Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Parks on Yellow Alert

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CARACAS, Oct 6 2007 (IPS) - A “conservationist meter” applied to eight of Venezuela's 43 national parks by the non-governmental organization Vitalis shows “yellow alert”, between red for “danger” and green for “satisfactory”. The parks cover more than 10 million hectares, or 13 percent of Venezuelan national territory.

“Some parks, threatened by invasion, deforestation, fires, illegal mining, poaching, drug trafficking and urban pressures are in true red, and need attention from the government,” Vitalis coordinator Diego Díaz told Tierramérica.

The study, based on surveys of experts, officials and activists, calls for increasing park budgets, “because less than one percent of tax revenues are earmarked for environmental issues,” and recommends coordinated efforts by public agencies with NGOs, private companies and universities.