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
Home » Issues » Forests & Biodiversity
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.
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.
Protecting forests and biodiversity is at the very heart of the Rainforest Alliance’s mission. We have developed wide-ranging, innovative strategies to conserve and restore nature—all while improving the livelihoods of people who live from the land.
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.
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
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.
We are working in 60+ countries to build sustainable, rural economies—a proven strategy to keep our forests standing.... Continue Reading
Indigenous peoples and local communities have an unsurpassed connection to the Earth's forests. ... Continue Reading
The forest concessions of the Maya Biosphere Reserve have boasted a near-zero deforestation rate for 20 years.... Continue Reading
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
Everyone knows that “deforestation” and “forest degradation” present massive threats to people and nature, but what exactly do these terms mean?
We have adapted this new tool to monitor both carbon storage and biodiversity in forests, helping forest communities and companies make data-backed decisions about the landscapes they work in.
Sri Lanka boasts a wide array of ecosystems and one of the highest concentrations of species in the world. But it's also home to more than 22 million people, so an ongoing effort is needed to conserve biodiversity.
Since 2019, the Rainforest Alliance has worked in Sintang with the District Sustainable Oil Palm Platform, Lingkar Temu Kabupaten Lestari (LTKL - Sustainable Districts Platform), and local farmers to tackle deforestation, boost incomes, and promote more sustainable land use.
Find out how our systems and offerings are primed to help certified cocoa and coffee supply chain partners show compliance with EUDR requirements.
Sustainable management is a critical tool for protecting global forests and improving local livelihoods. However, in many rural communities, such as those in Calakmul, Mexico, a dearth of employment... View more
Available in: English, Spanish