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The 2024/2025 Planting Season kicks off in the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor!

By News Home

As another rainy season approaches, we are thrilled to share all the preparations for the 2024/2025 planting season in the Araguaia region!

This year, our goal was to start activities as early as possible, enhancing our logistical operations to ensure everything is ready for the rains! Back in August, Black Jaguar Foundation’s project coordinator, Dimitrio Schievenin, organized a meeting with the entire field team to integrate all members into the project and educate them on the importance of ecological restoration and the native species we cultivate in our nursery.

This care for our team reflects our commitment to carrying out safe and high-quality ecological restoration.

The Challenges of Ecological Restoration Amid Wildfires

September brought significant challenges, with wildfires impacting several regions of Brazil, including the Araguaia area. Despite the need to relocate some of our team to assist farmers in fire control, we remained focused on keeping our planting schedule. We worked closely together to support our partner farmers and ensured we stayed on track.

The 2024/2025 Planting Season

In this rainy season, we will begin in areas where we will use seedling planting and direct seeding techniques.

From July to September, we dedicated ourselves to building fences to protect newly planted areas, securing supplies, producing seedlings, and preparing the soil for the future trees realizing the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor. Although the rains are expected to be delayed this season, we remain optimistic and confident that this will be another successful planting season!

We want to take this opportunity to thank all our partners and collaborators who make our mission to realise the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor a reality!

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

Wildfire crisis in Brazil: help us fight against the wildfires and protect the Amazon!

By News Home

We are fully prepared to make the upcoming planting season a success. However, unfortunately, Brazil is being hit by wildfires due to the dry season, including in the Araguaia region where our partner farms are located.

At the Black Jaguar Foundation, we are committed to protecting both the Amazon and the Cerrado savanna. This involves not only restoring degraded areas into healthy forests but also safeguarding native forests from degradation and wildfires caused by extensive droughts.

Currently, we are assisting our partner farmers in combating the wildfires on their properties. Our support includes deploying our field team to the farms, establishing natural fire barriers, and making our water truck available if needed.

We are doing all we can to keep our fight going against the fire, but we have limited resources. At the moment, we already have one water truck in full operation, but we urgently need to raise funds to acquire additional equipment and rent another water truck during this critical period.

This is how a brand new water truck looks like for the price of € 50,000.

Our next goal is to purchase our own water truck, which costs €50,000. This truck will be invaluable during the dry season for wildfire containment and can also be used to irrigate seedlings in our nursery during water shortages outside the dry season.

We hope you can make the magic happen together with us and contribute to achieve this urgent goal.

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

2023 Black Jaguar Foundation Annual Report: check out the positive impact we are making in the Araguaia region!

By News Home

It’s time to celebrate the achievements and impact the Black Jaguar Foundation made in 2023! We are proud to share with you our 2023 Annual Report, inviting you to experience our key milestones and initiatives, by reading and watching the inspiring videos.

Please click on “full screen” on the right bottom to see the report in an optimised way.

We’re excited to let you know that it was a remarkable year, marked by ecological restoration and initiatives that promoted sustainable development and the preservation of standing forests. Ready to dive into our 2023 Annual Report?

It’s been quite a year, hasn’t it? And the upcoming 2024/2025 planting season, already on the horizon, will be even more exciting! We will complete the planting of our first million native trees and begin planning the second million. 

And as you already know, none of this would be possible without your support! We continue to rely on your support to restore more areas and see them grow into healthy ecosystems along the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor!  

Share our Annual Report 2023 so we can expand the BJF Community further. Together, we’re working to combat the effects of the climate crisis in Brazil and around the world! 

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

A week in the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor!

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Recently, our Communications Coordinator, Ana Paula Mendes, had the privilege of spending a week exploring the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor – and all the initiatives involved in this incredibly rewarding and challenging project. There’s truly no other word to describe her experience than: unforgettable. Now, the goal is to bring you, even if just for a few minutes, along with her to the field! Shall we go together? 

We hope that after this brief journey, you feel even closer and prouder of what we are building together. Your support is crucial for the realization of the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor!

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

A round of applause for our interns from Switzerland

By News Home

The Black Jaguar Foundation is proud to highlight the week-long contributions of two remarkable young changemakers: Cala and Kenzie. They showed spirit of dedication and innovation, helping us to make connections to the younger generations, connecting to their school and participating in events. They serve as a true example for to their peers, making sure our planet can flourish for future generations.

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

Our initiator Ben Valks participates in the jury for the Orange Academy Award, organized by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Brazil

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Our initiator, Ben Valks, was invited by Peggy De Rop, Director of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Brazil (Dutcham), to join the jury for the 4th edition of the Orange Academy Award!

The program is developed with the support of the Rotterdam School of Management and Erasmus University in the Netherlands, aiming to bring together young professionals to share knowledge, learn, and grow.

Over 8 weeks, talents – selected from various prominent Dutch companies in Brazil – engage in immersive and interactive online sessions with experienced speakers from diverse fields.

At the end of the period, participants work in groups to present a case study to a professional jury during the graduation ceremony. Winners are rewarded with a discovery trip to the Netherlands!

Watch the Orange Academy Award Graduation Ceremony:

We would like to thank Peggy De Rop for the opportunity to share knowledge alongside such inspiring young professionals!

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

Santa Fé Farm and Black Jaguar Foundation: long-term partnership continued!

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Santa Fé Farm was the first properties to become a partner of the Black Jaguar Foundation, back in 2016. Time to document this successful partnership in an amazing video and share our work together with you! Check it out:

Explore the story of the partnership between Santa Fé Farm and the Black Jaguar Foundation:

Their commitment to nature led the Agropastoril do Araguaia group to believe in our ecological restoration project, the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor, and to support the initiative.

Pilot Project: where it all began

In the 2018/2019 planting season, we launched our Pilot Project at Fazenda Santa Fé, planting 20,000 trees. The results are already visible, including satellite images!

Since then, the work has continued to progress. By the 2022/2023 planting season, 120,000 trees had been planted across approximately 60 hectares. Witness the before and after:

Fazenda Santa Fé also became home to the second nursery of the Black Jaguar Foundation. The property housed thousands of seedlings produced by our field team, which now grow and contribute to the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor!

Restoration sites nearing 5 years old

But the work doesn’t stop there! In addition to ongoing activities at the farm, we are also monitoring areas approaching 5 years of age. Check out some images of the established forest:

Seeing these excellent results only motivates us to work even harder towards completing the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor. We hope these success stories inspire others to support our project. Donate trees and join us!

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

Our partner Caixa Econômica Federal bank visits the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor

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The technical team from Caixa Federal Bank’s Socio-Environmental Fund, visited the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor to witness the transformative impact of the work we are conducting in the region!

During the visit, the team met with our collectors from Ressemear (Araguaia Seed Network), visited schools where we conduct environmental classes, and toured the restoration areas from previous planting seasons. We would like to thank Glauciane Verdolim and Denise de Souza dos Santos for their visit and support to our project! Together we are planting and growing 1 million native trees.

Visit to rural settlements and exchange of experiences with Ressemear’s collectors

We began in Caseara (Tocantins), visiting the Onalício Barros settlement. There, our partners had the opportunity to speak with Maria do Socorro and Janderlan, a collector couple from Ressemear (Araguaia Seed Network), witnessing firsthand the crucial role of Black Jaguar Foundation in environmental education and in generating income and opportunities for local communities.

Environmental education activities in Santana do Araguaia

Next, in Santana do Araguaia (PA), our visitors accompanied us to the local APAE (Association of Parents and Friends of the Exceptional). This year, we conducted an environmental education event on Earth Day, where children had the chance to plant native trees.

We then visited the D. Elisa Infant School, where we celebrated Water and Forest Day with lectures and distribution of native seeds to 460 children aged 4 to 6.

The ecological restoration cycle

Still in Santana do Araguaia, we visited a restoration area that is 2 years old. There, our visitors witnessed the direct results of the restoration cycle in a permanent preservation area by a reservoir, where a well-established restoration is already apparent.

The day concluded with a visit to the Black Jaguar Foundation Nursery, where Norivânia Diniz, seedling production analyst, explained the germination and production processes of thousands of native seedlings for the upcoming planting season.

Roundtable discussion with seed collectors in Barreira do Campo

The last day of the visit was dedicated to a roundtable discussion with seed collectors in the riverside region of Barreira do Campo, along the banks of the Araguaia River. Eunice, Pedro Gomes, Creusa Guevara, her daughter Andreia, Aldeir Dias, and eight other collectors shared their experiences, challenges, and achievements in the seed network.

Eunice and Creusa shared their experiences since the inception of the collection group, emphasizing the importance of expanding the customer base and seed demand to ensure collectors’ income. Aldeir, meanwhile, recounted his journey of overcoming health issues and his new role in the group, overseeing negotiations with external buyers and other partners.

Inspiring and Transformative Stories

Throughout the week, Caixa’s visitors and the Black Jaguar Foundation team had the opportunity to witness firsthand the transformation that ecological restoration work brings to the Araguaia region.

The stories of seed collectors, beneficiaries of environmental education actions, and community leaders served as inspiration and reinforced the organization’s commitment to environmental preservation and social development.

The Black Jaguar Foundation team extends heartfelt thanks to all who contribute to the success of restoration efforts, especially to Caixa’s Socio-Environmental Fund for their support of our mission in the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor, and to the communities of Araguaia for their warm welcome and the opportunity to share their stories.

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

Meet our new BJF partner: Brazilië Reis Specialist

By News Home

We are very excited to introduce you to Brazilië Reis Specialist (BRS). A Dutch travel organization specializing in customized travel to Brazil. Brazilië Reis Specialist has its roots in Brazil, as the founder of BRS is of Brazilian-Dutch origin and has been traveling to Brazil for over thirty years.

Brazilië Reis Specialist supports sustainable tourism and the protection of Brazil’s natural treasures. Their mission is not only to let travelers experience the breathtaking beauty of Brazil, but also contribute to its preservation. That’s why they choose to support Black Jaguar Foundation – by booking a trip with them, you directly contribute to the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor.

 

Find out more about the Brazilië Reis Specialist here.

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.

Get inspired by the Stammeshaus-Wietsma family and promote the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor amongst your friends and family!

By News Home

Today we want to spotlight an amazing family that has been supporting us throughout the years and that serves as an example to many of us!

Fred Stammeshaus is a social entrepreneur who initiated numerous local initiatives both in the Netherlands and around the world, with social and environmental impact. He got to know the Black Jaguar Foundation some years ago and is now proudly supporting BJF by donating trees, compensating his carbon footprint and those of others, as well as supporting our mission by spreading the word.

Fred is therefore serving as an true example that by supporting us every now and then with some trees, you can make a huge difference for us!

A BIG APPLAUSE for the whole Stammeshaus-Wietsma family and the support giving to our mission. We hope you are as inspired by this family as we are!

Would you like to join us in realizing one of the longest biodiversity corridors on Earth? Become one of the First 600 to join our mission of hope and action HERE.