Protecting forests

Project goal: Protecting Paraguay’s Atlantic rainforest

Project size: 7,000 hectares of land have been purchased through donations and saved from deforestation. The goal is to protect 20,000 hectares

Project volume: One hectare of forest currently costs around $850. Around $10 million are needed to protect the remaining 13,000 hectares

Alberto Yanosky is fighting an uphill battle. He’s trying to keep Paraguay’s rainforests intact despite plans to raze the land and turn it into large soybean farms and cattle pastures. His strategy is to step in when land buyers and sellers are too quick to come to an agreement. With his NGO Guyra Paraguay, Yanosky is trying to preserve some of his country’s rich biodiversity with a mix of conservation measures and sustainable agriculture. We join him as he works with farmers to strike a healthy balance between deforestation and protecting trees. He’s trying to convince farmers of how important it is to save Paraguay’s rainforests, and how eco-friendly practices can be economically profitable as well. Through his efforts, he’s not only helping to save trees but is also preserving the country’s indigenous roots.

A film by Christoph Kober