Summer 2026 Newsletter

A Message From Our Executive Director Dear Friends and Supporters, Summertime is well underway, and this year, it has brought a sobering reminder of the accelerating climate crisis. In June, Europe saw record high temperatures, with parts of France reaching 112°F, while a massive heat dome and smoke from Canadian wildfires engulfed much of the […]
2025 Annual Impact Report
Learning to Live with Fire: Indigenous Organizations Gather in Brazil to Strengthen Climate Resilience Across the Amazon

When record-breaking fires tore through the Peruvian Amazon in 2024, affecting 22 of the country’s 24 regions, it was a wake-up call for the Ticuna community of Buen Jardín de Callaru. For generations, Peru’s Ticuna people have lived in the region’s humid lowland forests, where small, controlled fires have long been part of preparing family […]
Securing the Amazon: Indigenous Land Tenure and Forest Protection in Peru

Securing Indigenous peoples’ land rights is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect forests, but the process is often long and risky. In Peru’s Amazon, an Indigenous-led initiative is changing that. A new report unpacks what’s driving its success.
New Report Shows How Indigenous-Led Approach in Peruvian Amazon Accelerates Legal Recognition of Indigenous Lands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Indigenous-led model in Peru’s Loreto region reduces timelines and strengthens coordination across the land titling process. Lima, Peru / New York, U.S., June 15, 2026 — A new report from Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) and the Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP) finds that an Indigenous-led, collaborative approach […]
After years of caring for their forests, recognition arrives for the communities of Petén, Guatemala

The experience of Guatecarbon shows how organized communities can defend their rights, influence national policy, and ensure that payments for protecting forests reach those doing the work.
Making Forest Carbon Markets Work for Communities: A Case Study on Benefit Sharing in the REDD+ Guatecarbon Project

Benefit sharing is a critical component of REDD+ forest carbon projects, particularly where Indigenous peoples and local communities are central to forest stewardship. As REDD+ evolves into market-based mechanisms, with carbon credits generating revenue in international carbon markets, ensuring that benefits are distributed fairly is essential for the long term success of the initiative. However, […]
AI is a double-edged sword for Indigenous stewardship, say U.N. experts (Published by Mongabay)
Spring 2026 Newsletter

A Message From Our Executive Director Dear Friends and Supporters, Each spring offers a moment to reflect on our connection to the natural world and our shared responsibility to protect it. As Earth Day nears, Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) recognizes the leadership of Indigenous communities, whose knowledge and care for their lands sustain the world’s […]
More than a thousand turtles return to the Amazon after being rescued from illegal trafficking (Article published in Spanish by Infobae)