Protecting tropical forests in Papua New Guinea
Every £1 spent on this project has been verified to create at least £43 in environmental and social value. Protecting tropical forests contributes to all of these UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Project Summary
We are protecting tropical rainforests and biodiversity in Papua New Guinea.
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By stopping exploitative industrial commercial timber harvesting, we are preventing over 60 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
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This project tackles the root causes of the deforestation and includes extensive measures to protect the 110,000 hectares of rainforest, including fair-wage employment of forest guards.
In Partnership With
This project is independently certified by the Verra organisation and is part of the UN's REDD+ programme
Project Details
We are ensuring that places like the forested areas of New Ireland and East New Britain in Papua New Guinea continue existing © Verra
Papua New Guinea is home to over 5% of the entire world’s biodiversity. Unfortunately, Papua New Guinea is also currently the world’s largest exporter of tropical timber wood, exporting 3.8 million cubic meters of tropical wood each year. The country has destroyed 48.8% of its total primary rainforest since 2001.
The preservation of these rainforests is essential in order to protect earth’s biodiversity and to safeguard the health of our planet as a whole. By supporting this project you will help to save 110,000 hectares of tropical rainforest and prevent emissions of 60 millions tonnes of CO2.
This project was chosen as it demonstrates a realistic long-term strategy to defeat the systemic issue of rainforest destruction across Papua New Guinea. The project involves key local people at every level - from the children of local tribes to the head of the government of Papua New Guinea - to effectively fight deforestation both now and for generations to come.
Thanks to your involvement with ZeroSmart the rainforest will be protected in three main ways:
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The land will be bought and declared a protected zone.
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Local people will be incentivised and helped to move their economic activity away from logging.
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Regular forest patrols and specialist satellite imaging will be used to prevent all illegal logging.
The site has been visited by independent verifiers at least 4 times a year since 2015 and there is a local team stationed in the project area full time. This project is verified to prevent emissions of 60 million tonnes of CO2 across its lifespan. ​
Benefits to local community
To ensure long-term success, reforestation projects must also benefit the local population.
Many of the people living in heavily deforested areas are living in extreme poverty. The average person in the project area earns less than £40 per year. With few options to support their families, members of impoverished communities are forced to destroy their local environment to survive - such as cutting down trees for construction, fuel, heat, and agricultural purposes.
It is essential to work with local communities to achieve a successful reforestation programme. By educating and employing local people to care for and protect the forest we help prevent destructive practices and ensure the forest's long-term survival and security.
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The social benefits our rainforest protection project in Papua New Guinea helps to provide include:
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Steady and sustainable fair-wage income
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Improved water quality and access
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Medicine access and healthcare improvement
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Access to education and wifi
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A route out of extreme poverty
Your support for this project provides Papua New Guinean children with clean water, access to medicine and education.
Protecting native species
By supporting this project to protect 110,000 hectares of tropical rainforest in Papua New Guinea you will not only prevent millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions, it will also protect crucial biodiversity found nowhere else on earth.
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One such species you will be protecting is the Bird of Paradise, which David Attenborough called "the most spectacular and beautiful birds on earth".
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Our education and support programmes tackle the root causes of the deforestation in Papua New Guinea to protect both the forest and the biodiversity held within. This is further supported by our forest guards who diligently patrol the rainforest to prevent fires, poachers, and illegal logging.
Sir David Attenborough with a bird of paradise © BBC
Forest protection site locations
The project is located in the forested areas of New Ireland and East New Britain in Papua New Guinea © Verra
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