The Financial Times (FT) is dedicated to reducing its global impact on the natural environment. We take responsibility for our activities and their effects.

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Along with the Pearson Foundation and Children’s Tropical Forests (CTF) UK, we invest in and raise funds for the purchase and protection of primary tropical rainforest in Costa Rica.

The FT Rainforest is a newly protected and substantial area of bio-diverse forest. It has been incorporated within the Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), one of the largest protected rainforest national parks in Central America.

• Initial phase
• Project significance
• Environmental benefits
• The Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG)
• How to get involved
• Useful links

Initial phase

• In the initial phase (2009-2011) of the project, the FT and the Pearson Foundation will invest in growing the area every year to reach 50 hectares of protected forest.
• Together with CTF UK, we will call upon individuals, staff, customers, clients and readers to help raise funds to expand the FT Rainforest to a target area of 100 hectares.
• This area – which is the equivalent of 161 football pitches or 60,000 trees – would protect 30,000 metric tonnes of carbon in perpetuity.

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Project significance

• The destruction of rainforests releases more CO2 than all of the world’s cars, ships and planes put together, triggering catastrophic climate change.
• By protecting this area of land, we can potentially trap 30,000 tonnes of carbon forever. At the same time, we will protect 130 indigenous species of plants, birds, animals and insects.
• We will also explore the possibility of working with local communities on sustainability projects and raising the profile of rainforest conservation more widely.

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Environmental benefits

• The FT Rainforest will be protected forever and will help mitigate the impact of climate change on both dry forest and rainforest in the ACG.
• Every hectare purchased traps 300 tonnes of carbon permanently, so the FT Rainforest will effectively lock away 30,000 tonnes of carbon.
• The FT Rainforest will provide wildlife with habitat and food, allowing another 30,000 species to be added to the existing 300,000 species already in the ACG. The project will protect 130 indigenous species of plants, birds, animals and insects.
• It will help preserve the last large block of unprotected, uncut old-growth forest remaining in all of north western Costa Rica.
• This particular area of rainforest allows us to continue to donate to buy additional tracts in order to expand the FT Rainforest boundaries. It allows us to effectively offset our operational carbon emissions on an ongoing basis.

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The Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG)

• The ACG is a set of protected areas located in the extreme northwest of the province of Guanacaste.
• It is made up of 120,000 hectares in terrestrial land and 70,000 hectares of marine environment.
• The ACG is already said to be the oldest, largest and most successful habitat restoration project in the world.

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How to get involved

FT staff

• The Pearson Foundation will match up to $20,000 of individual donations made to the FT Rainforest.
• Raise funds for the FT Rainforest and the FT will match the money raised (up to £500 per person).
• Volunteer for a conservation work placement in the FT Rainforest reserve; email communications@ft.com for details.

Individuals

• Make an online donation to the FT Rainforest. All donations are gratefully received.

Companies

Become an FT Rainforest Corporate Partner with an annual donation of £7,500. For this, you’ll receive:

• logo accreditation on at least three FT Rainforest promotional materials, including advertisements published within FT products;
• lyour corporate logo on FT.com (this page), which links to your company’s CR pages or policy;
• la reference on the ‘Corporate Partners’ section of the CTF website and within the annual newsletter;
• linformation and support on FT Rainforest voluntary schemes and projects for your company’s employees.

For more information, email Rob Jolliffe at robert.jolliffe@ft.com.

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Useful links

FT Rainforest project

• Pearson’s Climate Neutral Strategy
• Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG)
• Children’s Tropical Forests (CTF) UK

Other projects and information

• The Prince’s Rainforests Project
• RealClimate
• WWF
• Penguin Books’ Green Penguin programme
• The Rainforest Foundation UK

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