The World’s Best Forest Guardians: Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous peoples and local communities have an unsurpassed connection to the Earth's forests.
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Indigenous peoples have an unsurpassed connection to the Earth’s forests. They manage at least one quarter of the world’s lands, home to approximately 80 percent of our planet’s biodiversity. Even with their often-limited access to financial resources or legal support, Indigenous peoples have proven to be the best guardians of the world’s forests.
The Rainforest Alliance has always made it a priority to partner with—and learn from—Indigenous peoples. We support the conservation efforts and livelihoods of Indigenous peoples through our landscape and community programs, by providing technical assistance and facilitating market connections for their businesses, which are rooted in their traditional ecological knowledge and exemplary land stewardship practices.
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Learn about how the Forest Allies community of practice can help your company recognize Indigenous peoples as effective forest stewards and future business partners.
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Read this paper to discover our principles and strategies for stopping forest degradation and supporting forest communities in vulnerable tropical regions.
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