Sustainability isn’t just about planting trees—it’s about protecting the ecosystems that sustain life on Earth. That’s why Pitod is proud to announce its partnership with Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK). Through our Rainforest Collection, 10% of sales will go directly toward RFUK’s efforts in protecting and restoring tropical forests—one of the most effective ways to combat climate change and biodiversity loss.
Who is the Rainforest Foundation UK?
Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) is committed to both human rights and environmental protection when it comes to tackling deforestation. Locally, RFUK supports forest communities to gain land rights, challenge destructive industries, manage their forests and protect their environment. Globally, RFUK campaigns to influence national and international laws and policies that protect rainforests and their inhabitants.
Instead of conserving forests purely for their biodiversity or carbon values, RFUK promotes the establishment of community rights over rainforest lands, tackling the root causes of deforestation and paving the way for local people to benefit fairly from the use and protection of forest resources. RFUK delivers work through long-term partnerships with local and indigenous peoples’ organisations so that capacity is sustained in rainforest countries.
Since its founding in 1989, the Rainforest Foundations of the UK, US and Norway have supported communities to secure and protect more than 84 million hectares of tropical rainforest — an area roughly the size of Scandinavia.
Why Is it Important?
The collaboration is raising awareness to the fact that we need to restore and rebuild the planet. Instead of tree planting only, eco systems need to be nurtured to bring the planet back where it's supposed to be.
Additionally, it brings a discussion on the problems of exploitative carbon offsetting schemes that can often lead to land grabbing of Indigenous and local community territories, penalising those least responsible for the climate crisis. There is evidence that such projects can instead have a negative climate impact.
Some of these projects can lead to 'hot air' credits, which don’t represent real reductions in emissions. This also includes tree planting, a once warmly welcomed initiative, but the unintentional damage these initiatives can have is now becoming clear. For example, when a tree is planted, it’s not necessarily building an eco-system and there’s no guarantee the tree will survive.
What We Are Doing
To better protect the environment and specifically the rainforest, its inhabitants and communities, 10% of all sales from the rainforest collection will be going to Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK). The money will go towards supporting its campaigning and advocacy work, including the charity’s forest protection campaigns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which covers the Cuvette Centrale peatlands, a huge carbon-rich area. The funds raised will also go towards supporting its community forest work, which was previously supported by US Aid.
Our forest, our land: Unleashing the potential of community forests in DR Congo
