Fabrice Marre - DeforestAction Borneo project

Time is running out for Borneo's rainforest.

I care for the future of our planet.

Deforestation is a global problem, not only in tropical countries but all around the world. About 30% of the carbon we use is captured by boreal forests, but Borneo has the highest deforestation rate in the world. While politicians, usually focused on short-term economic issues, don't give enough importance to this problem, Borno's extremely biodiversity rich forests are inexorably vanishing.

As a satellite mapping specialist, I can witness a pretty worrying picture of Borneo.

During the past two decades, 2 millions acres were cleared annually.

Industrial large-scale clearing of forests for monocrop agriculture such as palm oil and cattle grazing is the main cause of deforestation in this region. In addition, gold mining is also causing an ecological disaster in polluting rivers and affecting local people.

In Borneo and Sumatra, consequences of deforestation have a dramatic impact in the local biodiversity and orangutans are one of the many victims. Having the same right to be on this planet as we are but powerless against human environmental dictatorship, some associations such as the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, laid by Dr Willie Smits have been fighting for this right on their behalf.

People around the world don't really show concern about deforestation and raising awareness about the importance of rainforests is a major step towards a better future.

The long-term consequences of global deforestation would jeopardise life on Earth as we know it. What makes life sustainable on this planet is the recycling processes involved. Cutting-down trees remove natural fertilisers such as leaves and animal faeces and the consequence is a poorer soil quality, main support for desertification. Forest destruction is damaging the ability of the earth to absorb carbon, and by damaging these carbon sink, this makes a direct contribution to rising temperatures.

Many environment groups such as deforestAction are heavily involved in the fight against deforestation, and using the power of the web and the media, they develop collaborative projects including schools and young people from all over the planet.

The latest deforestAction project will involve Brisbane documentary company Virgo production to develop a 3D feature movie and a TV series following ten young change makers in their fight to save orangutans and raise awareness about deforestation.

I am one of the candidate and I need your support to act. You can view and rate my video here: http://gg.tigweb.org/tig/deforestaction/48725/.

Thank you