At the headwaters of the Amazon, the Ecuadorian government had plans to sell nearly 3 million hectares of indigenous peoples’ territories – some of the richest in biodiversity on the planet – to the international oil industry. But the local Waorani tribe stood up for their rights and won a lawsuit that will deny any harm being done to the these rainforest-laden lands.
These people are the guardians of the Amazon rainforest. Deforestation rates are five times lower in areas inhibited by indigenous tribes. That’s more the reason why victories like this are important for our forests. #forestnation
