Our forest projects
Our forest projects
WWF works across the world to protect, manage and restore forest habitats in areas we consider to be of global importance, for the benefit of people and wildlife.
The Amazon
WWF has been at the forefront of protecting the Amazon for more than 40 years. We are working to support the creation and management of protected areas to maintain large blocks of intact forest. We engage with local communities and governments to find solutions that can bridge the needs of economic development and conservation.
Amur-Heilong
WWF is working to achieve lasting conservation of the biologically diverse forests in the Amur-Heilong region – which stretches across Mongolia, north-east China and the Russian Far East. The forests are one of the last places the world’s largest cat, the Amur tiger, and the world’s rarest cat, the Amur leopard, can be found.
Atlantic forest
The Atlantic forest, on the east coast of South America, is one of the most vulnerable forests in the world. It is one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, but faces huge threats from urbanisation in Brazil, illegal logging and agricultural expansion.
Borneo
Between 1980 and 2000, it is estimated that more timber was harvested from Borneo than was exported from the Amazon and Congo basins combined. As a result, Borneo now has only 50% of its original forest left. WWF is working to safeguard the Heart of Borneo – a huge area of this island.
Colombia
Colombia is home to over 10% of the world’s plant and animal species despite covering just 0.7% of the planet’s surface. However, Colombia loses nearly 2,000 sq km of natural forest every year. WWF is working to minimise the amount of forest lost through clearance for small-scale agriculture and larger plantations.
East Africa
East Africa’s coastal forests are of vital importance to both wildlife and local communities. Much of this forest has been converted to farmland over thousands of years. It is among WWF-UK’s key priority sites for conservation, and we have increased the ability of local communities to manage their forests sustainably and generate revenue.
Eastern Himalayas
The Eastern Himalayas encompass an enormous diversity of landscapes and species across India, Nepal and Bhutan. WWF aims to restore habitats, and to ensure that plans are developed to enable people and wildlife to cope with the impacts of climate change on the region.
New Guinea
The island of New Guinea plays host to the largest pristine rainforest in the Asia-Pacific and the third largest rainforest in the world, which contains up to 8% of the world’s species. New Guinea’s environment is under severe pressure from unsustainable development. WWF is focusing on protecting and ensuring the sustainable use of the island’s forests.
Latest forest news
WWF research trip heads into the Amazon
WWF-Brazil has launched a four-week expedition into two little-known and highly-sensitive regions of the Amazon rainforest.
michelroggo_1084.jpg "WWF UK Rio Negro forest reserve, Amazonas, Brazil")
Brazilian government protects new tracts of Amazon
WWF-UK welcomes the Brazilian government's creation of three new protected areas in the Amazon to mark World Environment Day.
Safeguarding the Amazon is vital for global climate
Protected areas in the Brazilian Amazon have the potential to reduce total carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation by 1.1 billion tonnes by 2050, a new report from WWF-Brazil has revealed.
Five nation census to save dolphins
A milestone in the protection of the world's endangered river dolphins has been achieved with the successful completion of an ambitious 13 river, five nation census of South America's river dolphins.
Climate change is destroying Amazon
A vicious feedback loop of climate change and deforestation could wipe out or severely damage nearly 60% of the Amazon forest by 2030, says a new report commissioned by WWF, launched at the UN climate change talks in Bali.