Thriving Forests
Protecting or restoring one million hectares of threatened forest
Supported by
By strengthening the incomes and rights of local and Indigenous communities, we are empowering them to safeguard our global forests – a key defence against climate change.
Thriving Forests supports organisations rooted in forest communities, helping them create or grow sustainable livelihoods – such as agroforestry or eco-tourism. These activities bring more security to communities, helping them steward their land and reject or oppose destructive logging and mining. Our inclusive approach protects nature and its power to sequester carbon, while nurturing opportunities for marginalised people.
Despite their huge value, organisations that work hand-in-hand with forest communities often lack the resources, connections and visibility to win backing from global funders. So as well as delivering immediate support, Thriving Forests is helping organisations secure finance from the climate sector and beyond. The programme is driving a fundamental shift towards more inclusive conservation approaches, one that will deliver greater protection for climate and communities.
Our Thriving Forests partners
- Forêt Pour le Développement Intégral, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Cameroon Gender and Environment Watch
- Tropical Forest and Rural Development, Cameroon
- Nsombou Abalghe-Dzal Association, Gabon
- CERAF-NORD, Cameroon
- Mbou Mon Tour, Democratic Republic of Congo
- ECA Amarakaeri, Peru
- Alam Sehat Lestari, Indonesia
How will our support for Indigenous People and local communities create climate impact?
Our new Thriving Forests programme is protecting the climate benefits nature brings – through support for organisations rooted in local communities.
The programme, a partnership with The Nature Recovery Project, will nurture new ways for Indigenous and local people to earn a sustainable living. By boosting agroforestry and ecotourism, we will help communities resist destructive mining, logging and land grabs. This protects the forest’s ability to sequester carbon.
As stewards of global forests, Indigenous people and local communities play a crucial role in lessening the impact of climate change. For example, their lands hold almost a quarter of all above-ground tropical forest carbon.
But research by the Rainforest Foundation shows that less than 1% of the total climate aid provided by international donors between 2011 and 2020 was directed to support Indigenous peoples’ forest conservation. And of these funds, only a fraction actually trickled down to Indigenous organisations and communities.
Boosting proven climate solutions
The programme will strengthen the work of organisations who are already improving the rights and incomes of people in threatened forests, unlocking climate benefits. Firmly embedded in communities on the frontline of the climate crisis, these organisations are uniquely placed to work inclusively with local people.
They include Cameroon Gender and Environment Watch – whose work includes running a tree nursery and farm that give local people, particularly women, the skills and materials to produce honey, spices, vegetables and medicines.
Another Thriving Forests member is Mbou Mon Tour, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They have helped villagers secure the legal rights to their land, and given tools and training for them to farm it sustainably. The group has also developed eco-tourism, particularly hosting researchers studying the area’s bonobo apes.
Overcoming finance challenges
Despite their impact, organisations rooted in local communities often struggle to access finance. Many lack connection to funders in the Global North, and the resources and support to tell their story effectively. They might also lack the governance and finance systems, or legal status, that funders demand are put in place before giving support. Their progressive and inclusive approach, creating climate benefits by supporting rights and livelihoods, might also be unfamiliar to funders.
Thriving Forests is our response. From 2024 to 2027, it will strengthen 15 organisations, with grants and expert help that grow their work and their ability to attract funding.
The programme will fund new or expanded activities with local people – but also boost organisations’ strategic planning and management, improve finance, HR and IT systems, or help them register their work with local authorities. Thriving Forests will also help organisations explore potential new funding streams, such as a carbon credits.
Their will be tailored communications support too – enabling organisations to create high-impact films, photography, websites, and printed materials about their work, and also to pitch their stories to journalists.
From late 2025, a Thriving Forests campaign will also take the stories of participating organisations to global climate summits and forums – working to spark a fundamental shift in the attitudes and approaches of funders. Ashden will show them the climate and development impact of channelling support to smaller, community-rooted organisations.
“The idea is amazingly supportive and unique. It will help us strengthen and grow, in ways that aren’t possible when a funder backs work towards a single target only, like planting a certain number of trees.”
Nur Febriani, Director of Resource Mobilization for Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI), an organisation taking part in Thriving Forests
Find out more
Contact Dawn Stevenson, Senior International Programme Officer, Ashden: