Climatelinks Photo Gallery

The rainforest canopy is an impressive place, and one that's not often visited by humans. Rainforest canopies, which generally sit 40-60 meters above the surface, are home to an impressive amount of biodiversity, including orchids, bromeliads, mosses, and lichens.

51 percent of Costa Rica's landmass is forested, and nearly half of that is considered primary forest, which is the most biodiverse and carbon-dense type of forest. Costa Rica is known for its ecotourism, which offers visiting tourists the opportunity to experience places like the rainforest canopy up close. Zip lines, sky trams, and sky walks are some of the main methods of ecotourism that bring tourists and the canopy together. 

This image, taken from a sky walk, gives a sense of the beauty of the canopy. In the background, the slopes of the famous Arenal volcano can be seen. 

It's rare for humans to get an up-close view of the rainforest canopy. Yet, this is just what they do when they participate in numerous ecotourism activities found in Costa Rica that serve to bring tourists to this rarely seen part of the forest. 

While zip lines might be the most commonly known type of canopy ecotourism, there are other possibilities, such as sky walks, where visitors take a trail that passes over hanging bridges. While still exhilarating, sky walks are not quite as heart-stopping as the faster-paced zip lines. Sky walks are perfect for individuals and families looking to experience an unfamiliar place while learning a little about what makes that place special.

This image was taken from the the middle of a hanging bridge, looking down into the canopy layer of the forest below. 

In Central Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia, USAID through its LESTARI project supports the Government Indonesia to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. USAID supported the implementation of Reduce Impact Logging in timber concession to carefully plan, control implementation of timber harvesting operations, and monitor and evaluate the environmental impacts especially on the residual forest stands and soils.

In Papua, Indonesia, a large opportunity for improving forest management to reduce deforestation and degradation is through the direct involvement and participation of traditional communities living in and around Papua’s forests. USAID facilitated community-based forest protection groups to collaborate on forest management hand-in-hand with official forest managers to provide on-the-ground forest management and protection.

This picture depicts a family of wildebeest in Dulahazara safari park, Chokoria, Bangladesh. The sanctuary is trying to provide as natural a habitat for the animals as possible in the tropical climate of Bangladesh, in an effort to study the animal. I didn't think twice about the photo after taking it, felt like any other generic photo that is going to fall in the pile of obscurity and be lost. But by sheer chance, the photo caught my attention a few months later, and I realized, the photo shows a deeper meaning of life. It showcases a family of wildebeest, and I couldn't help but connect with it. More often than not, we look at animals as they are, animals, but its more than that, these creatures have children just like us humans, these creatures rear their families just like humans, they feel the same way we do, then how do we think that we are so different? We take away their homes, their loved ones, their lives, yet we do not bat an eye. What makes gives us the right to do so? What makes us so different?

On this picture, a farmer is in his millet field serving as demonstration of the added value of using climate information in the yield production.

a trained farmer training other colleagues on how to read rain gage.

a farmer volunteering of collecting rainfall data in his farm each morning then sent it to the national weather service, he become active in the production of climate information and can evaluate the forecast.

a fishermen listening to the new channel voice message (message over voice) from the met service (ANACIM)

a woman working group of farmers discussing on how to make decision from climate information

a farmer volunteering of collecting rainfall data in his farm each morning then sent it to the national weather service, he become active in the production of climate information and can evaluate the forecast.

woman group weeding their farm. They are a part of farmers who receive climate information through the early warning system of Anacim.

Kalasha Rawal is a poor farmer from Sisnari, Surkhet District who depends on her small farm and community forest. Kalasha belongs to the Sisnari Multiple Use Water System (MUS) developed by the iDE led, Anukulan project (2015-19) funded by the UKAID BRACED Climate program. The Sisneri MUS provides water to 20 disadvantaged families (81 people) for domestic use and vegetable production from a spring source located in the village’s community forest. The approach embeds environmental services with water fees paying a MUS manager to maintain the system and protect the community forest water source. A fence was installed to protect the community forest and the source. The community planted additional trees, dug a recharge pond, and banned grazing livestock. Kalasha is from a disadvantaged ethnic group, she produced vegetables using MUS water improving family nutrition, earning over $700/year, and collects fodder and wood from the community forest. The earnings allowed her husband to return from India to work on the farm and be with Kalasha and their children. Anukulan developed 200 MUS for 20,000 people. MUS enable farmers to cope with climate change by shifting from risky rainfed agriculture to piped irrigation. (Photo by iDE Volunteer, Bimala Rai Colavito)

Kalasha Rawal is a poor farmer from Sisnari, Surkhet District who depends on her small farm and community forest. Kalasha belongs to the Sisnari Multiple Use Water System (MUS) developed by the iDE led, Anukulan project (2015-19) funded by the UKAID BRACED Climate program. The Sisneri MUS provides water to 20 disadvantaged families (81 people) for domestic use and vegetable production from a spring source located in the village’s community forest. The approach embeds environmental services with water fees paying a MUS manager to maintain the system and protect the community forest water source. A fence was installed to protect the community forest and the source. The community planted additional trees, dug a recharge pond, and banned grazing livestock. Kalasha is from a disadvantaged ethnic group, she produced vegetables using MUS water improving family nutrition, earning over $700/year, and collects fodder and wood from the community forest. The earnings allowed her husband to return from India to work on the farm and be with Kalasha and their children. Anukulan developed 200 MUS for 20,000 people. MUS enable farmers to cope with climate change by shifting from risky rainfed agriculture to piped irrigation. (Photo by iDE Volunteer, Bimala Rai Colavito)

The problem of land degradation in Sierra Leone. Erosion is washing away the top surface of the land in Allen town, in Freetown Sierra Leone as a result of poor land degradation by the communities, due to poor housing plans and poor waste disposals

The photo shows poor land degradation in Sierra Leone

This photo will help in the advocacy for climate change awareness and how to help the community and the country manage the situation

The relevant program receiving the climate change by USAID is Save life of Sierra Leone through land check and tree planting

Partners involved in the program is Women of God's Ambassadors Ministerial Network Worldwide, Freetown Sierra Leone

In the arid regions of northern Kenya, groundwater boreholes are providing increased climate resilience and water security. In this picture, local communities access water from solar powered borehole systems funded by USAID.