We protect and restore tropical forests

Here are just a few examples of A Rocha’s community projects which contribute to the conservation of tropical forests.

A Rocha Peru: Restoring
dry forest in arid regions

In January 2014, A Rocha started a four-year project to restore Peruvian dry forest − one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world − and promote social development in and around a wind farm in Talara. Watch a short movie

A Rocha Brazil: tree nurseries in Atlantic Coast Forest

Atlantic Forest is highly diverse and contains many endemic species, but they are increasingly threatened as it is cleared and fragmented for commercial purposes. In parts of this region the people are chronically deprived and struggling to live off the land, which has led to conflict with protected areas. A Rocha is seeking to bring reconciliation for the benefit of the people and their local forests. The project has begun in one of the largest protected areas in São Paulo State where the community has suffered from a polluted water supply caused by forest clearance along their river and illegal gold mining upstream. There are also tensions over access to the neighbouring State Park. A Rocha is building trust in Bairro da Serra, focusing at first on developing tree nurseries of native species that can bring the community some income and provide stock for restoring the forest along the Betari River.

A Rocha Ghana: saving upland rainforest from mining

Atewa Range Forest Reserve is internationally recognized as one of the highest priority ecosystems in West Africa for its wildlife diversity (e.g. over 570 butterfly species recorded) and high levels of species found nowhere else in the world. The three great rivers which rise in the forest provide five million people with water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use − it could hardly be more important! Despite its incalculable value, the forest is threatened by mining and other human activities, so A Rocha is running major awareness-raising and advocacy activities, as part of a process towards designating Atewa Forest as a National Park. Read more

A Rocha Uganda: Reducing deforestation and improving human health

Over 600 bio-sand water filters have been distributed, eliminating the need to boil water over charcoal: about 15,000 people are drinking this safe water. For every five families, 30 fewer bags of charcoal are bought each year. For 15,000 people, that’s 18,000 bags. One tree needs to be cut down to make two bags: so at least 9,000 trees are still growing, still absorbing carbon and providing wildlife habitat because of the filters. Read more

PLEASE HELP! Through ‘Gifts With a Difference’ at shop.arocha.org you could give the gift of clean water through a bio-sand water filter training course for one entrepreneur. Participants are taught how to construct the filters and successfully implement the water filter programme within their own churches and communities.

A Rocha Kenya: forest conservation through school eco-bursaries

Our field study centre is close to one of Kenya’s most wildlife-rich forests, which is vulnerable to logging and poaching. By linking secondary school bursaries to forest education with parents as well as students, we have seen attitudes change and  communities commit to protecting the forest for future generations. Watch our 19 minute video ‘ASSETS: a story of hope’. Read more

Protecting tropical forests is a priority for A Rocha because of their importance for the planet’s climate, forest-dependent human communities and the fabulously biodiverse fauna and flora. This is an Ayres’ Hawk-eagle in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya. (Ben Porter)