Goodlife

The Matumbo Gap

2009-03-12T05:55:00.001-07:00

Goodlife's Progress in 2008

2009-03-12T05:15:00.000-07:00

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."

Rainforest

2008-10-09T02:19:00.001-07:00

Goodlife Join The Catwalk

2008-10-08T03:53:00.000-07:00

I had visions of the Goodlife team strutting their stuff Naomi Cambell style down the runway, but this is no ordinary Catwalk....

Imagine the most beautiful tranquil place in the world, almost 365 days of sunshine, lush green forest surroundings, toucans and parrots in the trees overhead the soothing sound of bubbling brooks. The Brazilian rainforest is a truly stunning place which completely took my breath away.

So why on earth are people trying to destroy it!

So help us save it! Goodlife have joined forces with the World Land Trust a conservation charity who have been working to preserve the world's most biologically important and threatened lands, and has helped purchase and protect over 375,000 acres of habitats rich in wildlife, in Asia, Central and South America and the UK. Today, less than 7% of the Atlantic rainforest is left, most of it has been logged for hardwood or cut down to make way for plantations and agriculture & what is left is mostly in isolated patches.

"The Catwalk project" will raise funds to buy up land to create a safe corridor between existing forest to increase the size of the rainforest reserve. This corridor will give big cats such as Jaguar, Puma, Ocelot & Margay the room they need to roam safely. By protecting vital forests habitats we will be ensuring their safety for the future.

Sadly it is the beauty and tranquility of this place that is leading to it's degredation. The amazing environment is attracting vast numbers of people from the neighbouring city of Rio De Janeiro who are coming to this forest in their droves leaving a trail of destruction as they thoughlessly clear large areas of land to build there holiday homes with no regard for the countless species of endangered wildlife who enhabit the area.

The World Land Trust and Project Partner REGUA are making good progress to restore these areas by re-planting trees and purchasing land as conservation areas. Goodlife are donating money to help this project and over the next 12 months we hope to plant thousands of trees. Astonishingly it takes as little as 3 years for re-planted trees to grow and provide sufficient shelter to protect endagered wildlife.

So come and join our "Catwalk" and help us to save one of the worlds biological hotspots. All you need to do is eat! Look our for Goodlife seleceted "Catwalk" product range available in Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Morrison's.