Rainforest conservation groups work tirelessly to raise money and increase awareness to help preserve the rainforest and all the species that call it home. The rainforest houses millions of species of plants, animals and insects, and rainforest groups work to ensure that these species are protected.

As an organizer or leader of a rainforest conservation organization, it's important to know how these organizations work to raise money, organize events and fundraisers, and set goals to help preserve this precious resource. To learn how to run a lucrative and beneficial rainforest foundation, make sure that your rainforest conservation organizations education and training includes:

1. Discovering what resources are being protected by rainforest groups.

2. Deciphering how rainforest organizations run.

3. Learning how rainforest conservation groups benefit from fundraising and donations.

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Learn the basics of rainforest protection groups through intensive internships

The rainforest is home to millions of species of plant and animal life, many of which are unique to the rainforest and endangered due to rainforest deforestation. Rainforest preservation groups work to protect these species and their habitats. Learn why the rainforest is such a valuable resource and why working for a rainforest association is so important.

I recommend: Global Vision International offers a research and conservation traineeship that focuses on rainforest conservation. York University provides internship opportunities in Costa Rica to learn about rainforest preservation and leading rainforest organizations.

Get trained in rainforest protection organizations management

One of the most important functions of a rainforest preservation foundation is raising money to fund important functions and issues related to rainforest conservation. Enrolling in conservation training programs will educate you about the business side of rainforest conservation groups.

I recommend: Enroll in the National Conservation Leadership Program to learn about conservation and working with a rainforest preservation group. The Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments offers internships in Madagascar to learn about rainforest conservation and preservation groups.

Learn more about the functions of rainforest protection groups through volunteer training

One of the best ways to learn about the important work that rainforest conservation organizations do is to sign-up for a volunteer training program abroad. With volunteer training, you will get to see and research rainforests firsthand and do some good while you're learning.

I recommend: Research abroad in Peru with APECA to learn about healthcare, education and other needs of rainforest populations so that you can be better equipped to help work with a protection organization. Work as a volunteer in South America and take the Conservation Challenge while you learn about rainforest conservation as well as health care and social services in surrounding areas.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Stay informed on the latest news about rainforest groups and conservation. Knowing the latest issues will help you organize your rainforest conservation organization.

If you are an individual with an interest in preserving and protecting the rainforest, partner with rainforest conservation organizations to strengthen your expertise and credibility. Organizations bring together people and professionals with similar passions, goals and challenges. Members of organizations are very diverse, but all share the same objective of expanding their knowledge.

Becoming a member of the right organization opens the door to a wealth of opportunities, including networking and volunteering, as well as informational resources. Additionally, rainforest conservation organizations may provide invaluable educational opportunities. When looking for membership with a rainforest preservation foundation, remember the following:

1. Most organizations charge fees for memberships, so make sure the money will be put to good use before you pay.

2. Member benefits may include discounts for events and conferences.

3. Make sure the rainforest association you're interested in is credible. Check to see if they're partnered with other non-profits in your area.

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Pick rainforest protection organizations with online resources and tools you can use

You can improve your understanding of a certain cause by picking an organization that offers online access to member tools and resources. Many organizations offer newsletters containing up-to-date news on issues and trends. Additionally, you have access to a volunteering opportunities, publications, and mentors.

I recommend: Raintree provides a listing of links to rainforest organizations. Amazon International Rainforest Reserve provides a forum for discussing concerns regarding the rainforest.

Take advantage of training opportunities provided by rainforest groups

Progress stops for no one, and you need to advance as an advocate by keeping your knowledge skills up to date. Take advantage of educational programs and tools to assist you. Many organizations offer information on upcoming seminars, training, fundraisers and other related programs. Many training opportunities are geared to help you raise awareness in your own community.

I recommend: The Association Promoting Education and Conservation of the Amazon and Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research both offer a variety of workshops and training programs.

Join rainforest conservation groups that offer a full schedule of events

Events and conferences are a boon to any cause. They give you an opportunity to network and share issues with your peers. More importantly, they provide you an opportunity to further your relationships with other individuals concerned with rainforest conservation.

I recommend: The Rainforest Action Network and the Rainforest Alliance both offer a calendar of benefit events to raise money for the cause, so you can socialize and help save the world at the same time.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're considering a rainforest foundation for its online resources, look for one with an active forum where you can discuss issues with your fellow advocates in real time.

Rainforest conservation organizations have stepped in to do the work that north, south and central American federal governments can't or won't do, and that market forces frequently impact in a negative way. Preserving our hemisphere's natural resources is a struggle, and these groups have had to brainstorm a lot of innovative solutions for meeting the challenges they face. Learning about some basic terminology for rainforest conservation organizations can help a business figure out where it stands in the equation. Check out definition and info resources about key terms rainforest conservation organizations and activists discuss when they talk shop.

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Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of species evident in an environment. It can be used in terms of the entire world by conservation organizations, or for just one area of the world, such as a rainforest.

I recommend: Find the meaning of biodiversity at the Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership. Learn about threats to rainforest biodiversity at Raintree.

Endangered species

In the parlance of rainforest conservation or other goals, endangered species arguments are used to start implementing preservation or restoration of a natural habitat.

I recommend: Find out about endangered species and causes of endangerment at EndangeredSpecie.com.

Eco demonstration

One way that rainforest conservation organizations work to protect natural species is with physical eco demos that show how the rainforest or other resources help keep the earth healthy.

I recommend: Find more on eco demonstration and other similar programs at the Natural Solutions Seed Community, where internships and other programs include this kind of strategy for protecting rainforests and other areas.

Corridor building

When a lot of areas of a larger natural area are devastated, the result is sometimes a patchwork that needs support to thrive, or even to survive. Conservation organizations use corridor building to reconnect pockets of natural life for a more vibrant result.

I recommend: Find out more about corridor building at Natural Partners.

Mentoring and education programs

Another main tactic of some rainforest conservation organizations is mentoring programs aimed at giving young people the education they need to change the world for the better.

I recommend: Take a look at some practical rainforest conservation organizations mentoring and educational opportunities from the Yachana Foundation for Ecuadorian Rainforest Conservation.

Eco-tourism

Another main strategy, eco-tourism, represents a true example of compromise providing practical solutions. To some purists, eco-tourism is 'giving in' to market forces that do not favor natural environments. But many organizations report that successfully controlled eco-tourism is leading to the conservation of large parts of the rainforest.

I recommend: Find out more about eco-tourism at Monga-Bay.

Rainforest conservation organizations work to guard against deforestation and rainforest degradations in the tropic countries where forest exploitation is most prevalent. Major international rainforest protection groups work with national governments, other international agencies and multinational corporations to make changes to policy that protects rainforest lands.

Other rainforest protection organizations are smaller, activist networks that get involved on the ground level in local communities to provide resources to the people most impacted by rainforest groups and policies. These rainforest conversation organizations get less international media attention than large conservation organizations, but may be doing much more to impact the daily lives of people who rely on rainforest resources.

When searching for rainforest conservation organizations news and trends, consider the following sources:

1. Get news about conservation policy from major international rainforest groups;
2. Stay up to date on the work being done by activist rainforest organizations;
3. Get news from comprehensive sources about rainforests and conservation groups.
   

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Find international trends and news from rainforest groups online

International conservation agencies and rainforest groups publish the latest news about rainforest preservation efforts online, as well as articles about developments in conservation policy and deforestation regulation. One such trend in rainforest conservation is to purchase forest lands and hold them in trust to keep them from being deforested.

I recommend: Read the latest news from international conservation agencies like the World Wildlife Fund. You can also get news from rainforest conservation organizations such as World Land Trust-US, which purchases tropical rainforest acreage.

Read news about activist efforts from rainforest conservation groups

Many save the rainforest groups concentrate on local action, rather than national and international policy, and these rainforest organizations may receive much less media attention. To read news and trends relating to local activism, you will need to visit the websites of individual activist groups. Rainforest action groups typically publish a news and media website, with links to stories of general interest in the area of rainforest conservation, as well as information about that particular organization's work.

I recommend: Rainforest Action Network (RAN) is one rainforest foundation dedicated to local action that publishes recent news articles in its media center. Another option is Friends of the Earth, which has a similar mission and action plan to RAN.

Consult comprehensive resources for rainforest conservation organizations news and trends

If you're looking for broad rainforest foundation information about multiple organizations and international efforts, a database or directory site may be best for locating more general news and trends that are less organization-specific. These sites provide information about rainforest conservation efforts on a global scale and links to a wide range of rainforest preservation groups for additional and more localized news and trends.

I recommend: Forest Protection Portal provides conservation news and resources, as well as links to a number of rainforest conservation groups. Mongobay.com also provides data trends and information about deforestation in a number of tropical countries, in addition to news about conservation organizations.