Rainforest Foundation US
Biennial Report
2009 - 2010
We would like to acknowledge the extensive
support provided by the Rainforest Fund in 2009
and 2010. We are very grateful for their generous
contributions, which have allowed us to continue
our important work.
Cover Photo: Children celebrate gaining their land rights, Raposa Serra do Sol, Brazil / Rainforest Foundation US
This Page: Yanomami Village, Brazil / Rainforest Foundation US
Contents
Message from the Board Chairman
Message from the Executive Director
Introduction
Protecting Lands
Building Effective Local Organizations
Influencing Policy
Finances
Our Donors
2
3
4
6
8
10
14
15
Kandozi children, Loreto District, Peru / Rainforest Foundation US
Rainforest Foundation US v 1
2 v Rainforest Foundation US
Photo: Rainforest Foundation Norway
A Message from Our Board Chairman
“S
ave the Rainforest!” It’s a refrain we have all heard
before. Perhaps we’ve heard it for so long that we
think it is yesterday’s issue. Unfortunately it’s not.
The stark reality is that deforestation across Central and South
America continues at a rapid pace. Right now, an area of
rainforest the size of Manhattan is disappearing every hour–
with devastating impacts on indigenous peoples, countless plant
and animal species, and our planet’s atmosphere.
In recent years , most of the world has acknowledged the
destructive effects of climate change. The chaos produced by the
global warming crisis has brought about a renewed recognition
of the importance of tropical forest conservation. Not only do
tropical forests currently absorb nearly 30% of the world’s annual
CO2 emissions, but their ongoing destruction is responsible for
a full 15% of our global emissions. It’s now clear that it will be
impossible to adequately cut global greenhouse gas emissions
and successfully mitigate the threat posed by climate change
without reducing tropical deforestation. As the Earth heats up,
saving the rainforest is more critical than ever before.
Protecting the rainforest is not only essential to help stabilize
our global climate, it is also critical for the cultural survival of the
indigenous peoples who have depended upon and stewarded
these forests for countless generations.
The Rainforest Foundation was founded on the belief that there
is no better way to protect the rainforest than to ensure that the
indigenous people who depend on the forest for their lives and
wellbeing have secure and long term rights to their land. Last
year scientists once again proved this to be true: land controlled
by indigenous peoples in the Amazon have a deforestation rate
dramatically lower than areas controlled by other interests –
even parks and protected areas.
Year by year, the development pressures on rainforests become
more intense. But now, with the growing realization of the
critical role tropical forests play in stabilizing the Earth’s climate,
the global community is more focused than ever on ways to
balance our need for economic development and the need to
halt rainforest destruction. But the reality is that rainforests are
protected or destroyed at the local level, and indigenous peoples
are often at the front lines of these competing interests in their
local communities.
As you will read in this report, we are working with local
communities that are grappling with the competing interests
of conservation and development: we are helping communities
and leaders understand and shape forest protection policies that
will safeguard their lands and way of life, and we have helped
communities protect their lands and resources from unwanted
and unsustainable development.
For the past 22 years, we have never strayed from our mission
to protect the rights and lands of indigenous peoples. And now,
given global recognition of the essential role of rainforests in
stabilizing the Earth’s climate and the effectiveness of indigenous
peoples in protecting rainforests, our work is more important
than ever.
Thank you so much for your support – it makes all of our work
possible.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Pelletier
Executive Director
Rainforest Foundation US v 3
Photo: Davision Buckley, CIR
A Message from Our Executive Director
Our Mission
To support indigenous and traditional peoples of the world’s
rainforests in their efforts to protect their environment and
their rights.
The Rainforest
Foundation US
Protecting Lands,
Protecting Lives,
Protecting Our Planet
Tupinikim children dancing, Northeast Brazil / Rainforest Foundation US
Our Philosophy
We believe that forest protection and human rights
are interconnected. We believe that the most effective
way to protect rainforests is to ensure that indigenous
communities who have historically managed and protected
these forests have secure and long term rights to their lands
and resources.
4 v Rainforest Foundation US
Our Approach
The Rainforest Foundation provides direct financial support and
hands-on technical support to indigenous communities and local
grassroots organizations. We work with them to:
• Gain official control of their land and resources.
• Participate in the legal and policy decisions that affect their rights and
resources.
• Build strong local leaders and organizations that can defend their
community’s rights in the future.
Yanomami woman, Brazil / Rainforest Foundation US
Our Results
For 22 years we have helped protect both the incredibly rich biological
diversity of the rainforest and the cultural integrity of the peoples whose
lives and livelihoods are inextricably linked to these forests. Together
with our partners we have:
• Protected 28 million acres of rainforest.
• Won several precedent-setting national and international legal battles
upholding indigenous peoples’ rights.
• Strengthened dozens of local indigenous organizations that are actively
defending their rights and the lands of over 200,000 indigenous
peoples.
We have helped prove that with secure rights to their land and
livelihoods, indigenous peoples are the rainforest’s most effective
guardians.
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Yanomami Area from above / Rainforest Foundation US
Protecting Lands
Indigenous peoples are often not recognized as the owners
of their land, even if they have lived there for hundreds or
thousands of years. Without official titles, many indigenous
communities have had little recourse but to watch as
government or corporate interventions have exploited and
destroyed huge tracts of their forests without their consent.
With secure rights to their lands and natural resources,
indigenous peoples can better defend their communities
against unwanted development pressures and better
pursue sustainable development activities on their own
terms. Today, most of the world’s large tracts of conserved
tropical forests today are in the hands of indigenous
peoples. With secure rights to their lands, indigenous
peoples have proven to be the most effective guardians.
Challenges
The Rainforest Foundation Response
Indigenous groups face significant legal, technical and cultural
hurdles to obtaining legal recognition of their land rights,
including:
• Inadequate national legislation
•Providing legal and technical support for the titling and
demarcation of indigenous territories, including mapping
their boundaries, documenting land claims, and assisting with
complex administrative and legal procedures.
• Difficulties with accurate marking of boundaries
•Training and assisting indigenous leaders in negotiating
with relevant government authorities to gain formal legal
recognition of traditional lands and territories.
• Lack of good maps and documentation
• Historic discrimination
• Unfamiliarity with legal systems
• Geographic isolation
6 v Rainforest Foundation US
•Supporting traditional community decision-making processes
relating to protecting and sustainably managing lands.
Helping the Maya Secure 500,000 Acres of their Land in Southern Belize
The Maya of southern Belize have a total population of about
21,000 divided among 38 communities, covering some 500,000
acres. In 2007, a historic ruling by the Supreme Court of Belize
recognized the rights of two of these communities to their
traditional lands and resources. Then, in 2010, the Supreme
Court issued a ruling that granted similar rights to all 38 of
the Maya communities in southern Belize. The Maya Leaders
Alliance, an alliance of representative Maya organizations and
Maya-led NGOs, was instrumental in orchestrating these first
successful indigenous land claims in Belize. This stunning victory
is now a precedent for similar indigenous land claims in Belize
and throughout the world. Soon after the decision was issued
by the Supreme Court, however, the government appealed it.
The MLA is currently contesting the appeal, and pushing for
implementation of the decisions on the ground.
Our Role
In 2009 and 2010 the Rainforest Foundation provided financial
support to the Maya Leaders Alliance as they pushed the
Supreme Court to issue their 2010 ruling. We helped them
keep community members informed and active in advocating
for their land rights. We supported community workshops,
village meetings, and panel discussions to inform and prepare
community members for the trial. We also provided critical
support to their legal team during the case.
Bulldozer in Golden Stream, a Maya community, Southern Belize / MLA
Highlights
•Gained a precedent-setting ruling that should lay the
groundwork for a system through which Maya villages may
register communal land titles
•Garnered press coverage and publicity for the issue,
generating broader public support for indigenous land rights in
Belize
Protecting and Sustainably Managing 200,000 Acres of Indigenous Land in Nicaragua
Awas Tingni, on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua, was the first
indigenous community to bring a land rights case to the
Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The court ruled in their
favor in 2001 – a judgment that has since become one of the
most important precedents in international law for advancing
recognition of indigenous land rights. After eight years of delay
tactics and legal maneuvering, the Nicaraguan government
finally officially titled the land to the community of Awas Tingni
in 2009.
Our Role
The Rainforest Foundation’s support enabled Awas Tingni to
complete the long and complicated land titling process and
solidify their rights to their ancestral lands. We supported a
series of eight community workshops for Awas Tingni leaders
that helped them facilitate the land titling process and build
their natural resource management, sustainable economic
development and governance skills. We also provided technical
support for the delineation and demarcation of several
sacred sites in Awas Tingni, thereby combining environmental
protection with the preservation and promotion of indigenous
culture.
Highlights
Awas Tingni community members clearing border / Rainforest Foundation US
•Developed community-based forest management and wildlife
protection plans
•Developed pilot projects for sustainable development aimed
at regenerating their forest after it had been largely destroyed
by Hurricane Felix in 2007
•200,000 acres of traditional lands now protected by the Awas
Tingni community
Rainforest Foundation US v 7
Hutukara trainee taking notes during assembly / Hutukara
Building Effective Local Organizations
Indigenous communities in the rainforest face frequent
threats to their homes and livelihoods from land invasions,
illegal resource extraction, and the undermining of their
rights at the local and national levels. When faced with such
challenges, these communities often lack the information
and resources necessary to exercise their rights and advocate
on their own behalf. At the same time, indigenous peoples
are also increasingly managing health, education, and
development initiatives for their communities. To effectively
combat these threats while seizing upon these new
opportunities, indigenous groups need strong and effective
leaders as well as robust and culturally appropriate processes
and local institutions.
Challenges
The Rainforest Foundation Response
•In spite of international declarations in their favor, notably
the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples, indigenous peoples are often not respected, nor
even recognized, as rights holders.
•Providing technical support, legal guidance, and funding
for community training workshops. This training helps build
stronger and more autonomous local organizations and
enables leaders to effectively represent their communities’
interests.
•Traditional indigenous governance practices and structures
are often not respected by local and national authorities, and
in many cases have been weakened by outside pressures.
•Many indigenous leaders are not aware of their rights and
do not have the technical or professional skills necessary to
defend their rights and advocate nationally on behalf of their
communities.
•Representative indigenous organizations are often new and
under-resourced, in terms of staff, expertise, and funding.
8 v Rainforest Foundation US
•Developing and distributing practical training tools. These
customized resources help local leaders build administratively
and financially strong organizations that are capable of
managing social and economic development projects on their
lands.
•Assisting communities in formalizing their traditional
governance practices to ensure that they are acknowledged
and respected by local and national authorities.
Reducing Deforestation and Strengthening Communities in Ecuador
The Kutuku region of southeast Ecuador is blanketed with
rainforest. Since 1994, the Shuar people have fought threats
to their ancestral lands on a number of fronts. Despite
successfully using protests and legal actions to protect much of
their territory, a major highway across Shuar lands is currently
being constructed. A strong and unified development strategy
backed by grassroots advocacy is critical in order for the
Shuar to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the
road, such as improved market access, while trying to avoid
suffering the damages such highways have wrought on many
other forest communities. Furthermore, despite earlier court
decisions, the Ecuadorian government announced in late 2010
that it was going to again grant extensive oil concessions in the
Southeastern Amazon – including on Shuar territory. When
indigenous communities are faced with oil exploration on their
lands, effectively organized networks of communities are much
better able to defend their forests and livelihoods.
furthering new economic development projects designed
to give communities sustainable economic alternatives to
deforestation.
Highlights
•700 square miles of traditional land is now officially titled to
the Shuar.
•The federation improved its operational capacity, and has
come to community consensus on important issues, such as
land rights and oil development.
•Though the road has reached Shuar lands, it has not caused as
much deforestation as feared, due to the land management
plans and forestry agreements established with Rainforest
Foundation support.
Our Role
Over a period of six years, the Rainforest Foundation supported
the Shuar via their representative federation, as they went
through the processes of land titling, land management
planning, and organization building. In 2009 and 2010 we
assisted the organization in refining and approving a plan
for self-government and territorial defense, as well as
Shuar Children, Ecuador / Fundación Pachamama
Strengthening a New Generation of Yanomami Leadership
Yanomami Territory. One of their priorities has been training
a core group of young leaders to ensure that the organization
will sustain itself and maintain community gains long into the
future.
Our Role
Rainforest Foundation has provided critical support to
Hutukara for the past 5 years in establishing and growing
their organization. We have also supported an innovative
training program for young Yanomami leaders. Young
leaders participated in a series of hands-on internships to
learn advocacy, administration, finance, land management,
Portuguese language, office management, conflict resolution,
and political and social organization.
Highlights
Hutukara trainees during assembly / Hutukara
The Yanomami people of Brazil remain relatively isolated, living
in communities deep in the forests of the northern Amazon
along the Venezuela border. In 1992, the Brazilian government
recognized their land rights, designating a 37,000 square-mile
territory as their own. Although their lands are secure, the
Yanomami face problems from gold-miners illegally entering
their land; cattle ranchers who have claimed parts of their area;
and an inadequate healthcare system. In 2004, the Yanomami
founded their first grassroots organization, Hutukara, in order
to effectively address these concerns. Over the past 6 years
they have become a strong representative body that effectively
advocates on behalf of all of the indigenous peoples in the
•22 young leaders trained through the comprehensive
internship program.
•In August 2010, after months of intense advocacy led by
Hutukara and many of the young Yanomami leaders in the
training program, the Brazilian Senate approved the new
Secretariat for Indigenous Health – one of Hutukara’s main
goals.
•Yanomami leaders effectively used the communications and
advocacy skills they developed during their internships to
document and publicize the illegal presence of gold miners
on their lands as well as other abuses perpetrated by outside
interests. This documentation has been critical in pushing the
government to address the problems.
Rainforest Foundation US v 9
Kuna women and girl / Forest Peoples Programme
Influencing Climate Change Policy
Tropical deforestation is responsible for nearly 15% of
our annual global greenhouse gas emissions, while the
rainforests still standing absorb approximately 30% of
the world’s CO2 production each year. Therefore it is
nearly impossible to adequately cut global emissions
without stopping tropical deforestation, even if developed
countries achieve major emissions reductions of their
own. Indigenous peoples’ lands contain some of the last
remaining expanses of intact rainforest on the planet,
which places these communities squarely in the center of
major policy debates on climate change.
10 v Rainforest Foundation US
In recent years climate change debates have focused
increasingly on the need to develop international and
national policies to reduce deforestation and rainforest
degradation. Such climate change policies have the
potential to provide significant social and economic
benefits to the indigenous peoples who already protect
their forests. But, if poorly designed or implemented,
these same policies risk establishing top-down models for
forest protection, leading to an increase in conflicts over
land ownership and the unfair distribution of benefits.
Influencing Climate Change Policy
Challenges
The Rainforest Foundation Response
• Policies designed to protect indigenous lands and
resources are often weak and in many cases are simply
disregarded. A new financial mechanism that encourages
forest conservation as a way to combat climate change, if
ill-conceived, could serve as a disincentive for governments
to recognize and demarcate new and existing indigenous
territories. The recent rush to develop such climate change
mitigation policies in several countries has exacerbated
problems with indigenous land tenure.
• Providing indigenous peoples with independent and
balanced information about climate change science,
indigenous rights and international policy. We develop and
adapt training materials, as well as support and participate
in local workshops and national level trainings for leaders.
•Indigenous peoples face strong pressure to participate
in climate change initiatives, but in many countries
government consultations have been rushed and have not
allowed time for the communities to understand complex
concepts and programs, seek independent consultations,
or have adequate internal discussions to decide if and how
they want to participate.
•Indigenous peoples should participate actively in the creation and implementation of climate change policies that
will directly and indirectly affect them and their resources.
Most indigenous peoples, however, do not have the knowledge and training required to participate fully and effectively in the design of such policies.
Wounaan Congress, Panama / Rainforest Foundation US
•Supporting the informed and effective participation of
indigenous peoples in local, regional and national policy
discussions regarding climate change policy.
•Providing legal and technical support to indigenous
groups as they analyze climate change programs, define
their priorities, and defend their rights to free, prior and
informed consent to activities that affect their lands or
peoples.
•Ensuring that national, international, and private sector
climate change initiatives are held accountable to
internationally agreed upon safeguards for the protection
of indigenous peoples’ rights and natural resources.
Rainforest Foundation US v 11
Ensuring Indigenous People’s Involvement in Climate Change Programs in Guyana
The forests of Guyana are home to over 69,000 indigenous
people who have been living in and managing the forests
for countless generations but still lack secure tenure over
their lands. Nearly 80% of Guyana is covered in rainforests,
and there is a very low rate of deforestation. Therefore it
is a prime candidate for international programs aimed at
mitigating climate change by paying countries or land owners
to keep their forests standing. The Government of Guyana has
aggressively pursued these opportunities, and has secured
a $250 million pledge from the Government of Norway.
Indigenous peoples in Guyana have faced pressure to agree to
participate in these mitigation projects. Yet the government has
not provided them with sufficient independent and accessible
information about the projects, nor have they implemented an
adequate consultation process.
The outcome of the collaboration between the Guyanese and
Norwegian governments could serve as an example for future
bilateral collaboration on climate change mitigation that could
have global implications. Therefore, it is vital that indigenous
peoples in Guyana who live in, depend upon, and manage the
majority of Guyana’s forests have an active role in the design
and implementation of these programs.
Our Role
The Rainforest Foundation works in Guyana with the
Amerindian Peoples Association, a national representative
body of indigenous peoples in Guyana, to ensure that
indigenous people are effective participants in the design and
implementation of climate change programs that could affect
their lands and resource use. We support community level
workshops that train indigenous peoples about climate change
science, policy, and indigenous rights. We also support media
and advocacy training for leaders to effectively advocate on
behalf of their people with relevant officials.
Highlights
•25 indigenous leaders were trained as climate change
workshop facilitators and more than 760 community
members were trained on climate change and indigenous
rights issues.
•The Amerindian Peoples Association actively participated in
national and international discussions about climate change
initiatives in Guyana, and positioned itself as an important
voice of indigenous peoples.
Educating and Empowering Indigenous Communities in Panama on Climate Change
secure the free, prior and informed consent of their indigenous
peoples before entering into these programs despite the fact
that approximately 30% of Panama’s forests overlap with
traditional indigenous territories. While climate change will
affect all indigenous groups in Panama, the Kuna are particularly
concerned since many of their communities are on low lying
islands off the coast, are already experiencing serious flooding
and are threatened by sea level rise.
Our Role
For the past 3 years we have supported the Foundation for
the Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge, a Kuna organization
working to ensure that Kuna community members and leaders
understand climate change science and policy and can make
informed decisions about whether they want to participate in
national level climate change programs. We have supported
training workshops for community members on resource
management, climate change and indigenous rights. We also
supported a weekly radio program in the Kuna language on
biodiversity conservation and climate change.
Highlights
Wounaan children / Rainforest Foundation US
Panama was one of the first countries to explore the potential
for generating income from participating in programs seeking
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and
forest degradation. In 2008 Panama entered a World Bank
pilot program and then joined the United Nation’s program
in 2009. Unfortunately, the government of Panama did not
12 v Rainforest Foundation US
•In 2010 alone, more than 670 Kuna community members
participated in trainings and discussion events we supported.
•Several Kuna leaders have become prominent spokespersons
on climate change issues, and have pushed the indigenous
rights agenda within Panama and internationally.
•Production of a non-technical manual for Kuna community
members explaining climate change in the context of their
traditional belief system.
Peru / Summer Moore & Marissa Macias
Yanomami women and childre
Rainforest Foundation US v 13
Statement of Activities
Revenue and Support
2009
2010
$173,738
$212,240
Foundations
64,547
34,288
Corporations
9,579
132,859
264,398
612,977
1,500
–
Contributed goods and services
37,080
41,104
Other income
16,589
9,743
567,431
1,043,211
Program services
694,104
965,240
General and administration
103,535
122,707
74,387
95,558
872,026
1,183,505
(304,595)
(140,294)
Net assets at beginning of year
712,027
407,432
Net assets at end of year
407,432
267,138
Individuals
Other non-profit support
Special event revenue
Total Revenue and Support
Expenses
Fundraising
Total Expenses
Changes in net assets
Deforestation in Roraima, Brazil / Rainforest Foundation US
Rainforest Foundation US
Summary of Expenses
Program Services
82%
10%
General and Administration
8%
Fundraising
Rainforest Foundation US is proud to announce that we participate in the BBB Charity Seal Program and
are known as a BBB Accredited Charity, which indicates a commitment to the 20 Standards for Charity
Accountability. Rainforest Foundation US meets all the Standards, which assess our organization’s finances,
governance and oversight, effectiveness measures and fundraising and informational materials.
14 v Rainforest Foundation US
Many Thanks to Our Generous Donors
Over $50,000
The Children’s Trust
Paul Tudor Jones
Rainforest Fund
$25,000 - $49,999
S. Todd Crider
Lush Cosmetics
Moss Foundation
Newman’s Own
Foundation
Veronique Pittman
Solution Box LLC
Tides Foundation
Volvic Natural
Spring Water
$15,000 - $24,999
Kathleen Fisher
Carlos Miele
Village by Village
$10,000 - $14,999
John Copeland
Sustainable Solutions
Foundation
Thrill Hill Foundation
$5,000 - $9,999
eBay Donations
Edith Halvorson
David Kirkpatrick
Estate of Shirley
Mangold
The Moore Charitable
Foundation
Suki Sandler
Tickets for Charity
E. Goldsmith Zaillian
$1,000 - $4,999
Greg Advesian
Joseph Baribeau
Beverly Bayley
The Body Shop Foundation
Frank Bouchard
Paula S. Butler
Ricardo Cisneros
Jennifer Corzine
Andra Ellingson
Ivan Gallegos
Ron Glogovsky
Goldman Sachs & Co.
Heather Halavais
Iridium Jazz Club
Joanna Johnston
Kirby Foundation
Sabrina Liak
Michael McManus
Microsoft Giving
Campaign
The Red Cabin
Foundation Trust
Adina C. Schecter
Ben Silverman Foundation
Silver Mountain
Foundation for the Arts
Debbie Sonenblick
Jill E. Swinton
Trudie Styler & Sting
$250 - $999
Avenue O Bed & Breakfast
John Bliss
Carol Bonney
The Bridgewater Fund, Inc.
Colby College
David Conner
Debbie Desmond
Deutsche Bank Americas
Foundation
Firstgiving, Inc.
First Universalist Church
Craig D. Fisher
Evan S. Fisher
Harvey Fisher
Sharon Ginsburg
Heloisa Griggs
Erica Guyer
Larry Hagman
Michelle Holmes
Charles Hudak
Matthew Johnson
Marilyn Karasov
Navah Langmeyer &
Mark McKerihan
Tim Lawson
Lexis Nexis
Marjorie Loeb
Earle I. Mack
Donald McBride III
Brian McCorry
Becky Mead
T. Clark Munnell Jr.
Natural Tropix Corporation
Diane C. Nelson
North Albuquerque Coop
Community Center
School
David Olson
Jonathan Paret
Peking Handicraft, Inc.
Qualcomm Incorporated
Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation
Robyn Transport
Mary A. Saddemi
Pattie Sanchez
Estate of Salvatore
Saraceno
Saunders Family
Charitable Fund
Margaret Skriloff
Syzygy Technologies, Inc.
Temple Kol Ami
Emanu-El, Inc.
Kent J. Thele
Time Warner
Todd Elementary School
Richard Wilk
Christine Zemina
$100 - $249
Jennifer Arlin
Jeff Bauml
Fernando Cavalcanti
Kristine Chan
Douglas J. Clark
Diana Coats-Langford
Jim Cooper
Joseph Dinardo
Alan Dlugash
Patricia Duca
EMI Music Publishing
Kevin Fortson
Markus Friedrich
Girl Scouts of New
Mexico Trails
Debra Gomes
The Gramercy Park
Foundation, Inc.
Jamal Greene
Julie Hartley
William C. Hoffman
Leonard Holzer
International Forum on
Globalization
j. Sabatelli Brazil
Ronald Ladner
Nancy L. Lazar
Elizabeth Lennie
Richard Levine
Diane Liebe
London Civic
Center Corp.
Carolyn Katz
Jerry Keppler
Alan Kramer
Susan Mann-Smith
Benjamin Maritz
Peter McNamara
Rachel G. Nicholas
Kelsey Nussenfeld
Robert O’Connor
Rose Mae O’Connor
Richard F. Oden Jr.
Organic Bouquet
Christine Padoch
Parkside Elementary
School
Stephen Paul
Geoffrey Porteus
Denise Pratesi
Erika Reatequi
Alexander Reeser
Lee Reinhold
Sean Ricard
Rising Star School
Mary Schibler
Connie Seibert
Richard Smith
South Windsor Jr.
Women’s Club
Allan Spiegel
Harold Stein
Eberhard Teichman
Sharon Thomas
Aisha Tietjens
United Way of Central
New Mexico
Milan Vaskovic
Heather Warner
Keith Weiss
Joseph Whalen
Maria Wilson
Judith Zeitlin
... and all those
who wish to remain
anonymous
Village of Kankaim, Ecuador / Fundación Pachamama
Rainforest Foundation US v 15
In-Kind Donors
Microsoft
Volunteers and Interns
Shane Avidan
Kira Cypers
Annabelle Nilsson
Sabrina Patel
Angela Leavens Smith
Irina Stoyanova
Melanie Votaw
Pro Bono Services
Jonathan Taylor, Legal Fellow
Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett, LLP
Peru / Summer Moore & Marissa Macias
Contribute to Our Work
The success stories we shared here would not be possible without the support of our donors, as well as the volunteers
who give generously of their time. In addition to donations, we welcome partnership opportunities with companies and
other non-profit organizations. Please visit our website, www.rainforestfoundation.org, to learn the many ways that you
can show your support and get involved in our work.
Community workshop in Roraima, Brazil / Rodrigo Baleia, CIR
15 v Rainforest Foundation US
Rainforest Foundation US
Board of Directors
180 Varick St., Suite 528
New York, NY 10014 USA
tel: 212 431 9098
fax: 212 431 9197
email: rffny@rffny.org
www.rainforestfoundation.org
S. Todd Crider, Esq., Chairman
Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Ann Colley
Executive Director and Vice President of
The Moore Charitable Foundation
John W. Copeland
President, AMG Wealth Partners, LLP
Staff
Suzanne Pelletier, Executive Director
Christine Halvorson, Program Director
Marina Campos, Program Manager
Athos Gontijo, Financial Director
Michele Petri, Development Coordinator
Heloisa Griggs, Esq.
Program Officer, Open Society Foundations
Christine Padoch
Programme Director, Forests and Livelihoods,
Center for International Forestry Research
Veronique Pittman
Photo: Rodrigo Baleia, CIR
Trustee, Global Goods Partners
Advisory Board Member,
Sustainable Amazon Partnership (SAP), Root Capital
Rainforest Foundation Founders
Trudie Styler and Sting
Rainforest Fund
Franca Sciuto, Chairperson
180 Varick St., Suite 528
New York, NY 10014 USA
tel: 212 431 9098
fax: 212 431 9197
email: rffund@rffny.org
www.rainforestfoundationfund.org
The Rainforest Foundation was founded in 1989 by Sting and Trudie Styler. In the
last 21 years, the Foundation has expanded and diversified, and now includes
three autonomous organizations — Rainforest Foundation US, Rainforest
Foundation Norway and Rainforest Foundation UK — as well as the Rainforest
Fund, which provides funding to programs and projects that support indigenous
peoples. Together, we support programs in 20 countries across all the major
tropical rainforest regions of the world.
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Lars Løvold, Executive Director
Grensen 9B
0159 Oslo, Norway
email: rainforest@rainforest.no
www.rainforest.no
Production Credits
Design & Layout: Harley King
Writing & Editing: Heather Hanson, Tessa Lee, Rainforest Foundation US Staff
Rainforest Foundation UK
Simon Counsell, Executive Director
Imperial Works, 2nd Floor
Perren Street, London, NW5 3ED
email: info@rainforestuk.com
www.rainforestfoundationuk.org
Photo: Summer Moore & Marissa Macias
Rainforest Foundation US
180 Varick St, Suite 528
New York, NY 10014 USA
tel: 212 431 9098
fax: 212 431 9197
email: rffny@rffny.org
www.rainforestfoundation.org