Deforestation

Tropical forests absorb more carbon than any other kind of forest. They also provide shelter, food, and livelihoods to millions of Indigenous and local people, while housing two-thirds of the world’s biodiversity. But we are losing them at an alarming pace (mostly to agriculture): In 2019, we lost a football pitch of tropical forest every six seconds. Stopping deforestation and forest degradation in the tropics is critical to the survival of humanity.

This page features information about the Rainforest Alliance's work to stop tropical deforestation and links to all our related content and resources.

Stopping deforestation in the tropics has been at the heart of the Rainforest Alliance’s mission since its founding more than 35 years ago. Working with companies, civil society organizations, and local governments—all while centering the voices of the rural communities we partner with—we promote community forestry and regenerative agriculture throughout the tropics. Our decades of experience have demonstrated that these are the most effective strategies to keep forests standing and restore biodiversity.

Quick Links

Deforestation position paper

This paper outlines our principles and strategies for stopping deforestation (and other forms of ecosystem conversion) in vulnerable tropical regions.

Forest Allies

Learn how joining our Forest Allies community of practice will help your company have a greater impact on forests.

Seven agricultural commodities linked to deforestation

World Resources Institute (WRI) estimates the extent to which seven commodities—oil palm, soy, cattle, plantation wood fiber, cocoa, coffee, and plantation rubber—are replacing forests, and maps their impacts.

Rights-Based Conservation: The path to preserving Earth’s biological and cultural diversity?

This Rights and Resources Initiative report examines the potential of community rights-based conservation to prevent biodiversity collapse.

Our Work: Deforestation

Project Profile: The Business Case for Collective Landscape Action

Through this initiative, the Rainforest Alliance will work with several organizations to address global environmental challenges associated with commodity-driven deforestation in some of the world’s most important tropical ecosystems and sourcing regions.... Continue Reading

Project Profiles

All resources for Deforestation

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Successful 20 Years of Community Forest Management in Guatemala Informs an Integrated Community Forest Management Pathway to Support Scaling

This article published by the World Forestry Congress XV (Republic of Korea, 2022) summarizes the Rainforest Alliance’s work in the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala, our learnings, and our approach to scaling up community forestry. This paper aims to spark discussion about the guiding principles of integrated community forest management. The Rainforest Alliance invites partners […]

White Paper
May 23, 2022

Our Response to the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products

The Rainforest Alliance welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for an EU regulation on deforestation-free products. This proposal is an ambitious move to ensure the success of zero-deforestation commitments and create a level playing field for companies involved with such commodities. It sends a strong political and market signal in support of achieving deforestation-free supply chains. […]

White Paper
May 10, 2022

Deforestation Inconsistency Registry

This document is for Certification Bodies to register inconsistencies found in the field during the audit by comparing field observations and the risk assessment results provided by the Rainforest Alliance.

Forms and Templates
May 5, 2022