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IT ALWAYS SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE
UNTIL IT'S DONE

Nelson Mandela

© Yann Arthus-Bertrand

The Black Jaguar Foundation is planting trees in Brazil to restore the balance between nature and mankind. Planting trees improves the life of each of us and all future generations on our earth. We all have the power to change.

The Black Jaguar Foundation is planting trees in Brazil to restore the balance between nature and mankind. Planting trees improves the life of each of us and all future generations on our earth. We all have the power to change.

OUR MISSION

OUR AMBASSADORS

OUR TEAM

OUR MISSION

OUR AMBASSADORS

OUR TEAM

OUR OFFICES

NO RISK, NO LIFE

Q&A

OUR OFFICES

NO RISK, NO LIFE

Q&A

OUR MISSION

RESTORING THE AMAZON RAINFOREST AND CERRADO SAVANNA

OUR MISSION

RESTORING THE AMAZON RAINFOREST AND CERRADO SAVANNA

The Black Jaguar Foundation started in 2009, its initial goal making a unique documentary about the black jaguar in the wild – a dream of initiator Ben Valks. During his numerous expeditions it was not the black jaguar he encountered, but the drastically deforested Amazon. Inspired by the powerful documentary ‘HOME’ by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and its message that ‘we all have the power to change’, the BJF has expanded its mission. Ben has since devoted his life to restoring the Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna through the BJF.

Instead of being the focus of the foundation, the black jaguar came to be its icon. It symbolizes the precarious future of the entire Amazon and Cerrado as well as the endangerment of our own species. Now, our sole focus is tree planting and the restoration of biodiversity. 

The Black Jaguar Foundation started in 2009, its initial goal making a unique documentary about the black jaguar in the wild – a dream of initiator Ben Valks. During his numerous expeditions it was not the black jaguar he encountered, but the drastically deforested Amazon. Inspired by the powerful documentary ‘HOME’ by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and its message that ‘we all have the power to change’, the BJF has expanded its mission. Ben has since devoted his life to restoring the Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna through the BJF.

Instead of being the focus of the foundation, the black jaguar came to be its icon. It symbolizes the precarious future of the entire Amazon and Cerrado as well as the endangerment of our own species.

PEOPLE

OUR AMBASSADORS

Koen
Vanmechelen

Conceptual artist

H.R.H.
Princess Basma bint Ali

Global Environmentalist

Prof. Dr. Jan
van Hooff

Science Supervisor
at Burgers’ Zoo

Koen
Vanmechelen

Conceptual artist

H.R.H.
Princess Basma bint Ali

Global Environmentalist

Prof. Dr. Jan
van Hooff

Science Supervisor
at Burgers’ Zoo

Kees
Rijnhout

Owner of  Jaguar,
the fresh (fruit) company

Shannon
O’Leary Joy

President,
EarthSense Foundation 

Nalden

Co-owner of WeTransfer

Kees
Rijnhout

Owner of  Jaguar,
the fresh (fruit) company

Shannon O’Leary Joy

President, EarthSense Foundation

Nalden

Co-owner of WeTransfer

Tarcila
Ursini

Board member,
Sustainability, Strategy, Innovation,
People & Culture

Humberto
Tan

TV Personality,
Photographer, Writer
& Sports journalist

Carlos
Nobre

Earth System Scientist,
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
& Guardian of the Amazon

MEET OUR CORE TEAM

Our dedicated core team is a mix of professionals, working fulltime to bring our dream of conservation into reality. The BJF core team works both in the field in the Corridor and/or at one of our offices.

Our dedicated core team is a mix of professionals, working fulltime to bring our dream of conservation into reality. The BJF core team works both in the field in the Corridor and/or at one of our offices.

Ben
Valks

Initiator

Joël
Boele

Senior Outreach Coordinator

Eric
Schoorl

Campaign Coordinator

Carol
Sacramento

Partner Project Management

Ben
Valks

Initiator

Joël
Boele

Community Outreach Coordinator

Eric
Schoorl

Campaign Coordinator

Carol
Sacramento

Development Coordinator

Doron
Zarr

Philanthropy & Fundraising

Marco
van der Ree

Strategic partnerships

Marcelle
Grumberg

Articulation Coordinator

Dimitrio
Schievenin

Project Coordinator

Doron
Zarr

Philanthropy & Fundraising

Eduardo Carlos
Oliveira

Field Coordinator

Marcelle
Grumberg

Articulation Coordinator

Dimitrio
Schievenin

Project Coordinator

Eduardo
Rimoli

Finance Manager

Ana Paula
Mendes

Communications Coordinator

Stefan
Meisser

BJF Swiss Representative

Clarissa
Sciarra

Geoprocessing Analyst

Eduardo
Rimoli

Finance Manager

Ana Paula Mendes 

Communications Coordinator

Tainan Ballestrin

Field Operations Coordinator

Julia
Silveira

Communications Coordinator

Matheus
Fonseca

Validation Analyst

.

Norivania
Diniz

Seedling Production Analyst

Laís D’isep
dos Santos

Seeds Production Analyst

Ingrid
Almeida

Restoration Analyst

Jessica Lopes
da Silva

Human Resources Analyst

Diogo
Albuquerque

Finance Analyst

Ygor Pinto
Oliveira

Restoration Analyst

Taiwan
Alves da Silva

Field Supervisor

.

Erivelto
Carvalho

Field Supervisor

Mayk
Santos Guimarães

Field Supervisor

Caio
Nascimento Silva

Field Supervisor

Valdilei
Resente Belém

Field Supervisor

.

OUR FIELD TEAM

Our field team is made up of over 120 hard-working individuals, most of which have lived in or near our restoration sites for a big part of their lives. They are the ones on the ground, working hard to make the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor a reality on a daily basis. By working at the Black Jaguar Foundation, members of the field team are able to earn a living wage while helping to preserve the environment that they live in and depend on.

OUR ADVISORY BOARD

Our advisory board consists of 7 highly experienced individuals, providing a wealth of knowledge from the worlds of Finance, Law, Sustainability, Environmental Research, Strategy & Agribusiness.

Camila
Lefèvre

Partner
Vieira Rezende Advogados

Sheilla Pereira
Albuquerque

CEO Agrogalaxy

Marcello
Brito

CEO CBKK

Rebecca
Raposo

Founding Partner
RR Strategy

Camila
Lefèvre

Partner, Vieira Rezende Advogados

Sheilla Pereira
Albuquerque

CEO Agrogalaxy

Marcello
Brito

CEO CBKK

OUR TECHNICAL ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION COMMITTEE

Our Technical Committee is composed of four qualified specialists from different areas, and two of BJF’s forest engineers. They are currently giving their input and advice on our plans to drastically scale up our field operations during the planting seasons for the next 5 years.

Ingo
Isernhagen

Researcher
EMBRAPA

Sâmia
Nunes

Researcher
Instituto Tecnológico Vale

Maxmiller
Ferreira

Specialist in Direct Seeding Technique
Caminhos da Semente

Júlia
Mangueira

Sustainable Agriculture | The Nature Conservancy

Dimitrio
Schievenin

Project Coordinator
Black Jaguar Foundation

Our team of professional volunteers

Meet our amazing and ever-growing team of successful professionals from all over the world. They contribute their time, talent and services free of charge or work at charitable rates to help us plant trees.

Meet our amazing and ever growing team of successful professionals from all over the world. They contribute their time, talent and services free of charge or work at charitable rates.

Alex Vermeule – Alexey Neischenko – Ana Paula Aquino – Angel Garcia-Rojo – Anouk Kuiper – Anton Theunissen – Ashley Aslett – Babette Zwager – Bart Greve – Bart Jenezon – Berry Philippa – Bianco Nijhoff – Brenda Smeenge – Camila Tubino Bandeira – Cees Berkhout – Cherie McDonald – Chris Tap – Claire King – Constantijn de Longh – Daisy Longden – Daniel Hillel-Tuch – Daniel Oscar Hunter – David Velt – Davy van der Elsken – Derek Gallo – Dietmar Dahmen – Dwight Groot – Eelco Wisman – Ellen Windemuth – Elvire Jaspers – Emmelie Zipson – Eric Steuten – Esther Lapère – Eveline Dietz – Farhad Massoudi – Fatima Del Carmen Lopez – Fernando Bedaque – Flavia da Cruz Carneiro – Flávia Frazão – Floris de Clerque – Floris Wouterson – Fred Porro – Geert Sonnemans – Gerard Nieveen – Gijs van Kampen – Gina van Dijk – Hans Idema – Hans Knoop – Hans Lutz – Hans Simons – Heidi Little – Herman Witkam – Ingeborg van Bruggen – Ingrid Valks – Irene Andrea – Isabelle Delannoy – Jacqueline Goffart – Jack Myasushkin – Jan Coppelmans – Jan Willem Lokerman – Jeanette aan de Stegge – Jeroen Otter – Jessica Benedictus – Joao S. de Queiroz – João Bosco Paulo Carneiro – John Kappel – Jolanda Treffers – Joris Vos – Junior Afraino Machabo – Juliano Lissano – Kurt Kelly – Leonie Roos – Maaike Gonzàlez – Maaike Veen – Marieke van der Heijden – Mario Dos Santos Cabreira – Martijn van Rooij – Martin Nijdam – Matthijs van Schendelen – Menfis Alves – Merel van Beeren – Michael Hekking – Michelle Bade – Michelle Johnson – Leonie Roos – Natascha Wouterson – Natasja de Winter – Nicole Bekhuis – Nuño Negroes – Paco Valks – Pascale Fuchs – Patrick Wachner – Paul Feenstra – Peter Vosters – Peter Baas – Philip Jan Meijer – Philippe van den Weghe – Randy McNamara – Raymond Badoux – Remco de Boer – Rob Burkhard – Roberta Carminati – Roelof ten Broeke – Ronald Kip – Ru van Meeteren – Sjoerd van Schaaijk – Sonja de Vries – Suzanne Bergman – Tanya Lyabik – Tatjana Medvedev – Thaís Sabino – Thijs Gerritsen – Thomas Roos – Ton van der Meer – Tulio Dornas – Virginia Hamilton – Vladyslav Kadlubytskyy – Willem van Riet – Yann Arthus-Bertrand – Yoska van der Harten

THE BLACK JAGUAR FOUNDATION BOARDS

Ingomar Klaui
BJF Netherlands

Change manager,
Operational management

Jerry Griep
BJF Netherlands

MD of Benelux & North America
Cono Cheesemakers

Bart Jaspers
BJF Netherlands

Social entrepreneur

Ingomar Klaui
BJF Netherlands

Change manager,
Operational management

Jerry Griep
BJF Netherlands

MD of Benelux & North America
Cono Cheesemakers

Bart Jaspers
BJF Netherlands

Social entrepreneur

Ben Valks
BJF Brazil

Initiator

Flavia da Cruz Carneiro
BJF Brazil

Legal Consultant
Pro Result

Camila Lefèvre
BJF Brazil

Legal Director
Vieira Rezende Advogados

Ben Valks
BJF

Initiator

Flavia da Cruz Carneiro
BJF Brazil

Legal Consultant

Pro Result

Janaina Noronha Rocha
BJF Brazil

Sr. Legal Manager
Laureate International Universities

Hans Hagen
BJF Germany – Rep office

Geschäftsführer
Motovers
GmbH

Bastian Laucke
BJF Germany – Rep office

Founder Drehmoment Film GmbH,
Director of photography 

Joe Hechler
BJF Germany – Rep office

Founder Drehmoment Film GmbH,
Director of photography 

Hans Hagen
BJF Germany

Firmenberater
Motovers

Bastian Laucke
BJF Germany

Founder Drehmoment Film GmbH,
Director of photography 

Joe Hechler
BJF Germany

Founder Drehmoment Film GmbH,
Director of photography 

A SELECTION OF OUR OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS

 
 
 
 
 

OUR OFFICES

OUR OFFICES

AMSTERDAM

 

BJF HEADQUARTERS

info@black-jaguar.org
+31 20 760 0765

Stichting Black Jaguar Foundation
H.J.E. Wenckebachweg 123
1096 AM – Amsterdam
The Netherlands

 

SÃO PAULO

 

BJF BRAZIL

info@black-jaguar.org
+55 (11) 99248-4000‬

Instituto Black Jaguar  
Rua Joaquim Eugênio de Lima, 187, Cj. 11
01403-001 – São Paulo – SP
Brazil

SANTANA

DO ARAGUAIA

BJF BRAZIL

info@black-jaguar.org
+55(94) 98436-1389

Instituto Black Jaguar  
Rua Pedro Miranda, 75, Qd 4, Lt 14
Santana do Araguaia

PA – 68560-000
Brazil 

MUNICH

 

BJF GERMANY

hagen@motovers.de
+49 151 23067393

c/o Drehmoment Film GmbH
Adi-Maislinger Str. 7

81373 – Munich
Germany

 

AMSTERDAM

BJF HEADQUARTERS

info@black-jaguar.org
+31 20 760 0765

Stichting Black Jaguar Foundation
H.J.E. Wenckebachweg 123
1096 AM – Amsterdam
The Netherlands

 

SÃO PAULO

BJF BRAZIL

info@black-jaguar.org
+55 (11) 99248-4000‬

Instituto Black Jaguar  
Rua Joaquim Eugênio de Lima, 187, Cj. 11
01403-001 – São Paulo – SP
Brazil

 

MUNICH

BJF GERMANY

info@black-jaguar.org
+31 20 760 0765

c/o Drehmoment Film GmbH
Adi-Maislinger Str. 7

81373 – Munich
Germany

 

Piet-Hein Goossens

FINANCE CONSULTANT

About me

Piet-Hein has over 14 years of experience at Accenture providing financial training and consulting. Recently he had been coordinating Accenture's Battle-for-Good Team. In line with this initiative, Piet-Hein is working with the BJF core team, committing part of his time to help establish the new BJF financial system and sharing his extensive knowledge to contribute to the progress of the BJF mission.

Ben Valks

INITIATOR

About me

Ben is a nature lover, adventurer, and entrepreneur. During his numerous expeditions to photograph wild jaguars in the heart of Brazil, it was not the black jaguar he encountered but the drastically deforested Amazon. Instead of returning to pursue more business dreams, he decided to start giving back to our vulnerable planet. He initiated the BJF and now fully devotes his energy and skills to make the dream of the Black Jaguar Foundation come true.

Read more about the inspiring story behind the BJF

Marcelle Grumberg

Articulation Coordinator

About me

Marcelle is an Envrionmental and Sanitary Engineer with a specialization in Geoprocessing. She has worked in environmental regularization for over five years, dealing with different environmental agencies in the states where she worked. She also cultivated direct relationships with family farmers, and traditional people and communities. By getting to know the particularities and potential of each region, as well as the particular characteristics  of each individual rural producer, such as their humility and charisma, a passion was awakened for Marcelle; which is to act in a meaningful way in the area, in an effort to demonstrate the importance of environmental preservation.

Rick Gemser

Partnerships Coordinator

About me

After graduating, Rick started a career in the Music and Entertainment business at a young age in various National and International positions. As a marketing and business development specialist, everything revolved around commerce, targets and making money. Now the time has come to give something back and to combine his further career with this amazing project! In addition, his network and experience come in handy to 'ignite' as many companies and organizations as possible with this important mission. No longer be part of the problem, but part of the solution!

Kaléo Pereira

Restoration Analyst

About me

Kaleo is our new Restoration Analyst! He is a Forest Engineer, with a Master Degree in Applied Statistic and Biometry, and a Doctoral in Forest Engineering from the Federal University of Viçosa.