Deforestation in the Congo Basin has doubled in the last 15 years due to logging, mining, farming and other developments. Some of the companies responsible for the destructive oil palm production in South-East Asia are now turning their attention to Africa. Confirmed new plantations would double the rate of deforestation in some Congo Basin countries, threatening habitat for great apes, forest elephants, manatees as well as land vital to forest peoples’ lives.

RFUK believes that the strongest hope of conserving rainforests lies with local people living in the forest. We work to secure land rights for forest communities and indigenous peoples so they can better defend their land and its biodiversity against timber or palm oil companies. We will support communities to challenge palm oil and logging companies, secure their rights, and influence national and international laws to protect rainforests, their inhabitants and the rare wildlife they contain.