Julia Silveira

Princess Basma bint Ali was also elected as a laureate of the Global 500 Roll of Honor for Environmental Achievement (UNEP). In December 2016, she signed on for the BJF Ambassadorship and she is very committed to promoting the BJF and our cause in the Middle East and beyond. Welcome to the the BJF Team, Princess Basma!

Dr. Tito is also the owner of the medical clinic Villas Boas in Brasília and became the first landowner in the Araguaia Corridor who also supports the BJF financially. To share his positive involvement, he uses the waiting rooms and reception hall in his clinic as a ‘BJF sanctuary’ to draw attention from all patients and suppliers to our major reforestation initiative. Thank you, Dr. Tito, for your endeavours to set an example for all landowners in Brazil and beyond.

In 2016, we were delighted to experience a positive change in mindset towards conservation among landowners in the Corridor Zone. A true example of such a landowner is Dr. Tito Mundim. Several years ago, he purchased almost 3,000 ha along the Araguaia river, just for the sake of preserving the virgin forest and its rich biodiversity.

He has welcomed the work of the BJF with open arms now that he foresees that his 3,000 ha of forestland will become part of the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor. Around 100 ha of his land still needs to be restored to its natural habitat. In the spring of 2017, the BJF and its partners will analyze the required mix of native trees required. Consequently, we plan to build a nursery on his land to have the indigenous trees available so we can plant the trees required to create a fully intact nature reserve.

BJF is proud to present its new technical partner in Brazil: Etnia Planetária Institute! As an environmental NGO based in Brazil, its goal consists of reconciling nature conservation with economic and social development, thus giving a true meaning to the word sustainability.

They will cooperate with the BJF in elaborating on projects, fundraising, networking and the implementation of reforestation actions in the Araguaia Corridor.

Rotary Club Amstelveen and Beach Aalsmeer are partnering to organize the Rotary & BJF Beach Volleyball Tournament! It will take place on the 6th of April 2017 and its goal this year is to raise funds for the BJF (and also have lots of fun!). Each year, company teams (eight players per team) compete for the championship. You and your company can still register! Click here to view the brochure online or directly register your team at: rotaryclubamstelveen@gmail.com

Good news for our donors and sponsor partners in Germany! BJF in the Netherlands has recently been approved by the German branch of the network ‘Transnational Giving Europe’. That means that donations to the BJF from Germany-based donors, can now become fully tax deductible. Just click on the following link to view the new payment link.

The goal of the BJF is to plant new trees or seedlings in the Araguaia Corridor zone on a massive scale. Forests from newly planted indigenous trees are called ‘secondary forests’. Recently, researchers from the Wageningen University and Research Centre (Holland) have come to new findings about the importance of these forests. Secondary forests absorb 11 times more CO2 than a primary forest!

Thus the work of the BJF to plant new trees become a vital means to fight climate change even more so. In the Amazon ecosystem, which covers around 40% of the Araguaia Corridor, a newly created forest with only seedlings can reclaim a degraded area in just 10 years. In Latin America alone, green areas can absorb 31 gigatons of CO2 in the next 40 years. (Source: Wageningen World / Dec 2016).

In August 2016, the first BJF Diamond Trip took place in the heart of the Araguaia Corridor. It was a great success and, above all, a fantastic experience for our Diamond Friends and all the BJF staff involved. We have made a short video-compilation of the trip which we would love to share with you.

See pictures of the BJF Diamond Trip 2016

Here is an inspiring example of how anyone (of any age) can support the BJF and the Araguaia Corridor. Erica Brooks from Pennsylvania is just 11 years old! She heard about the BJF and decided to create a campaign to save the jaguar’s habitat in Brazil. Boosted by her creativity, she organized a drawing contest at her school and sold tickets for people to vote.

She didn’t stop there. Her artistic and entrepreneurial spirit led her to publish her own book and she even went on air at a local radio station. In the end, Erica raised over US$500 for the BJF.

More than the donation, Erica’s example is evidence that everyone has the power to get involved. Bravo, Erica!

After several field trips to the Amazon region in the jungle village of Limoeiro do Ajuru, the mapping of 3 selected rural areas in that area is now completed. We are currently finalizing the important task to determine the key species to be planted and the complementary restoration techniques. Next up: is the reforestation-phase! We will keep you posted on the progress made.