The Prince of Wales made a series of short films focusing on work by an all-women group tackling illegal activity in the Amazon rainforest. The women, who help protect the natural habitats in a part of the vast forests of Brazil, are the latest heroes Prince William is hailing in a series of new films.
Guardians shines a spotlight on the often perilous work and lives of wildlife protectors around the world, and is a six-part docuseries. Rangers are tasked with overseeing natural areas and the wildlife within them, but increasingly have to fend off poachers too.
Speaking in the introduction film aired on BBC Earth, Prince William says the Caru indigenous land, where the Guerreiras da Floresta, or Forest Warriors, are from “is under increasing threat from criminal gangs engaged in illegal logging, poaching, wildfires and the constant demand for natural resources.”
The Prince of Wales further adds: “Among those defending it are ‘guerreiras,’ or women warriors, standing firm for their people, their land and a way of life passed down through generations. In this episode, we witness their courage in helping protect not just the forest’s future, but the culture and wisdom rooted within it.”
William’s short films focus on a different team of rangers fighting to protect endangered species or guarding areas around the world, and kicked off six weeks ago.
This final installment focuses on the women of the Guajajara People, who have lived in the Caru Indigenous Land in Brazil for hundreds of years and are working to protect the land in Brazil from illegal logging, poaching and wildfires. They are now using the latest technology, like drones and GPS cameras, to help them spot illegal activity and alert the authorities as they patrol the land.
The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world, containing a third of animal and plant species, this crucial ecosystem is at a tipping point, due to increased deforestation.
William’s latest film coincided with a discussion he hosted at St. James’s Palace yesterday, at which Sonia Guajajara, Minister of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, was present.
On June 26, William told investors, politicians and scientists on Thursday that Indigenous People had a crucial role to play in protecting nature in his latest call for urgent action to tackle the impact of climate change.
He told a roundtable: “If we are serious about achieving climate and biodiversity goals, Indigenous Peoples and local communities must be central to the effort as partners, leaders, and co-creators of solutions.”