Goodlife's Progress in 2008

Since the launch of Goodlife's Spicy Bean Burger with the featured Catwalk pack supporting the World Land Trust in August 2008, the product range has been extended covering Mediterranean Bake, Cheese & Spinach Bake, Glamorgan Sausage and Wild Mushroom Quarterpounder Burger and in just four months from your pack purchases we have managed to purchase 21 acres of endangered land in the Brazilian Rainforest.

A Three-Toed Sloth, regularly seen in the reserve

Goodlife's donations, made in 2008, have been used by REGUA, the World Land Trust's Brazilian project partner to fund the purchase of a corridor of land between the existing REGUA reserve to the east, and what is known as the 'Lemgruber' land to the west. This corridor, generally referred to as 'the Matumbo Gap' is primarily forested, but where forest has been lost REGUA will undertake natural regeneration and reafforestation work.

A frog round recently on the reserve

By protecting this corridor wildlife is able to move safely over a much greater distance and also the threat of development in terms of housing and clearance for agriculture have now been prevented.



The initial concept to purchase what is known as 'the Matumbo Gap' was ambitious. With funds provided by World Land Trust, REGUA was able to map the whole area, identify all the owners of the various parcels of land in the corridor, begin negotiations with them regarding the purchase and set about trying to raise funds for this purpose. Of the 12 landowners, 11 have now sold their land to REGUA and there is one outstanding purchase to be made to secure the entire corridor. The next challenge is to raise the funds for the purchase of an adjacent parcel of land: the 680 ha Lemgruber property.

Nicholas Locke, Project Director of REGUA, says:

"REGUA recognised the strategic importance of the headwater of the MatumboRiver as it linked REGUA to our member, Mr Lemgruber's farm. It lay within the confinees of Tres Picos park yet was being used and frequently cut and sold to small property developers with scant regard to conservation. We baptized these headwaters "The Matumbo Gap", an area of 1,122 acres (450 ha). We thank Goodlife Foods for their valuable contribution to making this land purchase a reality."