Our projects have a 99% success rate. Let’s sustain them.

Fully 99.3% of the forests we have protected remain standing today. But unexpected events and ongoing challenges facing our local partners—such as natural disasters, political upheaval, the loss of a key funding source, or the departure of an essential staff member—can threaten the long-term survival of these protected areas.

The Sustainability Action Fund ensures that our projects maintain their extraordinary success rate despite the challenges that affect our partners in 62 countries in the Global South—where rainforest habitats shelter thousands of species at risk of extinction along with all the other life they nurture.

These high-biodiversity hotspots are often found within political boundaries where human-caused emergencies—like armed conflicts—arise in or near existing projects. Help us to support our partners in responding to these emergencies as well as the natural disasters that are becoming more prevalent with a changing climate.

Header video: Sustainability Action Funds assisted our partner, Natura Bolivia, in purchasing firefighting equipment and training

Help our partners prepare, respond, and recover from emergencies

The Sustainability Action Fund is deployed when natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, droughts and earthquakes strike. It is also used to strengthen our partners’ capacity to face unforeseen staffing and equipment needs, and when an unexpected loss of other funding occurs. Growing the expertise of staff is another important application for building long-term resilience among our partners.

The likelihood of armed conflict affecting a protected or conserved area—and the front-line staff who defend these lands and waters—depends on its geographic location, but tragically, conservation work can be dangerous. When our partners’ operations are affected by armed conflict, Rainforest Trust is responsive when possible to help them to, for example:

• hire for unexpected staff disruptions
• rebuild field stations that have been destroyed by rebels
• support the relocation of staff and their families who are in direct danger or whose residences have been destroyed
• increase patrolling capacity against intrusion and poaching.

Help our partners strengthen their capacity—for lasting success

The commitment and dedication of our partners to protect species, communities and our planet can only be sustained when their organizations are strong. We assist our partners to address unforeseen staffing and equipment needs, and to build the expertise of their staff in the practical, results-oriented leadership skills they need to affect change in their organizations and communities. The end result is resilience for today, and for tomorrow.

Be part of a bright future where conservation wins

By supporting the Sustainability Action Fund, you are giving long-term conservation a meaningful boost. With our donors and partners, we are achieving great things! But there remain myriad factors at play in the world today that are serving to stack the deck against the survival of protected and conserved areas, the species at risk of extinction who call these refuges home, and the Indigenous and local communities who rely on these natural areas for their lives and livelihoods. Let’s improve the odds in favor of enduring conservation, together!

Armed conflict endangers conservation efforts in DRC

Our intrepid partners in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are being impacted by the recent rash of armed conflict and the staggering humanitarian crisis across the region.

A rebel group has taken over two major cities in eastern DRC where the offices of several of our partners are located, and has also impacted remote areas where their conservation work is being carried out in collaboration with local communities. Millions of people have been displaced within the DRC, and untold numbers of people are seeking safety in the vicinity of at least two nature reserves created with the generosity of Rainforest Trust’s donors.

Our partners on the ground have asked for Rainforest Trust’s assistance in evacuating staff and their families to safety, and maintaining conservation operations as the crisis unfolds. We have been able to respond within days to their requests for critical funding to face these threats to their safety and work—thanks to generous donors supporting our Sustainability Action Fund.

Enabling our partners to continue their work in the face of calamity protects the irreplaceable wildlife and biodiversity in eastern DRC, like highly threatened Grauer’s Gorilla, Okapi, and Congo Peacock, along with the vast amounts of carbon stored in these rainforests.

“When we asked for help, you responded immediately…. Because of you, our staff have new uniforms to keep them safe in an increasingly complex environment. Your generosity ensured our staff and community had what they needed during an incredibly difficult time.”

— GRACE Gorillas Team