Forests

Read the story about a baby orangutan rescued on the island of Borneo.

Discover highlights from our work around the world to protect species and habitats.Read more.

A declaration to protect Sumatra’s forests was endorsed by the governors of eight Sumatran provinces.

Nearly 750,000 acres of forest have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council in Malaysia.

Leaders from 30 countries met at the Brazzaville Tropical Forest Summit to find shared solutions to save their forests and support the fight against the devastating consequences of climate change.

Business and political leaders met for the Business 4 Environment Global Summit, uniting around a goal to stop the forest loss that affects much of the world’s valuable and threatened forests.

As Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese lunar calendar comes to an end, it is more crucial than ever to take action to protect wild tigers. 

A new investigation by WWF and other groups reveals that one of the world’s largest paper suppliers is still cutting down the rainforest on the Indonesian island of Sumatra – even though the company claims to have stopped doing so. The forest being cleared is vital to the survival of tigers and other endangered species. You can voice your opposition to this by making more responsible choices about the paper you buy.

A video camera trap installed by WWF and partners has captured footage linking the destruction of a crucial Sumatran tiger forest to the expansion of palm oil plantations in Indonesia’s Riau Province.

More than two years of lobbying by WWF  and Malagasy scientists, are expected to see the island’s rosewoods, ebony and other precious woods listed for international trade restrictions, giving some hope for a slowing of the organized illegal logging assault on the threatened species and the forests and protected areas where they are found.

Marking the amended Lacey Act’s two-year anniversary, Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Earl Blumenauer today praised the landmark legislation for protecting the environment, leveling the playing field for honest businesses and halting the egregious practice of illegal logging. The celebratory event, jointly hosted by WWF and the Environmental Investigative Agency (EIA), gathered a diverse group of experts from industry, government and the environmental community to share early successes, lessons learned and anticipated benefits of the Lacey Act.

The coalition Eyes on the Forest (EoF), based on the ground in Indonesia, has published a new Investigative Report on two Asia Pulp & Paper (APP)/Sinar Mas Group (SMG) wood suppliers who conducted natural forest clearance in Kerumutan peat forest, Sumatra. These forests are some of the last refuges for the endangered Sumatran elephant and the critically endangered Sumatran tiger. If forest clearing isn't halted, both could become locally extinct in a few years' time. Forest loss is the single biggest threat to Sumatra’s elephants. Most of Sumatra’s decline of local elephant herds, from 1400 to less than 200, happened where large areas of forest were lost or severely fragmented.

The Sustainable Furnishings Council and World Market Center, in cooperation with World Wildlife Fund, Rainforest Alliance, Forest Stewardship Council and numerous other leading governmental, environmental, academic and trade organizations is launching the first cross-disciplinary ECOngress on legal and sustainable wood sourcing in the home furnishings industry in conjunction with Winter Market in Las Vegas. All media, materials suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and designers are strongly encouraged to attend all or part of the one-day event on Jan. 31, 2010, the day prior to the opening day of the February 2010 Las Vegas Market, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. in World Market Center’s Building C, on the 8th floor, Room C-888. Registration is free.

Fewer trees were cut down in the Amazon this year, creating an opportunity to apply sound government policies to halt deforestation in other damaged forests, WWF says.

Among many foreign visitors to Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN), Pelalawan district, Riau, the presence of US Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R. Hume brings its own impression to the Head of TNTN, Suprahman Hayani.

The Global Forest & Trade Network-North America (GFTN-NA) hosted its second annual meeting for companies in its program that have made commitments to responsible forest management and trade, as well as other businesses interested in responsible purchasing. The meeting provided a unique forum in which attendees had access to information, tools, resources, peers and industry experts to help North American wood and paper purchasers in their environmental commitments supporting a more sustainable global forest products industry. 

A massive logging operation planned by one of the world’s largest paper companies would destroy the forest home of 100 great apes that are part of the only successful reintroduction program for Sumatran orangutans.

Office-supplies giant Staples Inc. has ended their relationship with Asia Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd. (APP). Staples sourced over 9 percent of its total paper supply from APP, and is the latest of large paper sellers worldwide, including Office Depot Inc., to stop buying from this paper company because of its poor environmental practices. WWF, along with businesses and many other conservation organizations, believe that APP is destroying natural rainforest and contributing heavily to climate change in order to feed its mills.

New data from the government of Brazil shows that deforestation rates for the Brazilian Amazon from August 2006 to July 2007 have fallen for the third consecutive year - and are the lowest registered for the region since 1991.

Brasilia, Brazil - Today nine Brazilian conservation organizations, including WWF-Brazil, launched an initiative to protect the Amazon's rainforests. This historic pact establishes a system of economic incentives for conservation with a goal of eliminating deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon by 2015 - an ambitious 7 year target.

The first 24 participants in WWF's nature reserve management course have graduated from the three-year program. WWF initiated this first-of-its kind program in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province) in 2004 to address the increasing demand of nature reserves in the Qinling Mountains for a higher level of technical knowledge and capacity among their staff.