2014-2016 Kleinhans Fellow: Amanda Kaeser
Attitudes and Barriers to Women’s Participation in Community-Based Conservation Programs in Belize Forests in Belize are being degraded by the illegal logging of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) and cedar (Cedrela odorata), which not only reduces the habitat for the many endangered, threatened and endemic species, but also reduces the carbon sequestration capacity of the forest. Additionally, […]… Continue Reading
India’s Tea Estates
Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms use methods that protect the health of farmers, their livelihoods, their land and the surrounding waterways. Through our training and certification programs, we are promoting farming techniques designed to protect the land for future generations.
Through the pictures below, take a glimpse into the daily life of India’s tea estates.
Photo credit: Charlie Watson
The Rainforest Alliance currently works…… Continue Reading
Sustainable Vanilla in Madagascar
The Rainforest Alliance’s Sarah Fadika, who works in our sustainable vanilla and cocoa programs, shares impressions from her recent trip to Madagascar, where much of the world’s vanilla is grown.
A glass frog on a vanilla leaf reach signals rich biodiversity in the rainforest here.
Photo credit: Sarah Fadika
Walking through the rainforest here in Madagascar, it’s not uncommon to spot a frog on a vanilla…… Continue Reading
Migratory Birds Find Home on Sustainable Coffee Farms
The vibrant plumage and distinctive songs of migratory birds are not just aesthetic and aural gifts from nature. They are indicators of the biodiversity health of a given landscape. If migratory birds are thriving, then the ecosystems needed to sustain them along their long routes are also flourishing.
Some migratory bird routes are just a short flight to a different elevation on a mountainside, while other routes span thousands of miles across continents. Whatever the length of the passage, migratory…… Continue Reading
Five Endangered Animals We Love (& How We Show It)
These five animals represent a tiny fraction of those threatened by deforestation and climate change. There are many ways to get help, but one simple, first step we can all take is to choose certified sustainable products…. Continue Reading
2010-2013 Kleinhans Fellow: Francisco Kennedy Souza
Working toward Cooperative Non-timber Forest Product Management: Integrating Economic, Institutional, and Ecological Analysis to Improve Livelihoods and Forest Conservation in the Western Amazon Region, Brazil Project Summary Researchers with Indiana University and Universidade Federal do Acre (UFAC) in Brazil examined the importance of non-timber forest products (NTFP) for supporting family income and promoting forest conservation […]… Continue Reading