Eric Schoorl

German filmmaker Martin Rother heard about the Black Jaguar Foundation (BJF) goal of realizing the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor in Brazil from our team members Floris & Natascha Wouterson and kept the idea in mind. Once Rother looked the project up online and found out he could be part of one of the largest reforestation projects on Earth, he did not hesitate: “I knew instantly that I wanted to support this organization,” he says. The next day he made the donation and became an official BJF Supporting Friend.

But Rother has not only become a friend and donor of the BJF, he has gone on to do more. The filmmaker created a special video for the project. “I wanted to do something which would emotionally touch people and push them to think about their habits,” he explains. Rother used images from the Araguaia Corridor zone, combining shots of nature and devastation with powerful words in an almost three-minute-long production.

“It is a big but also a realistic opportunity to give something back to Earth”, says Martin Rother about BJF’s project

“Films can deeply move the heart of people. The positive outcome could be the change in their own lives. The most important thing is changing thoughts,” Rother believes. He is convinced that everyone can play a role in the journey to a better world, as role models for others every single day. “It is in our hands and it is our responsibility,” he concluded.

Learn more about Martin Rother on his profile-page number 96/600 at www.black-jaguar.org/the-first600/096/.

Joël is one of the core members of our BJF Team in the Netherlands with an unprecedented drive for our cause! Joel holds a Bachelor in Future Planet Studies and a Masters in Environmental Geography and has cared about the vulnerability of our planet since childhood. She manages and carries out a long list of tasks to keep the BJF running at full speed.  Joël knows all about the importance of reforestation and will approach you to renew your partnership in the coming months. Or feel free to contact Joël yourself at j.boele@black-jaguar.org 

The BJF is honored to announce its new institutional partner in Brazil: WRI Brasil. With their slogan ‘Making big ideas happen,’ the WRI Brasil is part of the World Resources Institute, a global research organization active in more than 50 countries. Their more than 700 experts work together with leaders worldwide to sustain the world’s natural resources.

WRI Brasil is working with local leaders to protect the environment and to create solutions that contribute to Brazil’s prosperity in an inclusive and sustainable manner. The partnership establishes the start of a collaboration between the BJF and WRI Brasil in order to increase the restoration opportunities along the Araguaia Corridor zone. Together, they will also explore ways of cooperating to bid together (and other organizations) for large tenders for restoration projects in the Corridor Zone.

Miguel Calmon, Forests Director of WRI-Brasil, giving the keynote speech during the 2017 SER Conference.

The BJF and WRI Brasil have the common goal of implementing innovative and sustainable solutions that can improve the negative effects of climate change. At the SER Congress last year, first contacts were made with Mr. Miguel Calmon, Forests Director at WRI Brasil. With his vast experience in global environmental projects and drive to make things happen, Mr. Calmon brings vital skills, know-how and inspiration to the recently signed partnership.

We are proud to share that the renowned National Geographic Magazine (NL/BE) has published an article about the BJF and the Araguaia Corridor, written by the dedicated reporter Marieke van der Heijden. The article describes how the BJF has started to plan and help realize one of the largest reforestation projects on earth, after its initiator, Ben Valks, came across the drastically deforested Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna along the Araguaia river in central Brazil.

Reporter and photographer Marieke van der Heijden traveled along the Araguaia Corridor zone, in Brazil, for over three weeks and has documented our ambitious mission. She interviewed landowners and partners of the BJF and produced an inspiring collection of photos, reflecting the valuable ecosystems and their alarming deforestation.

The article explains how the BJF, in close partnership with landowners, has started to implement this immense reforestation project. It illustrates the importance of restoration in this area and beyond and how the mindset is positively changing towards the need for forest restoration and ecological farming.

The February edition of National Geographic Magazine with the BJF article is now available in stores in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Click on the video below to explore the dynamics of The First 600 campaign.

The First 600 campaign is formed by the first 600 sponsors who support the BJF in realizing the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor in Brazil. Focusing on a positive path, we have renamed the Last 600 campaign The First 600, and it is now integrated into the BJF website.

On The First 600 page, you will find a photo wall divided into 600 numbered pixels or windows. Clicking on a gray or deforested window allows you to sponsor that specific window for a period of two years. When your window is sponsored, its color changes from ‘deforested gray’ to ‘jungle green’, bringing us one step closer to realizing the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor.

Moreover, each ‘green’ window will direct you to a unique profile page of the person or company who sponsored that specific window. The profile pages display the video testimonial and background of each sponsor.

The video testimonials on the profile pages are fun and inspiring to watch and are a great tool to convey your social and environmental commitment to your friends and clients.

Not only will your sponsored window open a site that displays your video statement of positive involvement, you will also receive the official title ‘Supporting Friend’ or ‘Corporate Friend’ of the Black Jaguar Foundation for a period of two years. In addition, you will receive, as a permanent gift for you to keep, one of 600 individually handcrafted black jaguar sculptures. Each sculpture is unique and has been designed by award-winning sculptor Chris Tap.

Chris is one of the many amazing people who stood up for the BJF and donated his time and craftsmanship to produce these astonishing works. You can meet Chris in window number 155 by clicking here.

The Black Jaguar Foundation has launched a brand-new and remodelled website in January of 2018. The new interface is user-friendly and brings together field updates, a new campaign, insight in our Community, updated trailers in ten languages, Q&A’s, partner profiles and much more and can now be viewed all in one place, on any device.

But more than that and thanks to your support, the launch of the new website marks the end of many years of our Preparation phase during which we built cases of first successes on all fronts. Now we can finally enter the Fundraising & Implementation phase!

We have integrated our old campaign (TheLast600) into the new site and renamed it TheFirst600! Taking a more positive path, our new campaign is focused on the first 600 sponsors who are going to help us realize the longest nature corridor on Earth and one of South America’s largest reforestation projects.

On TheFirst600 you will find a photo wall divided into 600 numbered pixels or windows. Clicking on a gray or deforested window allows you to sponsor that specific window for a period of two years. When a window is sponsored, its color will change from ‘deforested gray’ to ‘jungle green’. Moreover, each window will link to the profile page of each sponsor and comes with a unique URL and portrays you or your company: a great tool to convey your social and environmental commitment to your friends and clients.