LETTER TO GOVERNOR GLENDENING FROM BRAZILIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN


From the Sixth Grade of the Escola Criativa de Uberaba, Minas Gerais, BRAZIL
R. Manoel Gonçalves Rezende, 230
Uberaba - M.G.
38040-240 Brazil
FAX and Voice phone: (00) (55) 0343363777
E-MAIL: criativa@ldc.com.br

Governor Parris Glendening
Governor of Maryland
The State House
Annapolis, Maryland, 21401
USA
FAX: 410 974 3275

9 September, 1998

Dear Governor Glendening:

We are students in the sixth grade of the Creative School of Uberaba, in Minas Gerais, Brazil. We devote a lot of our study time to environmental issues. We work on projects to help humpbacked whales, to preserve habitat for sea turtles along Brazil's coastline, to support the Mamiraurá ecological reserve in the central Amazon area, and to protect the Mata Atlântica, Brazil's Atlantic jungle, from further deterioration.

We have been studying the importance of the forests to our Planet Earth, including the value of their biodiversity and their influence on our climate and the equilibrium of gases in the Earth's atmosphere. In the course of our studies, we have visited the homepage of the Friends of Mount Aventine, or FOMA, the "Citizens Saving Chapman Forest." We believe in the power of organizations like FOMA, or projects like those in Brazil which our class supports, to improve the quality of life on our planet.

We note that many North Americans concern themselves greatly with our forests, the tropical rain forests, and so do we. But there should be equally great concern for the temperate forests, and certainly for Chapman Forest. It is like a miracle that such a large wonderful forest exists near the capital of the United States, on the Potomac River.

In many ways, the other countries of the world look to the United States as an example. So if you do everything you can to see that Chapman Forest is fully protected as a glorious natural wonder, it will inspire and support people in Brazil who work to save our tropical rain forest.

We understand from the FOMA homepage that you have taken a big step toward preservation of Chapman Forest, but that the job is not yet finished. We congratulate you, and we also join FOMA in asking that you help complete the protection of this splendid natural treasure. If you do, future generations will thank you. Our beautiful Planet Earth is, in a way, very small, and the decisions you make will have an impact on the decisions we make.

With great respect,

The Sixth Grade Class of the Escola Criativa de Uberaba:

Alexandre P. Abelha
Andrea K. Yuri
Breno J. de Freitas
Bruno V. C. Gomes
Fernanda P. Linhares
Guilherme R. B. Ciabotti
Lizandra C. Soares
Lucas S. Caldas
Luciana S. Teixeira
Pablo A. V. A. Canassa
Rafael R. Silva
Tiago C. Brito

Note please: we include with this letter a list with a short description of some of the environmental projects our class supports

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Environmental Projects of the Sixth Grade class of the Escola Criativa de Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
In our science studies, we have had the opportunity to learn about and study environmental projects by various organizations, some of which we list below:

* THE HUMPBACK WHALE PROJECT This is a project in support of the protection of humpback whales, who in the months of May and June travel to the south of Brazil to the Abrolhos Arquipelago. When they arrive there, they often run aground, and are helped by the Group "Blue Wave," which does everything it can to un-beach them. Every whale is identified by a picture of its tail.(Guilherme e Fernanda)

* THE BLUE WAVE PROJECT This project was funded by the composer Gilberto Gil, and defends against pollution of our waters. The slogan of the project is "A Beautiful Beach Is A Clean Beach." (Lizandra and Alexandre)

* THE MAMIRAURÁ PROJECT This is an ecological reserve created to preserve a central region of the Amazon, where the largest submerged forest in the world is found. The thing that moves us most is the diversity of people from all over who are tied together in this project. The health of nature is our quality of life, and we must protect it! ( Bruno e Lucas ).

* PROJECT FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE MATA ATLÂNTIC (ATLANTIC JUNGLE) This project aims to raise the consciousness of future generations about the important of the preservation of this jungle, and of moderate use of natural resources. The Mata Atlantica is almost completely extinct. ( Tiago e Pablo )

* THE TAMAR PROJECT The objective of this project is to establish a preserve for sea turtles along the entire Brasilian coastline, with the help of local fishermen. ( Andréa, Breno e Luciana )




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