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.

Kienbaum and the Black Jaguar Foundation have been working together to make a positive impact since 2009!

Kienbaum believes in “turning potential into progress” by creating the perfect match between professionals and organisations. Last year in December, the company started a wonderful new initiative to plant various trees per professional successfully placed in an organisation. 

So far, Kienbaum has already planted thousands of trees, alongside their other incredible contributions. We are very grateful for Kienbaum’s continued support in realising the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor – the longest nature corridor in South America!

Each new Kienbaum placement receives the following certificate, with an illustration of where their trees will be planted. The certificates are all carefully framed by the Kienbaum team:

This is only their most recent initiative! Over the years, Kienbaum has planted many trees during conferences, birthdays, special holidays, and so much more. Have a look at the video testimonial below where Kienbaum’s Managing Director, Hans Jonkers explains Kienbaum’s relationship with the Black Jaguar Foundation, and find out more about our journey together.

Kienbaum is a part of our “The First 600” community, which refers to the First 600 sponsors to contribute to the realisation of the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor.

Would you like to join the Black Jaguar Foundation in realising the longest biodiversity Corridor on Earth, like Kienbaum is doing? Click the button below and find out how you can do so!

Find out more about Kienbaum by visiting their First 600 Page HERE or by visiting their website HERE. 

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Our latest planting season was full of achievements, challenges, and learning opportunities. With many positive results, we have selected some of our favourite highlights to share with you today!

Meet the Star of this Planting Season: the Sumaúma tree

Over the 2022-2023 planting season, the Black Jaguar Foundation team had the opportunity to plant the Sumaúma tree for the second time since the start of our ecological restoration efforts.

Its incredibly positive results have made it the star of this season and ensured that it will remain a key member of our operations for years to come! Sumaúma can grow incredibly fast and is one of the largest trees in the Amazon – able to reach up to 50 meters in height and 2 meters in diameter.

See its growth for yourself! The image below shows our field supervisor Taiwan next to 6 months young Sumaúma tree. Can you see that it is already bigger than him? We can’t wait for our trees to get as big as the one on the image to the right…

We are excited to see these beautiful trees grow into healthy forests in the years to come!

The Sumaúma tree is considered a mother tree for “varzea” forests, which are often forests present along rivers that are susceptible to floods. This tree species is typically found in tropical regions and develops well under direct sunlight.

Despite the Sumaúma species’ fast-growing nature, during its first 3 years of growth, it is still not very good at creating shade for ecological restoration. Therefore, we plant it together with species that can provide this shade early on, like the Cafezinho species. Creating shade is important because it causes the temperature of the soil to drop, which prevents invasive grasses from growing. These invasive grasses compete with the native trees that we plant and prevent them from growing. Therefore, by planting trees like Sumaúma together with other fast growing trees like Cafezinho, we are helping its growth and also ensuring greater biodiversity in the region! 

Scaling up on Natural Regeneration as a method of ecological restoration

30 of the many hectares planted this season were restored using natural regeneration. We hope to use this method much more in the future and take advantage of the full potential of the region.

Have a look at the video below, and understand how the BJF carries out natural regeneration:

More trees, more life!

The number of trees planted in this rainy season was higher than for any of our past rainy seasons yet. It is very exciting for us to see these numbers grow together with our operations and team!

Have a look at some of our youngest trees, planted in December last year:

What are we doing now?

We have reached the end of the planting season and our field team will continue to carry out maintenance and monitoring activities for our planted seedlings! This means that you can expect many updates on the growth of our trees in the coming time – keep an eye on our social media channels.

The maintenance process in crucial is ensuring the health of our planted trees and involves the irrigation of areas where we planted trees during the last rainy season, and removing invasive grasses, among other activities.

For the next planting season…

We will continue to plant lots of Sumaúma trees together with many other species that are native to the Araguaia region.

The BJF team has already started defining the three clusters of farms where we will carry out ecological restoration during the 2023-2024 planting season. By working in clusters, we are able to define our plan the most efficient way, optimising our logistics and labour force.

Our achievements were made possible by the vital support of our BJF partners. Join us by becoming one of the First 600 sponsors to realise the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor.

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The Araguaia Seed Network is an initiative started by the Black Jaguar Foundation to provide seeds for our mission of ecological restoration that has already shown great benefits to local communities and the Araguaia Biodiversity corridor. The initiative is relatively young, and we would like to develop it so that it can reach its full potential in generating a positive impact for society and the planet. That’s why we take pride in learning from other seed collectives!  

 This month, the Black Jaguar Foundation, represented by Laís D’Isep (Seed Production Analyst) participated in the 2nd Annual Redário Conference, which brought together 22 different seed collectives in Brazil! Many interesting and engaging workshops were also offered as part of their “Weaving Webs and Spreading Seeds”  project, which took place in parallel to the conference.  

The event consisted of three days filled with activities, workshops, and lectures in the city of Alto Paraíso de Goiás, bringing together representatives from 22 seed networks from all over Brazil.

“Weaving Networks and Spreading Seeds” Project

With the aim of strengthening and structuring seed collector groups in the Cerrado region, the workshops covered topics such as communication, teamwork, and gender equity.

Here’s a glimpse of what Ana Lúcia and Eunice, collectors from the Araguaia Seed Network, learned during these first days:

The project is implemented by the Cerrado Seed Network and financed by the Resilient Cerrado Project – CERES, through the Fund for the Promotion of Ecossocial Productive Landscapes (PPP-ECOS) managed by the Population Society Nature Institute (ISPN).

II Annual Meeting of the Redário Seed Network

The Redário offers a space for Seed Networks and their partners to come together. By collecting seeds together with local communities, they are able to strengthen the economic market, present innovative solutions, and scale up ecological restoration in Brazil.

At the meeting, representatives from 22 Seed Networks, as well as researchers and other partners, were present to promote the exchange of experiences and contribute to establishing a structure for the Redário.

The event’s activities included: presentations by each of the Seed Networks present, seed collection, processing, and storage, legislation and formalising seed networks, and group discussions on public policies.

Read what Ana Lúcia and Eunice have to share with us about the knowledge gained during the Redário Meeting:

“These meetings are extremely important for us because they allow us to share and learn from other collectives that have been active for a longer time. This way, we can generate an even greater positive impact with the Araguaia Seed Network!”

Have a look at what Ana Lúcia and Eunice have to share with us about the knowledge gained during the Redário Meeting:

These meetings are extremely important for us because they allow us to share and learn from other collectives that have been active for a longer time. This way, we can generate an even greater positive impact with the Araguaia Seed Network!

Would you like to support this and other initiatives of the Black Jaguar Foundation? Join the First 600 and become part of our movement!

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As of this month, FIDUC, an investment management company, is launching a new system where all new financial planners donate a tree to join their network. Together, we are investing in a healthier planet for future generations!

About FIDUC

As the number of investment platforms grows by the day, FIDUC, a start-up aiming to move away from traditional banking systems, offers a new solution.

Hoping to make the world of investment more accessible and democratic, FIDUC opens itself up to clients that are only able to invest relatively low amounts, all the way to profitable multinational companies.

The company was founded by Pedro Guimarães and Camila Requena. Find out more about their investment model on their website

Planting Trees with the Black Jaguar Foundation

FIDUC network is promoting a permanent campaign so that we can do some good together! With every donation, you also receive a personalised tree certificate, showing where your trees will be planted. This certificate  is emitted within 10 days.

Have a look at an example of  the tree certificate emitted for FIDUC’s investors and team:

Make your donation today and contribute to the realisation of the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor!

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A warm welcome to the Mutsy company, one of the latest members of the BJF corporate  community! Mutsy creates beautiful strollers with our future generations in mind.

Mutsy was kindly directed to the Black Jaguar Foundation by our partner Sumthing: a platform that is working hard to create a visibly nature positive world. Together with Sumthing, we are growing the Mutsy forest!

As a brand, Mutsy strives to combine innovation, sustainability and exploration. That’s why we have partnered to create the Mutsy forest, which will become part of the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor.

Below, you can see some of the BJF team in shirts sponsored by Mutsy, growing seedlings that will become resilient trees:

The Mutsy history dates back to 1937 and is one of innovation and design. This DNA enables them to look towards the future and the contemporary lifestyle of the parents of today.

Find out more about Mutsy on their website and become part of the Mutsy experience: sweet strolls, smart future.

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

In June 2022, we began seedling production at the Black Jaguar Foundation Nursery, one of the largest in the region, with the capacity to produce up to 500,000 seedlings per planting season.

Over the past 12 months, our nursery team has faced numerous challenges, gained valuable knowledge, and achieved remarkable accomplishments. We can proudly say that we are very proud of the results we have achieved so far.

Black Jaguar Foundation Nursery: From Construction to the First 500,000 Seedlings

Starting Construction of the BJF’s Large-Scale Nursery

In March 2021, the Black Jaguar Foundation partnered with Santana do Araguaia’s City Hall to build a large-scale nursery. The city granted us 3.6-hectares of land in the municipality’s Environmental Park.  After an extensive construction process, the nursery is now successfully producing resilient seedlings, storing our seeds, and even serving as a space for environmental education.

Starting Seedling Production

After a year of construction, we officially began seedling production in our nursery. To accomplish this, our Seedling Production Coordinator, Norivânia Diniz, trained and led our dedicated nursery team, determined to achieve ambitious goals and plant as many trees as possible. Thanks to their great efforts, our results for the last planting season were incredible.

Over the months, we saw the area transform into a nursery full of life. Little by little, our nursery became completely green:

Black Jaguar Foundation Nursery: A Space for Environmental Education

As well as producing and caring for our seedlings, the BJF Nursery Team also shared their knowledge of seedlings with the numerous groups that visited the BJF Nursery. Political representatives, university and technical students, children, and other government agencies were all able to see firsthand the work carried out by the Black Jaguar Foundation.

We are extremely happy to see that local institutions view us as an example of environmental restoration and care!

Achievements in the Last 12 Months

As you may have noticed, the past year has been full of hard work! Still, despite all the challenges, our nursery team successfully grew enough seedlings for the last planting season and are already producing for the next rainy season.

Thanks to their great work and dedication, we achieved:

• Over 35 germinated species
• Over 300,000 seedlings produced for the 22/23 planting season
• Over 1,200 kg of seeds collected by the Araguaia Seed Network

Incredible, isn’t it? To support the Black Jaguar Foundation’s Nursery and enable us to produce even more healthy and resilient seedlings for the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor, please contact us at contact@black-jaguar.org

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The Black Jaguar Foundation was featured on the homepage of Reuters! Have you already read the extensive article?

At the start of this month, Reuters published a Special Report on the challenges of restoring the Amazon.We are very honoured that we have been selected for the investigative report, among the two leading organisations in Brazil carrying out ecological restoration.

WATCH A VIDEO SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE

READ THE ARTICLE

Besides the hard challenges voiced throughout the article, we also believe in opportunities. At Black Jaguar Foundation we focus on how we can, and are making the difference together with the local farmers.

Bringing back biodiversity, water, jobs, healthy soils, hope!, win-win partnership with farmers, to fight the climate crisis in two of the most vital ecosystems on Earth.

The video coverage of the article has already been aired in a message of hope on several news channels in Europe and the USA this week.

We are looking forward to your feedback and ever ongoing support. Thank you for being with us and continuing to support us…to make the impossible possible. Creating a positive impact for all future generations … together!

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At Black Jaguar Foundation we are realising one of the world’s longest biodiversity corridors, connecting the Amazon Rainforest and Cerrado Savanna.

But what is biodiversity and why is it so important? Our Articulation Coordinator, Marcelle Grumberg, explains below: 

From the plankton in our seas to the jaguars skulking through our forests, biodiversity is the varied and distinct totality of all life forms on earth. For any ecosystem to remain healthy and alive, it must maintain its biodiversity. This is because different species perform different tasks within an ecosystem, and it is the culmination of all these tasks that keep the ecosystem functioning and alive. Just like how a multinational business wouldn’t be able to run without a combination of CEO’s, managers and interns – an ecosystem can’t survive without a synergetic mix of predators and prey, herbivores and omnivores, flora and fauna.

Healthy ecosystems provide us with critical services and natural products necessary for international human survival.  For instance, our rainforests provide us with clean water, oxygen, food and medicine.

These critical services and products are necessary for our global development and contribute towards the UN’s seventeen sustainable development goals (see below). These goals were set by the United Nations general assembly in 2015 and are the seventeen key initiatives that need to be maintained if we are to transform our world and begin to develop sustainably, ensuring our survival as a species. Examples of these goals are: eradicating poverty, abolishing food insecurity, maintaining clean water and sanitation for everybody living worldwide. Find out more about the sustainable development goals and how the BJF mission will promote each of them here and below:

How does the BJF project promote biodiversity? 

We have invested a huge portion of our time and resources into ensuring that we have the best technical partners, forest engineers and team in Brazil to realize biodiversity in the corridor. Our goal is not just to reforest but also to ecologically restore the Araguaia. With each hectare of land, we aim to methodically map out the area and plant an extensive mix of seeds, bringing back the rich and varied expanse of nature that once reigned.

We need nature now more than ever, and with the decade of restoration and eyes on biodiversity, we are taking action on the frontlines in Brazil. Restoring vital ecosystems that we, and our future generations need. Our forests are our life source. They are vital for all, for our future, for our climate and for the livelihoods of our local community and beyond. Covid-19 has made it all the clearer that the large-scale destruction of nature and its biodiversity comes at a huge cost. As habitat and biodiversity loss increase globally, it is time to act now and join our mission of hope and action.

Last year saw an increase in attention for biodiversity, with the hosting of the COP15, the release of the 7th report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) IPCC, and increased support for the UN Decade of Restoration, among others. We are a proud official actor for the Decade of Restoration, and that we thrilled to see what this decade will bring for biodiversity and restoration.

Nature has already shown its power in the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor. What was barren land five years ago is now a forest bursting with life. The right mix of native trees encourages other plants to grow, birds to scatter seeds and small animals to find a home, leading other plants to grow and even more animals to thrive. Planting trees is the first step to encourage nature to take over and biodiversity to flourish again.

The above image shows Field Coordinator, Carlos Eduardo Oliveira, next to a tree after one year, and the growth of the same restoration site after two years.

At Black Jaguar Foundation we have just one, but ambitious goal: restoring biodiversity together!

The New Brazilian Forest Code – Law nº 12.651/2012 – was implemented 11 years ago today. This law is responsible for ensuring the preservation of part of the native vegetation present in rural properties in Brazil.  

Since the Black Jaguar Foundation was established on the basis of this law, we decided to take this opportunity to give you brief overview of how it enables the preservation of native vegetation in the Araguaia region.   

Let’s have a closer look at the Brazilian Forest Code together:

Legal Reserves: Percentages of native vegetation that should be maintained, restored, or compensated, in rural properties in Brazil:

Within the legal Amazon (Amazon regions in the states of Mato Gross, Pará, Acre, Tocantins, Amazonas, Roraima, Amapá, and part of Maranhão), the following percentages of the rural properties must be preserved:

• 80% of the property when its vegetation belongs to a forest region.  
• 35% of the property when its vegetation belongs to a savanna region (like the Cerrado Savanna, for example) 
• 20% of the property when the vegetation belongs to a grassland.  

Outside of the legal Amazon (falling beyond the scope of the states listed above) 

• 20% of the property regardless of the type of vegetation present (including forest, Savanna, Caatinga or grasslands) 

Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs) : These are regions that have been established by Brazilian legislation in which the conservation of native vegetation is mandatory.  APPs can be found on the marginal strips of any natural water course that is perennial or intermittent, as well as in other special situations, like hilltops, “veredas” (treeless grasslands on seasonally waterlogged soil), and in the borders of “chapadas”(tablelands).   

A perennial water course is one which naturally has a water flow throughout the entire year  while an Intermittent water course is one whose water flow stops at certain seasons of the year.    

These are different from Legal Reserves in that their demarcation is linked to specific characteristic of the landscape. 

 For instance, in the surrounding areas of rivers, at least 30 meters alongside each riverbank will be a Permanent Preservation Area. The issue here is that these criteria do not necessarily require restoration, only preservation. This may pose challenges and questions concerning how to realise ecological restoration in these regions. 

Keep in mind: Rural landowners are able to include Permanent Preservation Areas in the percentage of the Legal Reserve preserved for native vegetation to comply with the forest code, but only in specific situations. One of the conditions for this is that no deforestation will have ocured in the property after the 22nd of July of 2008.   

How does The Black Jaguar Foundation assist rural landowners in complying with the Brazilian Forest code?

It is important to follow the law, and ask for help from specialised professionals when needed.  

The Black Jaguar Foundation offers free support to landowners to assist them in the ecological restoration needed to comply with the Brazilian Forest Code. We asked our field team to explain how this works! Watch their video below and find out more: 

How are we carrying out our project?   

The Black Jaguar Foundation’s technical team is present in all stages that involve 

the environmental suitability of your property. Find out how we carry out the processes of ecological restoration below:  

Would you like to find out more about how we are working together with rural landowners in the Araguaia Region? Get in touch with us at partners@black-jaguar.org and find out how you can contribute to aligning food production and environmental preservation!