Tropical rainforests took between 60 and 100 million years to evolve and are believed to be the oldest and most complex land-based ecosystem on earth, containing over 30 million species of plants and animals. That's half of the Earth's wildlife and at least two-thirds of its plant species! Rainforests have a central role to play in the slowing of climate change.
"A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt
The World Land Trust is an international conservation charity based in Halesworth, a rural town in Suffolk, UK. Since its foundation in 1989 as the World Wide Land Conservation Trust, the World Land Trust has been working to preserve the world's most biologically important and threatened lands, and has helped purchase and protect over 350,000 acres of habitats rich in wildlife, in Belize, Costa Rica, India, the Philippines, South America and the UK.
The mission of WWF - the global environment network - is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment, and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: conserving the world's biological diversity; ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; reducing pollution and wasteful consumption.
Greenpeace stands for positive change through action, defending the natural world and promoting peace. They investigate, expose and confront environmental abuse by governments and corporations around the world. They champion environmentally responsible and socially just solutions,including scientific and technical innovation. Their goal is to ensure the ability of the earth to nurture life in all its diversity.
Rainforest Rescue is committed to saving rainforests for current and future generations. Their projects involve rainforest restoration, research and property purchase and protection.
Forests Monitor investigates the forest industry to empower forest-dependent people and raise public awareness.
Ecotribal aims to collaborate with indigenous peoples in a way that provides them with an income from sustainable products that support their culture and autonomy as well as territorial and environmental integrity.
Other useful Rainforest links
Amazon Watch works with indigenous and environmental organisations in the Amazon Basin.
