Written by Emily Acheson-Gray on 18 / 06 / 2019
Gap Year Advice
If you want to stop rainforests becoming a thing of the past, we need you to get involved with our programs which focus on vital reforestation.
At the current rate of deforestation, it is estimated that, within 100 years, there won’t be a single rainforest remaining in the world. Every minute, an area of rainforest the size of 20 football pitches is cut down, meaning that in the next 25 years up to 28,000 species may go extinct due to deforestation. The most shocking fact of all is that, without trees, humans simply cannot survive, as they help create a balanced, stable atmosphere.
Whilst trying to stop deforestation completely is a huge project, here at The Leap, we aim instead to do our bit to counter the rapid loss of trees by planting more.
Why not tick two things off your bucket list at the same time on our Peru program- trek up picture-perfect Machu Picchu and help preserve the awesome Amazon rainforest. Considering that 20% of the whole world’s oxygen is produced in the Amazon, I think it’s pretty clear why the Leapers’ help is needed in Peru right now. You will be based at the “Reserva Tierra Linda” conservation centre for 2 weeks which focusses on educating the local community about the importance of preserving their incredible natural resource. As well as this vital education, the centre runs projects which directly involve the reforestation of the rainforest, including working in the plant nursery and creating short videos to promote the reserve.
Pack your backpack and head out the incredible Amazon before it’s too late…
If wildlife is your passion, join us in Borneo to see, first-hand, both Borneo’s famous animals, from monkeys and orangutans to pygmy elephants, and the local children whose futures you will be improving. Our program out in Malaysia’s hidden gem works with the Rainforest Carbon Offset Project, intertwining planet-saving activities, such as planting tropical seedlings, with daily wildlife safaris by either boat or foot. This opportunity to study some of the island’s rarest wildlife acts as a reminder of how important your help is with the reforestation of their habitat in the river forest.
