Rainforest Acres

What can kids do to help the rain forests? In Fort Mill, South Carolina, Deborah Bustamante is educating high school students about the tropical rainforest of Costa Rica as they are working in a program to save it. Her students are fundraising for conservation of rainforest land in an Earth Foundation partnership with The Nature Conservancy.

The program provides a hands-on curriculum, covering history, language, science, social studies, art, and math. The catalog of shirts for sale also teaches about the flora and fauna of the land, and empowers students to make a difference. Proceeds from the sale of T-shirts directly benefit the rainforest, buying land for conservation. Through this group, the sale of 10 shirts ($14 each) adopts one acre of rainforest.

The 'Adopt an Acre' site of this year, the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, has a wide diversity of habitats and richness of species. They represent half of the species known to exist in Costa Rica, including jaguars, sloths, and the quetzal. The Nature Conservancy purchases the land, protects it, and educates the indigenous people in developing ways for sustainable coexistence. The Earth Foundation reports that an intact rainforest is worth $6820 per year if harvested in a sustainable manner; $1,000 if clear cut for commercial timber, and $148 if used for cattle pasture!

Bustamante's students raised enough save 58 acres last year. This year, they have accomplished sales to preserve over 50 acres, and hope to save more. We're really proud of them! If you'd like to help the teens reach their goals, you can order these great designs at bustamanted@fort-mill.k12.sc.us or call Fort Mill High School, (803) 835-0000.