BIG ANNOUNCEMENT | Primate Wonder Fundraiser | #RunForTheRainforest
18/02/2022
Hi, Joy here!
Today is an exciting day. If you follow us on our social media platforms you would have seen our announcement today about our first EVER fundraiser.
Founder of Primate Wonder, I created this platform to raise awareness and educate people about primates and their conservation. But I am also here to inspire people to contribute to primate conservation and to get involved. Our first fundraiser isn’t just about raising money for primate conservation, it is also about encouraging you to get involved in the conservation of our closest living relatives.
So, what does this fundraiser entail?
This year, to celebrate World Rainforest Day on the 22nd of June, I will be running Manchester 10K, dressed as a tree!
Every year people around the world celebrate World Rainforest day and we hope you will join us to celebrate this year. Our first ever fundraiser will be raising money for an organisation close to my heart, Neotropical Primate Conservation (NPC). Our aim is to raise at least £1,000 which will enable NPC to continue to preserve and reforest the rainforests of Peru.
Who are Neotropical Primate Conservation?
Neotropical Primate Conservation or NPC is a non-profit organisation which specialises in protecting primates and their habitats. However, since its beginning NPC has used primates as a “flagship species” to protect all wildlife within the primates’ range.
A large part of NPC’s work involves working with local communities and officials to protect areas of rainforest, transforming once threatened habitats into official protected reserves. They also undergo projects involving reforestation including traditional recuperation/rewilding of clear-cut areas, alongside enrichment planting within selected logged forests. Where land has been converted to plantations and pastures, NPC enriches these areas with legumes, fruits trees and other productive plants, aiming to improve land productivity and will attract wildlife.
‘Since we began our work we have built over a dozen tree nurseries in different communities and with local schools and universities across northern Peru. Together these have produced hundreds of thousands of trees, all of which have been planted in rural areas where our focal primate species live and/or in the buffer zones of the community managed conservation areas we help create and manage’ - NPC Team
Photo credit: Neotropical Primate Conservation
Why conserve rainforests?
Rainforests of South America are well known for being the lungs of the world alongside our oceans. Here are some important facts:
- Rainforests are home to around 80% of the world's land biodiversity.
- Rainforests absorb tonnes of carbon dioxide and release oxygen, stabilising the earth's climate.
- They are crucial in maintaining water cycles
- Protect against flood, drought and erosion
(Download our ‘5 reasons to save the rainforest’ Infographic)
A little about me:
Once an avid runner I haven’t run for over a year! I had previously run 10k’s and even a half marathon in 2017. However, if you are like me and have not committed to running in a while you know how tough it is to get back into the mindset and routine of running again, and that's the challenge... I've also never run as a tree before!
I started training in late January in hope my muscles will remember how to run long distances!!
REGULAR UPDATES: Every couple of weeks I will be posting how my running training is going on Primate Wonder’s YouTube channel. Join me in my journey, donate and follow along on all of my platforms- @primatewonder
Join Primate Wonder:
Why not join me in this journey. If you are a resident of the UK, join me at Manchester 10K on the 22nd of June (we can create a whole running rainforest) OR organise your own 10K route wherever you are, donate to the cause and don't forget to share your journey too and show off your tree costume.
I want to see all your training updates and costumes designs so don’t forget to tag us @primatewonder and follow our #RunForTheRainforest.
PLEASE DONATE HERE: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/runfortherainforest