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
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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
Who Suffers When Rainforests Burn?
As we head into the 2020 fire season, let’s take stock of the people most affected.... Continue Reading
Our 360 Approach to Stopping Rainforest Destruction
Our proven approach to protecting forests puts communities and livelihoods first.... Continue Reading
Rainforest Alliance Unveils New Certification Standard: ‘We Need New Approaches That Move beyond a Simple Pass-Fail System’
Rainforest Alliance will start rolling out the 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard worldwide in September. Food Navigator speaks with the NGO's Director of Standards and Assurance, Ruth Rennie, to find out.
Rainforest Alliance Aims to Help Ethical Growers Get Climate-Smart
Upgraded certification scheme, covering over 2 million farmers, will use technology to help them adapt to climate change, protect forests and spot social risks.
What’s in Our 2020 Certification Program? Conserving Biodiversity
While farming often has negative impacts on biodiversity, it also has the potential to create positive impacts by incorporating natural habitat into production systems, conserving soil life, and more. This makes farms better able to cope with the effects of climate change, helping secure better livelihoods for farmers. For these reasons, biodiversity conservation is among […]
What’s in Our 2020 Certification Program? Deforestation
In line with the approach advocated by the Accountability Framework Initiative—and other leading environmental NGOs— our 2020 Certification Program not only prohibits deforestation but also the destruction of all natural ecosystems, including wetlands and peatlands—meaning more land will be protected.