Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Preserving Genetic Resources

Researchers at Venezuela's National Center for Phytogenetic Resource Conservation are dedicating themselves to preserving the germplasm (seeds, samples or entire plants) of numerous species considered valuable to this South American country.

Ecobreves – CHILE: Indigenous Women Protect Plant Life

The National Association of Rural and Indigenous Women of Chile this month set up a committee for the defense of native seeds in order to ensure that the authorities recognize autochthonous flora as heritage of humanity and promote the use of local plants in medicine and food.

Ecobreves – HONDURAS: SOS for Gulf of Fonseca

The Committee for the Protection of Flora and Fauna of the Gulf of Fonseca launched a campaign to save the mangroves of this marine ecosystem, considered a biological treasure of Central America, but damaged by the shrimp industry.

Ecobreves – EL SALVADOR: Fish instead of Rubbish

Some 200 divers pulled a ton of garbage from Ilopango Lake, one of the main sources of freshwater for the Salvadoran capital and the principal means of subsistence for some 600 fisherfolk.

Eucalyptus Come What May

Despite criticisms from environmentalists, this exotic tree species in full expansion in Brazil, the pioneer in the region for genome research of the plant.

“As much injustice now as under Somoza”

The lack of education prevents us from thinking about the environment as a crucial issue for survival, says Nicaraguan writer and former vice-president Sergio Ramírez. In a conversation with Tierramérica, he stated that a novelist can serve as "a witness of the era".

Green Companies Honored

Businesses that care about nature and that apply creative production techniques were awarded the Environmental Innovation Prize, the first time this honor has been bestowed in Central America.

Eucalyptus Plantations Fail

The commercial production of this exotic tree species has left a trail of economic losses in Costa Rica, say experts.

Migratory Species

A rare wild Asian camel, the white shark, three types of whales and the river dolphin are members of a new group of species protected by an international convention that held its seventh Conference of Parties (COP7) in the German city of Bonn.

Ecobreves – ARGENTINA:: Eco-Home on Display

A house constructed of discarded materials at a cost 75 percent less than traditionally-built homes has become the star of an exposition organized this month by the Metropolitan Design Center of the Buenos Aires government.

Ecobreves – CHILE: Flotilla of Eco-Boats

More than 200 students participated in a unique regatta at Boca de Concón beach, on the Chilean coast, navigating the Pacific in "eco-boats" made from plastic bottles they had gathered during a clean-up day at the beach.

The Rocky Road from Puebla to Panama

Civil society organizations and guerrilla groups threaten to boycott the road construction uniting Meso-America, roads which are to lead to U.S. highways.

Still a Dream to Clone Miracle Cow

Cuba continues trying -- unsuccessfully -- to produce a repeat of the mythical cow that reportedly produced more than 100 liters of milk in just one day.

“Spanish preserves our identity”

"The big question is how to fight poverty," says Cuban actor Jorge Perugorría when asked about the viability of sustainable development efforts. In a conversation with Tierramérica, he also stressed the need to defend the region's culture.

Endangered Species

On planet Earth, there are 11,167 species of animals and plants that are known to be in danger of extinction, warns the latest edition of the so-called "Red List" published by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), considered an important tool for evaluating the state of biological diversity.

Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Reinstating the Condor

Raising hatchlings in captivity and educating the public are the main strategies of the Bioandina Foundation to restore populations of the condor, a bird that has not been found in the Venezuelan Andes for many years.

Ecobreves – CUBA: No Shelter for Migratory Birds

Thousands of migratory birds that arrive at the Cuban peninsula of Guanahacabibes, on the island's western extreme, will not find the shelter of the usual habitat, which was destroyed by Hurricane Isidore on Sep 20.

Ecobreves – BRAZIL: A Tree's Prodigious Absorption of Carbon Dioxide

Known as the jatobá, guapinol or algarrobo, the tree with the Latin name Hymenaea courbaril, found in Latin American and Caribbean tropical and subtropical forests, has an unusually high capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas associated with global warming, says a Brazilian study.

Ecobreves – COSTA RICA: Pro-Turtle Campaign

The independently run Sea Turtle Restoration Program (PRETOMA) will soon launch an international campaign aimed at preserving the baula turtle in Costa Rica.

Ecobreves – MESO-AMERICA: Funds for the PPP

The Central American Economic Integration Bank (BCIE) this month approved a 150,000-dollar contribution to back the Puebla-Panama Plan (PPP), the initiative to physically integrate southern Mexico and Central America.

Ecobreves – EL SALVADOR: Certifying Coffee-Growers

From January to August of this year, 52 coffee plantations in El Salvador received a green seal that certifies their compliance with environmental standards, granted by the international organization Rainforest Alliance.