Hi everyone!

 

Last Sunday, I ran my first marathon in aid of the Rainforest Foundation.

 

As you probably know, Diana comes from the Peruvian Amazon, which is one of the most ecologically diverse areas on the planet. For example, Peru is home to more bird species than any other country in the world (19% of all known species), most of which live in the rainforest.

 

However, the Peruvian Amazon and its indigenous inhabitants are under constant threat from logging, road-building, oil companies, illegal coca production and drug trafficking. Having been to the Peruvian Amazon and visited indigenous tribes-people, the plight of the rainforest and its indigenous inhabitants is an issue that's very close to my heart.

 

The Rainforest Foundation work with the Asháninka people in central Peru, protecting the rainforest, supporting communities and providing them with health care. A few years ago, the Asháninka used GPS technology provided by the Rainforest Foundation to map a portion of their lands so that it could become the Otishi National Park, which is now a reserved and protected area.

 

The Rainforest Foundation carry out their vital work not only in the Amazon but also in the rainforests of Africa. For more information, you can go to their website http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/ or the Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainforest_Foundation.

I would be very grateful for anything you can give. Your money will go towards protecting rainforests and providing local people with education and health care.

 

Thank you very much!