Rainforest Foundation US

Land rightsmounting evidence shows what we've known since our founding--that rainforests protected by indigenous peoples are healthier and store more carbon than even national parks. But without legal recognition of their lands and the protection of their human rights, indigenous peoples face significant challenges in safeguarding these vital, carbon-storing forests. We support the protection of indigenous peoples' land rights through a variety of means, including providing legal assistance for new and expanded land claims, helping to delineate territorial boundaries, reinforcing existing land rights, and providing communities with the information they need to make informed decisions about topics like carbon markets.in 2024:- rfus facilitated securing legal titles for 20 communities and 75,000 acres of their ancestral lands in peru.-rfus supported advancement of land tenure security for 300,000 acres of lands in panama- rfus supported the global alliance of territorial communities (gatc) in advancing its engagement with the forest climate leaders partnership (fclp), a coalition of governments formed at cop26 in 2021 to drive political commitments to halt deforestation in tropical forest countries-rfus supported the xingu indigenous territory association (atix) in implementing their fpic protocols to protect against threats stemming from highway and railway projects.

Strengthening indigenous organizationsorganizations with strong governance and administration are better able to manage and protect their forests. They're also better able to receive and manage direct global funding to continue the essential work they have always done to safeguard forests. Through our institutional strengthening program, we work closely with indigenous organizations to build true partnerships, ensuring that indigenous peoples and local communities and their organizations are resilient, sustainable, and better able to manage and defend their forests--and their rights.

Rainforest protectiondeforestation is a major driver of the climate crisis. In fact, it's the second leading cause of carbon emissions, and it's a key factor pushing the planet towards an ecological tipping point. Through territorial monitoring and land use planning, we provide indigenous communities with the tools, training, technology, and resources they need to curb deforestation. This includes support through our Rainforest alert program. In 2024 rfus:- supported srdc (south rupununi district council) in developing the wapichan headwaters management plan to protect the lands of indigenous communities in these headwaters.- in 2024, Rainforest Foundation us (rfus) actively supported the protection of over 20 million acres of tropical forest--an area nearly the size of south carolina--by applying new tools, training, and technology. This effort included training and equipping 307 community-based forest patrollers across 129 communities in peru, brazil, guyana, and panama.-rfus proudly partnered with the associao wanasseduume ye'kwana (seduume) to advance indigenous-led protection of ye'kwana lands within the yanomami territory of brazil.-rfus hosted two tech camps in the amazon, which united indigenous leaders, scientific experts, and civil society to meet as equals and to co-create cutting-edge solutions for Rainforest protection.