Forests

A Force for Planetary Health

What's at Stake

Source of air, water, food, shelter, medicine: Forests are critical to the survival of every living thing on Earth. They also provide livelihoods for 1.6 billion people. Yet, alarmingly, deforestation rates are accelerating—triggering a global chain reaction of increased greenhouse gas emissions, rising temperatures, and devastating forest fires.

Trees: Our Best Defense Against Climate Change

Forests are a powerful natural climate solution. As they grow, trees absorb carbon emissions, converting them into clean oxygen. In fact, 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 Work

Our Work: Forests

Together with forest and farming communities, Indigenous leaders, companies, governments, and global citizens, the Rainforest Alliance works in more than 70 countries to promote more sustainable land management practices and cultivate thriving rural economies—the most widely proven strategy to keep our tropical forests standing.

Our Mission to Protect the World's Forests

From the rainforests of the tropics to the snowy boreal forests circling the northern hemisphere, these ecological powerhouses host 80 percent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Their ability to generate rainfall is vital for millions of farmers around the world—as well as global food security. And, as the fight to stave off climate change escalates, forests could be one of our most important natural climate solutions.

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Why Our Forests Are Burning

The answer is complex, but at the root of it all: a destructive combination of climate change and reckless land use.

Deforestation between the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala and the Belize border

Our 360 Approach to Stopping Rainforest Destruction

Our proven approach to protecting forests puts communities and livelihoods first.

The Secret to Stopping Deforestation in Guatemala

Communities have achieved a near-zero deforestation rate for the last 14 years.

Learn more about how we are working to achieve our mission.

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Our Impact

The Rainforest Alliance has developed innovative, farm and landscape-level strategies to tackle tropical deforestation—a proven, 360-degree approach that addresses not only immediate environmental threats, but also the underlying economic pressures that contribute to them.

0.4% deforestation rate

in the forest concessions of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala

Strong Forests

In the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala, 11 forestry concessions safeguard at least 500,000 hectares of the largest and most important tropical forest north of the Amazon. These community-run concessions have boasted a near-zero deforestation rate since 2004—a remarkable feat given that adjacent areas suffer some of the highest deforestation rates in the Americas.

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amount earned by indigenous and forest communities

US$1.2 Million

raised in emergency funds

Our Crisis Mobilization to the Amazon Fires

Following the catastrophic fires that engulfed the Amazon in 2019, we raised more than US $1.2 million to help scale up the crisis mobilization of frontline organizations across the region—including essential fire-combat equipment for community fire brigades, and efforts to tackle the root cause of the fires: deforestation.

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Learn more ways we are achieving real results.

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