Our Mission to Protect the World’s Forests
We are working in 60+ countries to build sustainable, rural economies—a proven strategy to keep our forests standing.... Continue Reading
Article
What's at Stake
Forests are critical to every living thing on Earth. Not only do they give us clean air, shelter, and rain, they house 80 percent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Alarmingly, humans have destroyed half of the world’s tropical forests and driven extinction rates up thousands of times higher than what is natural.
Climate & Nature
Forests are a powerful natural climate solution. As trees grow, they absorb and store carbon emissions, while releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. Conserving forests could cut an estimated 7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year—the equivalent of getting rid of every car on the planet.
Our Impact
Strong Forests
0.4% deforestation rate
in the forest concessions of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala*
In Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere Reserve, twelve community forestry concessions safeguard around 417,269 hectares of the largest and most important tropical forest north of the Amazon. These community-run concessions boast a near-zero deforestation rate—a remarkable feat given that adjacent areas suffer some of the highest deforestation rates in the Americas.
*Community forestry concessions in Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere Reserve have demonstrated a near-zero deforestation rate, since data collection began in 2000. Data accurate as of December 2019.
Thriving Biodiversity
45,000 trees
80 elephant-friendly farms*
From 2020 through 2021, farmers we work with in the buffer zone of Indonesia’s Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park planted 45,000 trees in the area directly bordering the park. In addition, we identified 80 farms that sit in a wildlife corridor used by the critically endangered Sumatran elephant. We supported these farmers in planting species that suit the elephants’ diet.
*Data accurate as of December 2022
Our Work: Forests & Biodiversity
Together with forest and farming communities, Indigenous leaders, companies, governments, and global citizens, the Rainforest Alliance works in 58 countries to promote more sustainable land management practices while cultivating thriving rural economies—the most widely proven strategy to restore biodiversity and keep our tropical forests standing.
The World’s Best Forest Guardians: Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous peoples and local communities have an unsurpassed connection to the Earth's forests. ... Continue Reading
Community: The Secret to Stopping Deforestation in Guatemala
The forest concessions of the Maya Biosphere Reserve have boasted a near-zero deforestation rate for 20 years.... Continue Reading
Indonesian Coffee Farmers Help Conserve Biodiversity in Iconic National Park
We're training coffee farmers in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park buffer zone to help them conserve biodiversity and improve their livelihoods.... Continue Reading
All resources for Forests & Biodiversity
Five Coffee Farmers Who Inspire Us
Coffee farmers protect forests and biodiversity, build their farms’ climate resilience, promote human rights, and improve livelihoods. Here are five remarkable individuals who motivate us even more than the coffee they grow.... Continue Reading
Sustainability at Scale: How LandScale Can Support Your Company’s Commitments
LandScale is an all-in-one tool that allows users to assess risk and adaptively invest in, monitor, and measure sustainability impact at the landscape level.... Continue Reading
Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa
We work with almost one million cocoa farmers to build thriving livelihoods and climate resilience through certification and training.... Continue Reading
Join Forest Allies
Through the Forest Allies community of practice, we can help your company: Invest in forest conservation and restoration beyond your operations. Recognize Indigenous Peoples and local communities as effective forest stewards and future business partners. Collaborate with a range of stakeholders to leverage the impact of your investment. Forest Allies brings together companies, regional civil […]
What Are Nature-Based Solutions and How Can We Finance Them?
Nature is a powerful tool in the fight against threats like climate change and biodiversity loss, but more must be done to fully utilize its potential - and we need to act quickly.
Natural Climate Solutions: Tackling the Dual Threats of Climate Change and Rural Poverty
Our future climate stability depends on achieving net-zero emissions as quickly as possible, and natural climate solutions are essential to reaching that goal. The Rainforest Alliance is positioned for impact in this space—working across 70 countries and global supply chains in many of the most critically important natural landscapes throughout Latin America, Africa, and Asia. […]