Sierra del Divisor rainforest © Thomas Muller

Local communities will help protect rainforest © Thomas Müller

Jaguars, among other wildlife, are found in the area © Wikipedia

May 2, 2014

Thanks to the generous aid of its supporters, Rainforest Trust met and exceeded its 100,000-acre Earth Day goal. The funds received will protect 102,616 acres of Amazon rainforest.

The rainforest to be protected is located in Peru’s Sierra del Divisor range and will provide much needed sanctuary for some of the Amazon’s most endangered species. Jaguars, Giant River Otters, Giant Armadillos, and South American Tapirs are all found in the area. In total, the Sierra del Divisor is home to 20 threatened mammals.

To reach its goal, Rainforest Trust collaborated with The Rainforest Site and its non-profit partner Greatergood.org.  Greatergood.org and The Rainforest Site organized a pledge drive in support of the goal and donated funds to protect an acre for each signature gathered. Together, they succeeded in collecting 13,680 signatures and raised additional donations to protect over 33,000 acres of the 100,000-acre goal.

“Greatergood.org does a fantastic job of connecting people with worthy causes, and it did so impressively with the Earth Day campaign,” said Joe Lowe, Communications Director for Rainforest Trust.

“We are honored to help Rainforest Trust protect some of the most biologically diverse and species rich parts of the world.  I’ve visited the Peruvian Amazon, and have been astounded by its beauty and biological richness. It truly is magical,” said Tim Kunin, CEO of GreaterGood.org.

Support from key supporters and Rainforest Trust board members allowed Rainforest Trust to offer a matching donation for the last week of the campaign.

“This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the overwhelming support of the Rainforest Trust community. The generosity and enthusiasm of our supporters was the driving force behind this success,” said Dr. Paul Salaman, CEO of Rainforest Trust.

Rainforest Trust received help from Guns N’ Roses on April 7, when the rock group advertised the campaign on its social media channels. One Percent for the Planet and One Green Planet also featured the Earth Day initiative online.

Rainforest Trust’s Earth Day campaign is part of a larger ongoing effort to protect 5.9 million acres of rainforest in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. This area will be conserved through the creation of two nationally protected areas along with a buffer zone of 57 indigenous territories.

“We know that what happens in the Amazon affects us here in the US, so in this case acting globally and acting locally are one and the same. The success of our Earth Day initiative is a clear message that we can play an important part in deciding how much of this critical ecosystem remains intact,” said Salaman.

Rainforest Trust, formerly World Land Trust-US, is a nonprofit conservation organization focused on saving rainforest and endangered species. Since its founding in 1988, Rainforest Trust has saved more than 7.7 million acres of rainforests and other tropical habitats in 67 projects across 17 tropical countries. The nonprofit purchases and protects threatened land in partnership with local conservation leaders and indigenous communities. Rainforest Trust has been awarded the top four-star Charity Navigator rating for each of the last five years.

GreaterGood.org is an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization devoted to improving the health and well-being of people, pets, and the planet. Since 2006, it has given more than $30 million to charity partners and programs worldwide that work toward our mission. GreaterGood.org raises funds through a suite of 9 cause related websites including The Rainforest Site.

The Rainforest Site is dedicated to protecting rainforest ecosystems and endangered species by connecting conscious-minded consumers with conservation projects from around the world. The site, which features environmentally-friendly gifts, uses innovative means to protect rainforest such as sponsored click-to-conserve buttons that allow visitors to preserve threatened lands for free.

Media contact:
Marc Ford, Rainforest Trust
info@rainforesttrust.org
1-800-456-4930