Welcome to the RAINFOREST PRESERVATION FOUNDATION, a non-profit organization, dedicated to the future and the welfare of one of earth's most vital resources. This company's roots go back to 1965 when a man named Don Davis first went to Brazil, and worked there as a missionary for fourteen and one half years. Since leaving Brazil, he had returned on many visits to Brazil. He was shocked to find that some villages have ceased to exist, because the rainforest was cut, the people no longer had a way to make a living. It was the plight of these people, and those along the Trans Brazilian Highway that first interested him in trying to do something about saving the rainforest. The people that have lived on the edge of the rainforest go back and gather brazil nuts, vines to make wicker furniture, extracts from trees, plants and herbs for medicine, rubber, and various fruit and nut crops.

When he began to talk to different rainforest groups about what he could do to save the rainforest, they wanted to protest to get governments to change their policies, get grants to study the situation or try to have laws changed. These things may be fine, but he wanted to do something much more direct. It is unfair to ask the Brazilians not to cut their forest for our benefit. He felt it was necessary to buy rainforest and then set it aside, allowing the gathering people to continue to gather.

Some interested friends and He went to Brazil in October of 1991 with $5,000.00, hoping to option 5,000 acres of land, and return to sell "Preservation Deeds" for that land and then buy more, etc. When they got to Brazil, Joao Velloso, a retired congressman and a long time friend, heard about our plan and took us to see the Governor of the State of Para, Jarder Barbalho. He was very excited about what they wanted to do, and helped them to get together the leading environmentalists, ecologists, forestry engineers and agricultural people. Twenty eight of us from the Government, the University and these other groups sat down and hammered out a very simple four point plan:

To buy and preserve pristine rainforest. For $25.00, we can buy and preserve an acre of rainforest.

To educate Brazilians on better farming methods and how to live in the rainforest by gathering and not destroying it.

To reclaim devastated land by reforestation and rotational farming.

To reforest reclaimed lands, or lands that have been recently harvested, using methods so as to not create a monoculture and to encourage the animals and birds to return.

Today the Foundation has been successful in placing over eight million acres of rainforest into trust and is training people in numerous villages in the proper farming and harvesting methods. Your assistance in the continuing efforts is greatly needed. Our world must be preserved and protected for all generations. If you would like to help please visit our sponsor page for information.