We are proud to announce that we were one of the 5 winners at the OceanLove Innovation Awards 2024 on June 20th, 2204 for our ‘Guardians of the Sacred Waters’ project in the Amazon.
Guardians of the Sacred Waters is a new Indigenous led protection and prevention model, coordinated between the European Crime prevention team and the leaders of the Lower Tapajos. The initiative is an expansion of a previous award winning pilot project on protecting the forests, which now aims to apply the tested approach to safeguarding the river ecosystem of the precious water territories in the Amazon. Using a blend of traditional wisdom and modern technology, they are taking a stand against water-based environmental crimes.
We’re delighted that we were able to successfully show the connection between forest, rivers, oceans and why they not just interconnected but actually interdependent.
At the end of May, 2024, the head of the Treesistance forest guardian program Chief Dadá of TI Maro was invited by the Xavante leadership to discuss the forest protection and have an exchange about leadership, guardianship and education.
The visit was facilitated by Marco van der Ree, Treesistence Strategic Advisor, and Frans Leeuwenberg who is a trusted partner of the Xavante and has been working with them for 35 years on sustainable wildlife management, food security, education and culture.
Dadá was invited by the Xavante leadership to discuss the forest protection and have an exchange about leadership, guardianship and education. The visit was facilitated by Marco van der Ree, Treesistence Strategic Advisor, and Frans Leeuwenberg who is a trusted partner of the Xavante and has been working with them for 35 years on sustainable wildlife management, food security, education and culture.
The trio were joined by 20 Xavante leaders from 14 different villages participated in two long days under the mango trees in fruitful and deep conversations the importance of integrating culture in the formal and traditional education system and how the culture relates to the territory, the land, the animals, and nature as a whole. The third day was spend travelling around the TI to get to know the terrain and the Eastern border.
The Xavante expressed how inspired they were from Dadás visit, as they have never received a leader from another Indigenous territory to share experiences in dealing with these most important issues of cultural and territorial preservation. It was a profoundly valuable exchange.
It was obvious that the friendship built in this visit, is the beginning of a much longer journey where these two groups of Indigenous peoples will continue their exchange and mutual learning. We look forward to supporting the Xavante in forming their own groups of forest guardians to protect this incredibly important and strategically positioned territory from extractive industries. Watch this space…
We celebrated our first birthday at Mandelahuisje, Amsterdam on May 24th, 2024 with As Karuana.
As Karuana are a collective of Indigenous women, musical group of artists from the Baixo-Tapajós region of the Amazon. The collective emerged in 2018 with the mission of echoing the voice of indigenous women to the world in in defence of rivers, forests and the rights of Indigenous peoples, as well as cultural resistance and the fight for good living. They are protagonists in the fight for climate justice in the territory through art and cultural expression.
Thank you to those who joined this special event and everyone who has supported, donated and collaborated with us over the last year.
With special thanks to our media production partner – BLUR
Paper on the Rocks and Treesistance are excited to join forces and launch this special edition tree-free notebook to raise much needed attention for the plight of the Amazon rainforest and its Indigenous inhabitants.
The notebook shows that there is a high quality alternative to traditional paper and funds raised will support the Indigenous custodians who protect the forest and all life within. The result is a beautifully designed book which we hope inspires and instigates positive change around the world. As written inside the cover…
The world is transitioning and needs your knowledge and ideas. Use this notebook as a playground for your creativity and inspirations.
Make your words and actions count.
‘We’re delighted to partner with Paper on the Rocks on this special initiative. Our shared mission to protect trees brought us together and this collaboration highlights the need for collective global action. First and foremost, it raises awareness & funds for the Indigenous people of the Amazon, who risk their lives to protect the forest on behalf of us all. Whilst also showing people and businesses here in Europe that their actions make a difference. The paper industry is a big contributor to the problem of deforestation but Paper on the Rocks gives us hope and optimism in providing this high-quality ethical alternative. We believe these innovations are essential in our global transition to sustainability. ’
Tom Wheeler Executive Director of Treesistance.
‘This partnership is very dear to all of us at Paper on the Rocks. We’ve been working to create tree-free paper to keep trees in the ground for the past eight years. Forests are what sustains us as human beings on this planet. However, we mainly work on transitioning an industry, whilst there is so much action that needs to be taken today to actually protect all forests we still have! We are so happy to have joined forces with Treesistance. This is an organisation that in our opinion is essential to sustain life in general.’
Anne van Eijsden, Founder of Paper on the Rocks
And together we would like to leave this important message to the world…
You don’t have to be in the forest to join the fight!
In January 2023, the Treesistance European team travelled to Brazil to participate in the Indigenous elections for the region.
This was a huge honour, as we were the only non-Indigenous organization invited to this special event, held in the Braganca, Marituba Munduruku territory.
During the 3 day event, we were able to speak with hundreds of chiefs and other leaders from the region, discussing forest crime prevention, communications, renewable energy and sustainable economic development.
As a result, we have been able to advance our forest guardian program and have a number of new initiatives and activities agreed with our Indigenous partners for the remainder of 2024 and beyond.
We hear from co-founder and executive director Tom Wheeler about how and why he does what he does….
‘After my daughter was born, I shifted my energy from the corporate world to supporting Indigenous peoples and the protection of the environment. I did this as I believe that we’re in urgent need of a cultural / ecological revolution. One that can only happen if we start listening to those who still live in balance with the natural world.
I believe our destiny is bound together and our actions now, will define our collective future. I fight for the forest by amplifying Indigenous voices, bringing together likeminded impact makers, and directing resources to the guardians of nature, who fight on the frontlines to protect the Amazon and all life within. This is the legacy I want to leave for my daughter and the world’.
We’re proud to announce a new product collaboration with Dilmah Tea, with all proceeds donated to our forest guardian program.
Dilmah is a Sri Lankan origin owned brand. It was the first producer owned tea brand that would offer tea handpicked and packed where it’s grown, ensuring great taste and natural goodness; making it one of the finest teas of the world. The Dilmah philosophy – business is a matter of human service – is what makes the brand the first ethically produced tea.
In their own words…
‘There is a natural goodness in every cup of Dilmah is extended by the positive humanitarian and environmental impact Dilmah has on comunities and ecosystems’.
If you would like to order a pouch, you can do via https://dilmahtea.me/en/treesistance/
In June / July 2023, there was a new invasion by illegal loggers into the Maró Indigenous Territory. Following weeks of talks led by Chief Dada, the Borari people have removed all operations, with the loggers leaving the area.
Following this big success, we have now placed Indigenous Territory signs at every access point into the area, ensuring their land rights are respected and the forest protected.
Following the recent application to be recognised as an Indigenous territory (Incidentally, the only one submitted during the Bolsanaro goverment) and the report published by De Standaard, which you can read here , we are pleased to announce that there has been a successful operation carried out with the federal police to stop the local soy farmers illegally expanding their lands.
We support and stand in solidarity with the Munduruku and Apiaká communities who continue to face many challenges. Both directly and by funding the Maparajuba legal collective who are helping them in there land right claims and disputes.
Following the official launch of the Treesistance on June 22nd 2023, on behalf of Treesistance, Chief Dada the Head of our Forest Guardians program, has been featured in a variety of leading Dutch media publications and platforms.
Including;
NRC – ‘Neighbourhood Watch for the Amazon’ read more here
