Five Amazon Rainforest Trees You’re Protecting

What’s the Amazon rainforest without trees?

When all the rainforest trees are gone, the lush forest ceases to exist, biodiversity ships out, and carbon stocks plummet.

But your support is stopping deforestation in its tracks.

Your cash and our Indigenous partners keep 90 million Amazon rainforest trees standing tall and lock away a huge 110 million tonnes of carbon.

Beyond carbon.

By safeguarding these vital trees, Indigenous peoples also protect biodiversity, culture, and ancestral traditions.

We consult with people living in the rainforest to understand what would help them better safeguard their territories and trees. With a mix of technology, training, and equipment, like data mapping and computers, we help communities monitor their forests.

This empowers them to protect the trees that matter most to them, whether for their healing properties, spiritual meaning, or powerful role in absorbing carbon.

Here are some of the key tree species from the Amazon that our partners safeguard.

The Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) tree

The Mahogany Tree

Due to this hardwood’s durability and prized reddish hue, it has been a top choice for furniture, flooring and musical instruments since the 1700s.

In 2022, this species generated over 100 million dollars a year in export sales. But, being a style icon comes at a great cost.

In the last century, populations have declined by over 70% due to centuries of illegal over-felling, giving this species an endangered status.

The Cacao (Theobroma cacao) tree

The Cacao Tree

Cacao is more than chocolate, this delicious plant plays a great role in Indigenous cultures. Drinking cacao is all about connections. In Indigenous ceremonies, it’s often used to connect the heart to the mind and the spirit world.

The Shihuahuaco (Dipteryx micrantha) tree

The Shihuahuaco Tree

The shihuahuaco is a carbon-storing powerhouse. A single mature tree can store a third of the carbon found in an entire hectare of rainforest. This tree is a powerful ally in the fight against climate change.

These giants can take over 1000 years to mature. Their consistent presence, standing watch over the forest, has gained them their Indigenous name “the ancestors”.

Despite its long life, it hasn’t been able to escape the lure of timber logging. With over 270,000 trees felled in just ten years, this tree faces extinction.

The Tornillo (Cedrelinga catenaeformis) tree

The Tornillo Tree

The rainforest superstar from top to bottom. Not only is its massive canopy the preferred residence of an abundance of wildlife, this tree’s roots are magic, fixing nitrogen in the soil. These trees play a vital role in soil health for all plants in the neighbourhood.

Indigenous knowledge has valued this tree for centuries. Under the shade of its leaves is the perfect place to grow top-quality cacao, with no fertiliser needed.

The Cedro Blanco (Hesperocyparis lusitanica) tree

The Cedro Blanco Tree

Treating all manner of ailments, the Cedro Blanco is the forest’s medicine.

Indigenous peoples use its bark, oil and leaves to treat fevers, inflammation and gastro problems. So, if you find yourself in the rainforest with an illness or injury, you know what tree to call upon.

Double Your Impact for Rainforest Trees

Want to help protect even more trees in the Amazon? A chance to double your impact for Amazon protection is almost here.

This Earth Day, Brother and The Green Match Fund are powering our match-funded campaign to double your donations. Every pound you give will go twice as far in supporting Indigenous communities to protect their trees and rainforests.

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