 GPS is helping thousands of Africa's indigenous population stake claim, to land that has been in their families for generations. The Congo Basin covers over 1.3 million square miles, including rainforests that are rivaled only by the Amazon. For many years, local laws have determined that the land belongs to the state, even though they were inhabited and farmed long before the laws were passed. Rainforest Foundation UK, founded by Sting and Trudie Styler, have high hopes that their "community mapping" will help support these hard-working groups, and challenge the arbitrary laws.
The greatest fear for the people of the Congo Basin, is that their government will sell off their lifeblood land to logging or mining companies. This would have dire consequences for the millions of residents. Homes and villages would be destroyed, not to mention the disturbance to the delicate balance of nature. The GPS teams will mark out the areas used for hunting and fishing, as well as sacred worship locations. Routes will be plotted on these maps showcasing the access points for vital areas. Once the GPS data has been collected a definitive map will be composed to challenge any plans to exclude these people from certain areas. GPS technology has flourished in recent years and is used for many applications, from navigation to conservation. The possibilities for GPS are endless and will continue to expand in new - as well as established - areas.
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