Some 10,000 kilometres from his native Brazil, Kreta Kaingang plants an oak sapling in Kilfinan Community Forest as part of a project to reintroduce rainforests into the Highlands of Scotland.<\/p>\n
Delicately, the chieftain packs earth around the base of the stem with his hands and caresses the budding branches.<\/p>\n
Then, joined by fellow Latin American indigenous leaders taking part in the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, he breaks into a ritual chant.<\/p>\n
I have lived my life planting trees on my soil and it has been marvellous to have done it here in the spirit of reforestation, he told AFP.<\/p>\n
Although the trees may differ, our earth is the same as theirs in Scotland, says Levi Sucre, who is a leader of the Bribri people in his native Costa Rica.<\/p>\n
Kretas kokar an immense headdress garlanded with black and white royal falcon and red macaw feathers looks especially striking next to Gordon Gray Stephens kilt.<\/p>\n
The conservationist points out the similarities between trees found in South American rainforests and those in parts of Scotland: ivy and moss cover the trunks that are hung thick with creepers.<\/p>\n
We really exploited them over the centuries so we have a very small number of special things left, says Stephens, former director of the Scottish Native Woods charity.<\/p>\n
He laments how rich countries push developing nations to protect their forests while ignoring their own.<\/p>\n
Here rhododendrons and industrial pine, introduced from overseas for their flowers and timber, are suffocating indigenous species like oak, ash, willow and birch.<\/p>\n
Deer also eat young tree shoots, further stunting populations.<\/p>\n
In the 18th and 19th centuries, locals were forced out as swathes of forests were felled to make way for sheep pastures.<\/p>\n
Deforestation goes with depopulation, Stephens says.<\/p>\n
Today, Scotland has one of the largest concentrations of land owned by private holders in the world: 67 percent of rural land is owned by just 0.025 percent of the population.<\/p>\n
As the climate crisis deepens, more and more investors are eyeing Scottish land to dedicate to carbon capture schemes, according to Calum MacLeod, policy director of the Community Land charity.<\/p>\n
Some 130 kilometres west of Glasgow, Kilfinan Community Forest pursues decarbonisation in a way that benefits everyone.<\/p>\n
They buy land to rent as affordable housing for young families to move in and help reforestation efforts.<\/p>\n
The dozen indigenous leaders, chilled by the breeze, are greeted by colourful banners and wide-eyed children from the local school, opened next to a post office, sports centre and artisan ice cream factory.<\/p>\n
You want to have young trees in a forest but you also want to have young people in a community, Stephens says.<\/p>\n
A similar initiative is unfurling across the world, in the rainforest of Borneo, where villagers saw their lands destroyed for oil extraction and the logging industry, says leader Mina Setra.<\/p>\n
School closures during the pandemic prompted hundreds of young people who had been studying in cities to return.<\/p>\n
They launched successful initiatives such as organic farming cooperatives and now plan to stay, Mina says.<\/p>\n
Even if the climates and ecosystems are different, indigenous peoples share the same type of problems, said Mina, adding that she dreams of a united front of all rural and forest communities.<\/p>\n
For Solange Bandiaky-Badji, president of the Rights and Resources Group, history is repeating itself.<\/p>\n
The exodus from Scotland due to deforestation centuries ago is now taking place in Africa and Asia.<\/p>\n
All the migrations that you see of young people going to Europe is because their land has been taken from them, she says.<\/p>\n
A total of $19 billion pledged at COP26 this week to end deforestation globally by 2030 needs to go to the right people, adds the Senegalese campaigner.<\/p>\n
$1.7 billion is earmarked to help indigenous communities.<\/p>\n
But they are still speaking about us but not with us, says Anita Tzec, a Yucatan Maya from Belize.<\/p>\n
We are key players to change this process and we have to be brought to the table as decision makers.<\/p>\n
by Anna CUENCA<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Visit link: <\/p>\n
From the Amazon to Scotland, forest leaders united in hope - Macau Business<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Some 10,000 kilometres from his native Brazil, Kreta Kaingang plants an oak sapling in Kilfinan Community Forest as part of a project to reintroduce rainforests into the Highlands of Scotland. Delicately, the chieftain packs earth around the base of the stem with his hands and caresses the budding branches Continue reading