Ana Paula Mendes

The day sparked many interesting discussions surrounding the move to more sustainable practices and the benefits this can create both for landowner, communities and the environment.

These educational sessions are one way we’re increasingly building strong relationship with landowners. This also served as an introduction to the Ecological Restoration course the BJF will hold in March, in partnership with Bioflora and LERF.

We are extremely proud to announce that we have officially been accepted as an IUCN member. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature is one of the worlds largest nature conservation organisations, composed of states, government agencies, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples’ organisations, academic institutions and business associations, harnessing the experience of its more than 1,300 member organisation.

The IUCN represents a combined effort to conserve nature and accelerate the transition to sustainable development. It’s diverse, multidisciplinary nature means membership entails  access to a wealth of  resources and knowledge that helps organisations such as the BJF be as effective as possible. 

In 2018 the IUCN celebrated its 70th anniversary. At this time they released a statement which said ‘No one government or organisation can correct humanity’s course alone.’ This is a notion the BJF share, we are not restoring the worlds longest biodiversity corridor, we are building a community that will extend for generations to come. 

We are extremely happy to have Daisy Longden on board, taking over the reigns as Communications Coordinator. As we expand and our field operations develop, this role is more crucial than ever. Ensuring all sponsors and friends are kept up to date and making sure we deliver one clear, positive message. Trees are the solution!

Originally from the UK, Daisy recently completed her masters in International Development at the University of Amsterdam, focusing on the co-dependence of social and environmental development. After her research into the social impact of environmental sustainability in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, and with a history in communications, we are excited for Daisy to bring her knowledge to our vibrant core team.

We are honoured to invite you to our 2020 Milestone Celebration Event!

This time, the event will take place in Genk, Belgium, at the extraordinary LABIOMISTA, home to the enigmatic artworks of BJF Ambassador, Koen Vanmechelen. We have been permitted unique access to the restricted wing of LABIOMISTA for this exclusive event.

Official invites will be sent shortly, however, as we can only receive a limited number of guests, kindly reserve the date in your agenda and confirm your attendance at your earliest convenience. 

Fortunately, there are many milestones to celebrate with you on Saturday the 18^th of April, and as we are expanding our reforestation in the field, we need you more than ever in 2020! We can thrive only because of the support we receive from you: our generous and invested network of partners, sponsors and friends.

So, on top of celebrating our milestones together, this event is to celebrate you! 

We hope to see you in Genk next year! 

The BJF Team & Ambassador Koen Vanmechelen 

Make this Christmas about the future and give the most valuable gift. Give life…give trees! DONATE ANY AMOUNT, big or small, and come on this epic journey with us. For each € 5 of your donation, we will plant a native tree in your name!

For those of you who are already part of TheFirst600 campaign, now is the time to renew your partnership. 

Already 50.000 native trees are growing thanks to your support and the next goal is 1,5 million native trees!

What makes our mission unique? 

• The BJF team manages every stage of the process, from fundraising to the planting and maintenance of your trees.
• Partnerships are key. Everyone we work with becomes a valued partner. 
• Creating positive, sustainable relationships with local landowners and communities is at the center of what we do.
• Your trees will be maintained for 3 years after planting to ensure maximum survival rate.
• Detailed scientific mapping and biodiversity planning ensure your trees restore the areas to their natural state.
• The scale. With the aim to plant over 1.4 billion native trees, this will one of the largest reforestation project in South America….learn more 

Become part of something much bigger this festive season! Join one of the largest reforestation projects, planting native trees, on the planet, and help us restore the biodiversity of the Araguaia corridor, in the heart of Brazil. We are committed to changing the fate of our planet, are you? 

If your donation is a gift for someone else, we can address your BJF friend package to be sent directly to your loved ones.

Thank you for your support and we wish you a very green Christmas, 

The BJF Team

The CBMC – Brazilian Conference on Climate Change – is an annual meeting, the first of which convened in early November this year, bringing together non-governmental organisations, social movements, governments, the scientific community and the Brazilian private and public sector for three days of dialogue and proposals surrounding the implementation of the Brazilian NDC, the Paris Agreement and the 2030 agenda. A landmark event representing the collective action taking place in Brazil to tackle climate change.

The Black Jaguar Foundation had the honour of being invited to participate in the event as a partner organisation. Marina Tavares (BJF) and Dimitrio Schievenin (BJF) lead the panel “Restoration and Recovering of Degraded Areas: Commitments and Opportunities for Brazil”, together with Severino Ribeiro (CEPAN and Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact) and Jeferson Straatmann (ISA – Socio-Environmental Institute). Our project coordinator, Dimitrio Schievenin, was also invited to the WWF panel, “Barriers and Opportunities for NDC Implementation in the Farming Sector – A Focus on Restoring Degraded Areas in the Brazilian Cerrado.”. Here we shared the learnings so far from our pilot project in Santana do Araguaia (PA) and Caseara (TO), an area viewed to be the transition point between the Cerrado and Amazon biomes.

The outcome of this conference was the Recife Declaration. The Black Jaguar Foundation are one of numerous institutions, NGOs, companies and public agencies that have signed this agreement, committing to stand against climate change and work collectively towards a greener, more sustainable future. With our mission to restore more than 1 million hectares of the Amazon and Brazilian Cerrado along the Araguaia River, we are very proud to contribute directly to the Brazilian restoration target of 12 million hectares by 2030, the figure agreed upon in the Paris Agreement.

You too can show your support for climate action in Brazil and sign the Recife Declaration https://www.climabrasil.org.br/assinatura

During the current rainy season, the BJF field team is implementing a Restoration Demonstration Unit (RDU), located in the Farm of the Future, in the heart of the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor! Our team first prepared the area for restoration by removing all invasive grasses and plants, placing a fence and starting to plant the first seedlings. This RDU will be fully restored using three different techniques: seedling planting, with legume plants between the seedlings; dense seedling planting; and direct seeding, mixing tree species and legume plants.

The aim is for this 1,3 hectare restoration site to become a reference for other landowners that wish to partner with the BJF to restore their land, allowing them to see the process in action. The RDU will also be used as a site for local environmental education! When the restoration process is complete, pathways and sign boards will be created within the RDU, so people can walk around, explore and find out more information about ecological restoration. Local schools will also visit the site so children can come and learn more about the environment and why we need to restore and maintain these important areas. 

The BJF Team along with researchers from the Green Capital Study, visiting the Restoration Demonstration Unit (RDU), November 2019.

This year has seen many exciting developments which have propelled us into the next stages of our project, and as we grow, so must our structures. The BJF is therefore proud to have been awarded a Corporate Governance project by Vieira Rezende, a renowned Brazilian law firm. 

Vieira Rezende’s talented attorneys are currently working pro-bono in order to help us create compliance policies and set up a Brazilian advisory board. This board will be formed from renowned professionals from finance, forest restoration, third sector, impact business, environmental legislation and Agribusiness to help guide us in our future endeavours. The Brazilian Corporate Governance project will help bring even more transparency and trust to our partners and donors, as well as being a fundamental step towards broadening our Brazilian community! This is a crucial next step in the development of the BJF, helping to prepare us for the next, exciting phases of our immense task.