The geography of Asia-Pacific makes its forests － from the dense tropical jungles of the Pacific Islands to the flooded forests of the Mekong countries － some of the most critical biodiversity areas in the world.

But as the region’s population and economy rapidly grow, forests across Asia-Pacific are being converted for growing agricultural products and cash crop commodities, and infrastructure developments, and continue to be exploited unsustainably for timber and other forest products. Today, the unsustainable extraction of forest products and land conversion for agriculture is leading to a rapid loss of biodiversity, as well as increasing the risks of zoonotic disease spillovers. And with weak law enforcement and regulation, forests here are being degraded and fragmented at an alarming rate.

We want to see a world where forests are properly valued for the many benefits they provide for people, economies and nature. And we know it’s possible. By influencing funding and policies, we work with partners to manage and protect forests based on an approach rooted in human rights and inclusivity in order to ensure representation from all stakeholders, particularly the locals who live within the landscapes.