Replanting a Rainforest

The world needs trees, lots of trees. They are not only beautiful to look at, they provide habitats for animals and help make up the critical biodiversity to maintain human life on earth. It's about survival of the human species, so we plant trees. But that's not enough, humanity has been destroying these critical areas of biological diversity during the past hundred years at a rate unsurpassed in the history of mankind; that's four to five million years. Planting trees alone is not enough, We need to re-define leadership. If we don't, we'll never catch up by planting enough trees, there will always be somebody cutting down more down than we can plant. So we encourage a dialogue between individuals, businessmen and women, privately and professionally, and to sit among trees like the one pictured here on the right; a Jequitibá tree that is over two thousand years old.

"Replanting a Rainforest” (*) is a project initiated and hosted by Open World Foundation, providing for the planting and care of native trees and plant species in the Atlantic Rainforest (Mata Atlântica) in the Minas Gerais and São Paulo regions of Brazil. “Replanting a Rainforest” gives (extra-)ordinary people and companies (especially those involved in the wood business) the opportunity to participate actively and follow the progress of the project on this site and in the Ambassadors Lounge as well as expanding their network both physically and virtually through the Open World Café community.

"Imagine a house like a tree, imagine a city like a forest" - Cradle to Cradle, Michael Braungart and William McDonough

In close cooperation between Sponsors, Open World Foundation, knowledgeable partners and local stakeholders, “Replanting a Rainforest” is a unique and  groundbreaking project which will help reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, give nature a chance to heal and recuperate itself and create inspiring environments for leadership and learning.

The social and environmental impact of “Replanting a Rainforest” can be tremendous since it can serve as a model and be replicated in further projects focusing on tree stewardship, farm management, fruits and other products which can be symbiotically harvested from planted forest (vanilla, coffee, ginger, herbs, spices etc.), local handicrafts, seminars and workshops which can be provided to local  community and international visitors.

(*) "Replanting a Rainforest" is used with quote marks because we are aware that man alone cannot Replant a Rainforest; rainforests have evolved over millions of years while man has seemingly unconsciously been destroying the biological diversity during the past few hundred years. We aim to create the conditions for nature to heal and recuperate itself, while participating through observing and learning from nature.