The world's forests are in trouble. Privatisation, increased exports and international trade liberalisation have led to a massive increase in large-scale plantations, used to produce and export timber and pulp. This has also increased the demand for meat, exotic timber and crops such as soy and palm.

All of these pressures have resulted in the disappearance of half of the world’s forests. We need to protect the forests as they provide the livelihoods of many local communities and indigenous peoples. Forests store carbon and regulate our climate and thus are crucial in our fight against climate change. They are also home to some of the most species diverse habitats on earth. Friends of the Earth International member groups work with local communities to preserve forests and uphold their rights to manage forest resources and secure sustainable livelihoods. We campaign against industrial large scale plantations, monoculture production and the commercialisation of forests and biodiversity.