On May 31, 2009, Gunnar Engblom of Kolibri Expeditions will run in the Lima Marathon in Peru to raise funds for Rainforest Partnership.The purpose of Engblom’s participation in the marathon is to raise the money needed to initiate a small project focused on infrastructure improvements and forest restoration initiatives in the community of Calabza, Peru — a community in which both Engblom and Rainforest Partnership have been working.Rainforest Partnership’s involvement with the community dates back to 2008, when Lucia Esclava, RP Program Coordinator in Peru, helped mediate a potential dispute between the Calabaza community and the Universidad Nacional del Centro del Peru (UNCP). Gunnar Engblom has worked with the community for over four years to educate them about the perils of deforestation and the economic incentives presented by ecotourism. As a result, the community has already prohibited the hunting of birds, the capture of butterflies, and the cutting and burning of forests for additional pasture.Engblom is raising funds for RP’s project in Calabaza. The project aims to support the local community in its efforts to continue restoring and protecting the forests and improving infrastructure through education in forest and agricultural management, maximizing the benefits of working with the UNCP, and procurement of better restroom facilities and building materials.To learn more about Gunnar Engblom and his activities, please visit his blog.To contribute to Rainforest Partnership and help raise awareness of the role of deforestation in global climate change, please click here.