Imagine our surprise to find a newspaper article about the Congo pygmies and find a photograph of a man in the jungle, using a Recon! The Congo pygmies are using the Recon - equipped with GPS and Helveta's CI Earth icon-based software -- to pinpoint sacred sites and hunting areas in order to protect their land and habitat from logging in the area.

The project has received quite a bit of coverage in the UK and with BBC radio because it is so unique. Many of the Mbendjele pygmies do not read or write, so unique software was created with icons for important places - a sacred tree, hunting ground or cemetery. When these icons are pressed, the GPS-equipped Recon makes a note of the satellite coordinates. The maps are then printed out so the logging company knows to avoid these important areas.

Posted by: Dale Kyle