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Press release: A radical change of approach is needed in protected areas – Congo Basin, experts at the World Parks Congress say

19 November 2014

Speaking at an event at the World Parks Congress this afternoon, African and international experts said that protected areas in the Congo Basin are falling below expectations both in terms of conserving biodiversity and helping local people [1]. The event, organised by Rainforest Foundation UK, highlighted that in spite of the hundreds of millions of … Read more

Round the world trip for former RFUK staff member

12 November 2014

Rosemary Brown, a former staff member at the RFUK, has set off on a round-the- world trip, offsetting the emissions of her travels by donating to the RFUK an amount equivalent to her adventure’s carbon footprint. Rosemary’s trip is in remembrance of Nellie Bly, a pioneer of investigative journalism, whose work resulted in historic reforms … Read more

RFUK teams up with ethical bank Triodos

12 November 2014

We have launched a new partnership with the ethical bank Triodos, offering you a great alternative to UK high street banks who are often accused of lending money or providing financial services to companies who are directly involved in rainforest destruction. Triodos Bank pride themselves on only offering banking services to companies whose services have … Read more

More awards for RFUK’s Peruvian partner Ruth Buendía

12 November 2014

Ruth, who was also honoured with the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize earlier this year, was awarded with a Diploma of Honour of the Republic at a special ceremony in September, chaired by the President of the Peruvian Congress, Ana María Solórzano, who recalled the moments in which the Asháninka suffered terrible violence at the hands … Read more

DRC: Conservation authorities will reconsider communities’ role in conservation in controversial new rainforest reserve

10 November 2014

Kinshasa: WWF and the DRC government’s protected areas authority have agreed to reconsider the status of a controversial protected area after meeting yesterday with representatives of local communities who were threatened with loss of their lands and access to natural resources on which they depend for their livelihoods and survival. Supported by Rainforest Foundation UK, … Read more

Are national parks in the Congo Basin failing biodiversity and people? New ‘paradigm’ of conservation needed – RFUK

7 November 2014

The briefing, “Protected Areas in the Congo Basin: Failing People and Biodiversity?”, which contains the initial findings of detailed research due to be published in 2015, states that, despite hundreds of millions of dollars having been spent on conservation efforts in the Congo Basin over the past 10 years, current conservation policy and practice in the … Read more

Rethinking Community-based Forest Management in the Congo Basin (Executive Summary)

1 November 2014

This summary of our in-depth study considers the constraints and opportunities for community-based forest management in the region with a careful examination of indigenous and customary systems of forest resource management and rights.

Enough Rainforest Martyrs – Rainforest Foundation Statement

7 October 2014

RAINFOREST FOUNDATION STATEMENT Four Peruvian indigenous environmental and human rights activists, including outspoken Asháninka leader Edwin Chota, were brutally murdered  on September 1st or 2nd, 2014, near the Brazilian border, presumably by illegal loggers from whom they had been receiving death threats. Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident, but follows a long-term pattern of … Read more

DRC forest communties are “Squatters on their own lands” – RFUK report finds

7 October 2014

A new report published today by the Rainforest Foundation UK challenges current laws in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which ascribe all ownership of land to the State and deprive forest dwelling people of any right to own or protect forest for their own benefit. The study, “In Search of Land Laws that Protect … Read more

New Community Forest Decree in DRC – RFUK Briefing

7 October 2014

The DRC is at a cross-roads. The passing of the long-awaited community forest decree, ongoing land reform initiatives, land-use zoning/planning and the development of very large-scale REDD projects, are all likely to have an important impact on the world’s second largest rainforest and its inhabitants. Over the next two months, the Rainforest Foundation UK will … Read more