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Google Earth Fights Against Brazilian Logging

A Brazilian tribe wants to stop the logging

By Bogdan Popa, Security and Search Engines Editor

2nd of July 2007, 09:39 GMT

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Google Earth is now helping a Brazilian tribe to fight against illegal logging in the Amazon reservations after numerous miners started to take down the trees and look for gold. The tribe

turned to Google Earth because it is regarded as the best solution that can provide valuable satellite imagery for the fight against the deforestation of the jungle. According to the Australian IT, Chief Almir Narayamoga Surui said that Google's mapping solution can help them prove the authorities that something illegal happens in their jungle and it must be stopped.

"At Google, we feel an obligation to help groups like this when it is so clear that our tools can make an important positive impact. If you look at the Surui land today in Google Earth, you'll see their 'island' of healthy green rainforest is surrounded almost completely by clear-cut, barren land," spokeswoman Megan Quinn said according to the same source. "They will certainly be scared, because we'll be watching all the time and denouncing the invasions," the chief added for the Australian IT.

However, the things might be a little bit more difficult from what the two partners expected because the tribe is positioned in an area that doesn't has Internet connection and most of its members don't own a computer. The tribe's chief is struggling to obtain donations from organizations and other companies that can help them with the equipment required for this type of cause and the first results might appear soon. It seems like the Amazon Conservation Team agreed to offer some free GPS devices and showed the members of the tribe how to use them.

According to the same source, there are no less than 400.000 Brazilian Indians in the reservations so a potential deforestation of the jungle might represent the end of their lives. Meanwhile, the parent company Google is trying to get some new detailed photos of the locations in order to help the tribes reach their goal. So, expect a new imagery update soon.

TAGS:

google | earth | tribe | surui | brazil

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