, but rather traceability and sustainability in goods like coffee, cocoa, and timber. Peru's Indigenous communities say their communities are threatened With no further recourse in domestic courts, civil society groups are preparing to take the case to international tribunals, warning that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent for other countries seeking to circumvent environmental law under the banner of reform. For many Indigenous leaders, the law represents a direct threat to their territories, communities, and ways of life. Julio Cusurichi, board member of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest, said the measure will embolden land-grabbing and worsen environmental oversight in already vulnerable areas. 'Our communities have historically protected not just our lands but the planet,' Cusurichi said. __ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Yahoo
Judge sentences criminal caught at airport with jacket full of contraband: 'This case sends a clear message'
Staff at Heathrow Airport in London discovered something strange one summer's day in 2018: a man wearing a large coat with 19 large bird eggs strapped to his body. He was trying to smuggle the eggs, two of which had already hatched, into the country to sell on the black market for up to $10,000 apiece, Rare Bird Alert reported. The man's name is Jeffrey Lendrum, and last month, he was sentenced to over three years in jail for the attempted smuggling of fish eagle, vulture, and kestrel eggs out of South Africa. Several of the species found on him were endangered species, Rare Bird Alert explained. But get this — it's not even his first time. According to the outlet, he was also sentenced to two-and-a-half years of jail time for trying to bring Welsh Peregrine eggs from the U.K. to the Middle East in 2010 and was found guilty of stealing falcon eggs from Canada in 2002 and from Zimbabwe as far back as 1984. The serial egg thief has been around the block, to say the least, and has likely profited off of this kind of poaching and smuggling in the past without getting caught. This story is certainly a wild one and does have a comedic element, but unfortunately, smuggling endangered wildlife is no laughing matter. Thousands of animals are captured and killed every year by people like Lendrum. Common victims are elephants, tigers, pangolins, chimpanzees, sharks, sea turtles, macaws, and rhinos, all targeted usually for just one part of their body that humans eat or turn into a product. Likewise, rare trees, plants, and flowers are also mined all over the world, according to the Rainforest Trust. These illegal practices directly harm the targeted species and their offspring. Endangered wildlife already struggles with human-caused stress in their habitats, and poaching their young further decreases their ability to survive another generation. Plus, when species go extinct, entire ecosystems suffer the consequences. The scales of biodiversity that keep our planet healthy can tip, triggering a domino effect that also reaches human life. Should it be illegal to throw away old clothes? Heck yes No way I'm not sure Only if it's free to recycle them Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Thankfully, there are trained experts monitoring transit hubs to catch people like Lendrum in the act. In his case, specialists identified the stolen eggs to be protected by legislation that controls imports into the U.K. of more than 35,000 animals and plants. These officers were able to care for the eggs and live chicks once they were confiscated from Lendrum and eventually got them into the safe hands of the International Centre for Birds of Prey. "This case sends a clear message that we are determined to bring cases like this before the courts," said Chris Hill, National Crime Agency investigations manager at Heathrow, per Rare Bird Alert. Want to fight back against poachers and smugglers? Supporting animal sanctuaries like the ICBP and other habitat conservation groups like the Rainforest Trust is a great way to start. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
