Safeguarding critical habitat is the most effective way to protect species

Rainforest Trust protects rainforests and other tropical habitats that sustain the greatest concentrations of endangered species. By 2025, with your help, these protected areas will provide a lasting home for nearly half of all threatened bird and mammal species on Earth.

A million species are at risk of extinction this century, each unique and irreplaceable. The leading cause is habitat destruction, and the most valuable habitat is rainforest. In 2020, more than 10 million acres of rainforest were destroyed, an area the size of Switzerland, 12% more than in 2019.

The solution is to expand nature reserves. Since 1988, we have sponsored the creation of 52.2 million acres of protected areas, and less than 1% of the forest area within these has been lost. This has saved thousands of species from extinction.