This time, 20 acres filled with coral reefs located at a strategic point in the Carribeans.
TiME (This is My Earth) managed, for a third year in a row, to raise enough money in order to purchase land containing endangered wildlife and declare it as a nature reserve, and this time – a marine area containing corals with several endangered species.
The area bought is off the coasts of Belize, and home to some endangered species such as the Hawksbill sea turtle, the Leatherback sea turtle, the Atlantic goliath grouper, and many more sea animals and plants all marked as endangered.
“To this day we have had the chance to salvage land areas, but this time we had a chance to do it in the ocean,” Prof. Uri Shanas, founder of TiME, said. “The atoll (A ring-shaped reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral) is beautiful and many entrepreneurs would be happy to develop or abuse, which would probably harm the wildlife that is already endangered.”
TiME has been founded three years ago by Prof. Shanas, from University of Haifa-Oranim, joined by Prof. Alon Tal from Tel Aviv University. TiME is an international democratic organization where anyone at any age can contribute anything, from a dollar onward. Every member of the organization receives a single annual vote, regardless of donation amount. Every year the members choose from three possible lands to buy, each containing endangered wildlife, and after purchased, the area becomes a locally managed nature reserve.
This year the organization will buy 20 acres of corals at the Turneffe Atoll, off the coasts of Belize. The area does not remain under the control of TiME, but is transferred to Turneffe Atoll Trust. The area purchased is in a strategic position, denying the ability to develop the area for tourism, creating a greater area that will be preserved.
“2.3% of Earth is considered “hot spots” that host countless of endangered flora and fauna, so every piece of land we purchase can make a tremendous contribution to the protection of many species,” Prof. Shanas conveyed. “We have proven for the third year in a row that this tactic, at first seen as naive, works and can change reality. Other than the countless of educational institutes that ‘adopted’ us, we managed to attract private companies and Israeli municipalities, which allows people to feel the satisfaction in taking part in saving the Earth.”
For more information on the organization, their activity and for contribution, visit the This is My Earth website at https://this-is-my-earth.org/.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
