NGOs

Want to find out who is protecting forests in your country? Do you work for an NGO that focuses on forests and want to be listed? Click here and help us grow the list.
Note: Inclusion on this list does not imply that the NGO endorses or subscribes to any particular viewpoint listed elsewhere on this website.

 

Global/International

Forests, Climate and Biomass Working Group, Environmental Paper Network
Environmental Paper Network (EPN) is a global coalition of over 150 NGOs working together for environmental and social responsibility in the forest, pulp, and paper industries, and fostering work on forest biomass use for energy. EPN connects this powerful movement of independent organisations, strategically leveraging their collective expertise and resources, and amplifying their work, in order to accelerate change and environmental improvement. The network has three non-hierarchical, regional hubs, EPN-North America, EPN-International, and EPN-China.

Rainforest Alliance
Founded in 1987, this international non-profit organisation works at the intersection of business, agriculture, and forests. They build alliances to protect forests, improve the livelihoods of farmers and forest communities, promote human rights, and help communities mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. Rainforest Alliance merged with UTZ in 2018. It now supports certification of several tropical agriculture commodities and conducts grassroots projects with indigenous peoples and local communities on community forestry.

Austria

European Wilderness Society
Founded in 2014, the society identifies, designates, stewards, and promotes Europe’s last wilderness. Among their goals is strengthening primary and old-growth forest protection. They are spearheading a project, in cooperation with the leading foresters of Austria, to take a multi-perspective view of current threats to the biodiversity of forests, including biomass energy.

 

Armenia

“Armenian Forests” Environmental NGO
The mission of AFNGO is nature protection, community development, environmental rights protection, and sustainable development. The AFNGO objectives include, but are not limited to, protection and expansion of healthy forested areas, landscape restoration, transition to sustainable forest management, conducting surveys and assessments, increase of public participation and civic activism among population, awareness raising, advocacy, lobbying, environmental rights protection, drafting of environmental legislation, ecological education, and implementation of appropriate alternative energy solutions.

 

Australia

Bob Brown Foundation
The Foundation promotes the protection and enhancement of, and provides information and education about the wild and scenic beauty of Tasmania, the ecological integrity of Australia, and the happiness of humanity on Earth. Key campaigns include advocating for the protection of all Australia’s native forests; protection of Australia’s largest temperate rainforest in takayna (the Tarkine); and engaging in a range of tactics including nonviolent direct action, rallies, legal challenges, lobbying, and markets campaigns.

Environment East Gippsland, Inc. (EEG)
EEG is the longest running community forest group working for the protection of Victoria’s last and largest area of ancient forest. It has been working to protect East Gippsland’s natural areas and wildlife for over 30 years. They play a vital role in information gathering on the local logging industry and other threats. EEG also works on broader issues such as climate warming and the role forests play in moderating climate and carbon capture.

South East Region Conservation Alliance (SERCA)
SERCA campaigns for new native forest management to protect Australia’s unique forest environmental values. It considers that over-logging has severely damaged forests and fights Commonwealth and State governments that threaten to add another damaging use for native forests—logging and burning native forest biomass for large scale electricity generation. SERCA co-operates with conservation and Indigenous organisations, and supports local and regional campaigners, scientists, and economists striving to protect precious public native forests.

 

Belgium

Corporate Europe Observatory
This research and campaign group exposes and challenges the privileged access and influence enjoyed by corporations and their lobby groups. Corporate lobbying has resulted in weak greenhouse gas reduction targets and measures and false climate solutions like biofuels, including forest biomass. CEO uses exposés and public awareness campaigns to reveal the corporate capture of EU climate policy-making.

European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E)
T&E is the leading NGO on clean transport in Europe. A federation of environmental NGOs working on climate and environment, their key campaigns include an effort to reverse EU policy that increases demand for food-based biofuels in transport – driving deforestation and releasing carbon emissions. They advocate for ending support to deforestation-causing biofuels such as palm, soy and all land-based biofuels.

Fern
Founded in 1995, Fern based in the heart of the EU, dedicated to protecting forests and the rights of people who depend on them. They work with affected peoples, socio-environmental organisations, and policy makers to devise and deliver solutions where the EU can make a difference. Fern seeks a world in which environmental, social, and economic justice is fully integrated at all levels, and people have a voice in decisions that affect them.

 

Benin

Amis de l’Afrique Francophone- Benin (AMAF-BENIN)
AMAF-BENIN’s mission is to help remedy the socio-economic and environmental problems of which the Beninese populations in general, and the most vulnerable in particular, are victims. Its primary vocation is to work for the development of effective and creative approaches to sustainable management of forest and wetland ecosystems, the conservation of biodiversity, the fight against climate change, and the well-being of communities dependent on these resources.

 

Canada

Conservation North
This 100% volunteer-run community group in British Columbia calls for legal protection of old growth and primary forests. They stand in solidarity with those taking direct action, support indigenous communities, reject the failures of “sustainable management”, and call for logging moratoriums. Conservation North reminds us that old growth forests are non-renewable. Once logged, they are gone forever.

Ecology Action Centre
The voice of Nova Scotians on the environment, EAC takes a strong stance against biomass energy, calling it “snake oil” and “the least valuable ‘product’ ever made from our forests.” They’ve called for the closure of Nova Scotia Power biomass plants and a ban on foreign exports of wood pellets. Their Wilderness Action Team works to save the terrestrial biodiversity of Nova Scotia including forest land.

Friends of Nature Conservation Society
Beloved Nova Scotia environmentalist Martin Rudy Haase formed this volunteer group in 1954. Since then, the organization has collaborated with Sierra Club of Canada,  Ecology Action Centre, Nova Scotia Environmental Network, and others on successful campaigns that have seen hundreds of acres protected and secured a moratorium on uranium mining. Today their volunteers work on a variety of efforts including a campaign against biomass harvesting in Nova Scotia.

Healthy Forest Coalition
An alliance of organizations and individuals, the HFC works to raise public awareness of the state of Nova Scotian forests and the need for fundamental reform of forest policy. Generations of mismanagement have compromised Acadian forests’ capacity to regenerate. Current practices are making things worse at an alarming rate. HFC sees indigenous species threatened, habitats disappearing, natural ecosystem functions destroyed, and the forest economy collapsing. HFC calls for change now, before it is too late.

Nature Nova Scotia
This is an umbrella organization of like-minded groups in Nova Scotia that are involved with nature education to increase public awareness of local environmental concerns. They have a concern for the fate of forests and their wildlife habitats, given decades of clearcutting, and recently have been involved in a successful court action against the province for not living up to its own legislation regarding species at risk.

 

Chile

Colectivo VientoSur
Colectivo VientoSur is a multidisciplinary political organization, without partisan or religious affiliation, with a horizontal structure, that works holistically, supporting resistance and territorial claims. They fight for a sustainable and sovereign society through reciprocal and integrated work with urban and rural communities, promoting and accompanying local processes of social and environmental change. They accomplish this through coordination with related movements and organizations at the national and international level.

 

Denmark

Green Transition Denmark
This independent environmental organization works to promote a green and sustainable transformation of society. They create and disseminate knowledge and influence Danish politicians, companies, and citizens to make green choices. Their work includes making sure the last three large coal-fired CHP plants in Esbjerg, Odense, and Aalborg avoid biomass as much as possible to help to stop Denmark’s burning millions of tons of valuable forest of each year. Their goal: Biomass-free Denmark in 2040.

NOAH (Friends of the Earth)
NOAH is Denmark’s oldest environmental organisation with a long history of actions, successes, and environmental policy victories. They work for environmental justice through environmental policy programs, including through an international network to preserve forests and indigenous rights to forest resources. NOAH supports local communities—especially women and young people—who struggle to keep collective and traditional land rights. They develop and support trade in small scale, ensuring sustainable livelihoods and without endangering biodiversity.

Verdens Skove (Forests of the World)
Forests of the World was founded in Denmark in 1983 to conserve and manage the world’s forests in a sustainable way. They work to prove the value of the living forest through campaigns, consumer information, training, cooperation, and concrete work in and around the rainforest. Originally established to focus on the tropical forests alone, they have since extended their work to conserve the world’s forests, including the forest and nature in Denmark.

 

Estonia

Eestimaa Looduse Fond (ELF) (Estonian Fund for Nature)
ELF’s mission is to preserve endangered species and their habitats, and natural landscapes typical of Estonia. They work to protect nature based on the principles of ecology and resist developments that constitute a danger to their homeland´s nature. They focus on the three biggest ecosystems, forest, sea and wetlands, and their inhabitants. They monitor the Estonian government’s environmental regulations and development plans; help out in restoring damaged areas; and make recommendations for sustainable management practices.

Estonian Forest Aid
Rooted in civic engagement, this group brings people together to fight logging, paper mills, and development in protected areas. They raise awareness of forestry policy issues, teach people how to protect forests from unsustainable economic pressures, and engage officials to enforce forest protection laws. Through the arts and meaningful community events, they spread the word that forests are the center of the material and spiritual culture of Estonians.

 

Finland

Friends of the Earth Finland
FOE Finland, established in 1996, is an environmental NGO with a social perspective, belonging to the Friends of the Earth International network. Their scale of activities ranges from grassroot level to international environmental meetings, from the streets to the cabinets. They work to halt climate change, transform the unequal globalization process, and promote human rights and democracy. They are involved in issues related to development, preservation of forests and the global water crisis.

 

France

Canopée
Canopée emerged in 2018 from the critical need to build a citizen counter-power to better protect forests in France and around the world. They are a whistleblower association that denounces threats to forests, investigates the ground to collect evidence, and speaks out for communities that depend on forests. Each campaign is based a large coalition of actors, solid strategy, and proposals for legal and corporate change supported by recognized expertise.

Envol Vert
Envol Vert is an association for forest protection and rural development. Since 2011, they have been fighting for the protection of forests and biodiversity in Latin America and France, while creating strong links with local populations to promote their conservation initiatives, participate in sustainable rural development, and develop viable economic alternatives to deforestation. Envol Vert is also strongly involved in raising civil and political awareness through campaigns and educational tools.

 

Ghana

The Development Institute
This Ghanaian NGO empowers local communities for sustainable development in high biodiversity mountain and coastal areas in Ghana. They focus on building locals’ capacity and influencing policies for secured, sustained forest resources and people’s livelihoods. Their work ranges from the international to the grassroots projects, believing that what matters is to make a lasting impact on the ground and to give a voice to those who are overlooked by global and national politics.

 

Germany

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Regenwald und Artenschutz (ARA)
Deutscher Naturschutzring’s ARA (Working Group on Rainforest and Species Protection) initiated a broad alliance for the protection of tropical forests and indigenous communities in the early 1990s. They work to protect the rainforests and support local nature conservation organizations in Ecuador, Brazil, Cambodia, and Suriname, among others. Projects include political intervention and lobbying on the topics of forests, renewable raw materials, indigenous peoples, and the protection and sustainable use of biological diversity. 

BundesBürgerInitiative Waldschutz (BBIWS) (Federal Citizens’ Initiative Forest Protection)
BBIWS is an association of citizens’ initiatives and individuals from all over Germany committed to better protection of forests. BBIWS calls for a new federal law to prevent German forests from being treat like “wood factories” and immediate abandonment of state forest enterprises that operate primarily on a commercial basis ahead of forests’ public welfare uses. They believe a public forest is a community forest and citizens there have a right to information and participation.

denkhausbremen
This non-profit association was founded in 2013 and is committed to global environmental justice. The association works closely with networks of non-profit organizations, carries out its own research, and implements its ideas in progressive and international projects. The group, together with its international and national partner organizations, expects the European Union to reverse its biomass strategy and believes that wood as fuel for power plants should no longer be supported by the EU.

EuroNatur
EuroNatur is committed to connecting nature and people in a peaceful Europe, beyond national borders. They strengthen local conservation organizations and create international networks between them. Their project activities are focused on transboundary conservation of nature and foster sustainable rural development that protects nature. EuroNatur has been calling on the European Commission to radically intensify the efforts to conserve Europe’s ancient and primeval forests.

Forum Ökologie & Papier (FÖP)
Since 1982, FÖP has been campaigning for reduced paper consumption, the reuse of waste paper, and a much stronger demand for recycled paper. As an association of paper experts, FÖP informs consumers, multipliers, media, and decision makers about forest and climate protection through conscious paper use and about the life cycle assessments of paper production. They also advise companies, organizations and authorities on ecological paper and support the conversion to recycled paper. 

Greenpeace Germany
If managed differently, the EU’s forests could absorb twice as much CO₂ every year, according to new research by Naturwald Akademie. The study, commissioned by Greenpeace Germany, found that if logging in Europe’s forests was reduced by a third, their carbon absorption potential could be increased from 245.4 million tonnes of CO₂ per year to 487.8 million tonnes, yet this potential is being squandered, inter alia as more trees are cut and burned for energy production. 

The Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZ)
FZS is an international organisation based in Frankfurt, founded by Prof. Bernhard Grzimek. It operates a comprehensive program of 30 projects dedicated to the protection of outstanding wilderness areas and national parks in 18 countries. The conservation focus of all FZS projects is on protecting wilderness areas and preserving biodiversity. Its main emphasis in Europe is wilderness development in Germany and conservation of pristine habitats in the Balkan states, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

OroVerde – Tropical Forest Foundation

OroVerde is a non-profit foundation that actively initiates, supports, and promotes projects directed at conserving tropical forests. Carefully chosen and reliable partners on-site are responsible for the implementation, always in cooperation with the local population. Specialists from OroVerde provide permanent support and supervise the use of the financial resources. In Germany, the foundation focuses on environmental education, information about tropical forests, and the promotion of information exchange between nature conservation organisations, economy, science, and politics.

Robin Wood
This group is named for the Robin Hood legend due to their creative, disruptive strategies in calling attention to environmental problems in forests of the world. They support direct action on a wide range of environmental and climate issues and criticize the EU Commission’s forest strategy for privileging economic goals, including feeding the EU’s hunger for wood energy, over forest protection.

Transparency International
Transparency International works to ensure that governments represent the interests of citizens and not only private companies, and that money earmarked for climate finance helps the most vulnerable people, as well as halts deforestation and climate change. Its Climate Governance Integrity Programme works to safeguard climate finance and action against mismanagement and abuse—such as by fighting for the protection of environmental defenders—and against waste by demanding maximum transparency, accountability, and integrity.

 

Ireland

Friends of the Irish Environment
This network of volunteers takes action on forestry and other issues through policy comments, license appeals, petitions, and legal action. They won a high-profile case in Ireland’s highest court, arguing that the “National Mitigation Plan” was too vague and violated human rights commitments and previous climate laws. Their win means the government must set specific targets and publish how Ireland will achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

 

Italy

Green Impact
Green impact believes that conventional sustainability is no longer a sufficient response to current environmental pressures. Using science, legal action, and technology, they collaborate with businesses and organizations to promote out-of-the-box thinking that values the sentient nature of animals and safeguards nature and animal habitats. They work with partners to call attention to forest loss driven by the biomass industry as a major threat to biodiversity.

GUFI
GUFI means “Unitary Group for Italian Forests” but the acronym stands also for “the owls”. With strong scientific roots, they are active in the defense of forest ecosystems, and call themselves a “forest union”. The association was born as a result of a mobilization to challenge a national law that opens up to the mistreatment of forests, seen reductively as wood deposits even if the intentions are covered by words like “Bio”, “Sustainability” and others from the greenwashing repertoire. They are very committed to making the forest known as an ecosystem that regulates itself and has its own natural evolutions without human intervention and without the “active management” that today many decision makers want to affirm. They are currently engaged in combating the industrial energy use of woody biomass, responsible for widespread deforestation, often to prevent the damage with any possible legal instrument and with pressure to raise awareness. GUFI includes university professors, prominent people in the conservationism of nature, high exponents of the former State Forestry Corps, Doctors for the Environment, Biologists, nature lovers of various kinds, even long-term ones, landscapers, teachers, people of any age.

 

Nepal

Association of Collaborative Forest Users Nepal (ACOFUN)
ACOFUN is a national network of collaborative forest user groups in Nepal. There are 32 forest user groups in southern part of Nepal managing a 44,000-hectare forest area. ACOFUN is a leading civil organization and since its establishment, it has been working for sustainable forest management including advocating for local people’s rights over the natural resources.

Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN)
FECOFUN is a representative organization of community forestry groups of Nepal. The main objective of the FECOFUN is to protect community rights over forest resources and advocate for forest rights of the community forestry groups in Nepal.

Forest Environment Workers Union Nepal (FEWUN)
FEWUN is a national trade union of forest and environmental workers. It has 10000 members across the country and is focused on ensuring sustainable, safe, and environmentally friendly opportunities for all Nepalese forest workers.

Indigenous Knowledge and Peoples Networks, Society for Wetland Biodiversity Conservation
This Nepal-based organization works on indigenous peoples’ rights and defends natural forest biodiversity. Through lobbying, advocacy, research, restoration, documentation, and communications, they work for environmental justice with a  focus on biocultural diversity, local knowledge, wild species, indigenous farming, and the spiritual relationship of the indigenous peoples of the Himalayas with Mother Nature, forests, and water.

National Forum for Advocacy Nepal (NAFAN)
NAFAN is an advocacy organization working to ensure the rights of marginalized people over natural resource management. NAFAN has been implementing different programs including democracy and governance, climate change, human rights, knowledge generation, and capacity building of local people and government agencies.

 

Netherlands

Achterhoek Tree Foundation
This group of tree lovers came together as a resource for the Achterhoek region where communities are increasingly concerned about the economic orientation of local forestry. They organize lectures and excursions, teach community members how to file logging objections and appeals, and preserve and replant trees and other natural greenery. Many communities reach out to them for help preserving the trees and forests they love.

Bloei! in Arnhem
This outreach organization helps their community members implement Arnhem’s guidelines for sustainable living. They also organize and support community action on environmental issues, such as efforts to stop local tree felling in the Elderveld, along train tracks, and in local parks. At a time when biomass and “nature management” has placed forests under intense pressure, hyperlocal efforts like theirs are crucial.

Comite Schone Lucht
Comite Schone Lucht (Clean Air Committee) believes that clean air is a fundamental right. They oppose air pollution and are protesting against Diemen, the biggest biomass plant in the Netherlands. On New Year’s Day 2020 they held a climate dive at Amsterdam’s IJburg beach, with hundreds of children, students, and adults jumping into the cold open water to help raise money for the legal battle against the plant.

EDSP ECO
EDSP ECO aims for a fast transition towards a sustainable society using only renewable energy. To accomplish this goal, they identify and support innovators and activists who pioneer conservation tools, fight climate change, and confront government and corporate policies. They execute projects and provide platforms for the organizations they work with, which includes promoting research and analysis on the impacts of logging and burning forests for energy.

Federation Against Biomass Power Plants (FAB)
The FAB is the national federation against the burning of biomass and deforestation, consisting of action groups and foundations from around the Netherlands. The FAB cooperates with international organizations through direct action, campaigns, education, and lobbying. On their website is a map showing where biomass plants are active, or will be soon built, and equips citizens with tools and resources to fight permits.

Global Forest Coalition
An international coalition of NGOs and Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations, GFC defends the rights of forest peoples in forest policies. Their Forests, Trees and Climate Change highlights the terrible impacts of forest loss and monoculture tree plantations on biodiversity, and the consequences for Indigenous Peoples, who often get evicted from their lands to make way. GFC calls for an immediate moratorium on all forms of support for large-scale bioenergy production.

Leefmilieu
Leefmilieu envisions a green and healthy future in which people live and work safely without health damage from environmental problems. The association studies environmental problems, supports Dutch citizens with advice and action, and files appeals to fight environmental hazards and nuisances. Their work on air quality includes opposing subsidies for wood combustion and informing the public about ways to protect themselves from wood smoke pollution.

Mobilisation for the Environment (MOB)
MOB believes in mobilizing all possible resources to halt the climate crisis and the decline of biodiversity. Under the leadership of Dr. Johan Vollenbroek, they fight permits and bring legal cases against the biomass industry and other climate polluters. Calling wood burning for energy “environmental madness” and “a waste of billions of euros”, they support a petition to immediately stop subsidies for all biomass power plants in the Netherlands.

Natuur & Milieu
Natuur & Milieu’s highly collaborative projects address the major environmental problems; seize opportunities to enact positive change; are determined, optimistic, solution-oriented, and innovative; and partner with green industry, councils, and politicians. They are working on the switch to sustainable energy sources to reduce CO₂ emissions and stop further climate change. They advocate for more energy from the sun and wind, more economical use of scarce resources, and greening industry.

Nieuw Arnhems Peil
This foundation and volunteer organization is working to stop the Veolia biomass plant from polluting the air and poaching trees in the town of Arnhem. They built their own particulate matter meters, so citizens can monitor air quality, and are fighting for an ecologically-sound tree policy in their town. National actions include signing on to the FAB and giving input for the Amsterdam Environmental Vision 2050.

Partij Voor de Bomen op Texel
If you want to fell a tree on Texel, you have to go through this rapid response group. When a community member reports trees under threat, the Party for the Trees on Texel will investigate, spread the word on social media, and contact the responsible authority to stop the felling or demand replanting. They work with national organizations and political parties to be a voice for Texel on forests.

Schoorlse Bos Moet Blijven
The Forestry Commission plans to cut 96 hectares or more of pine in the Schoorlse Bos, in the name of “nature development”. This citizens’ initiative has found no scientific basis to justify the cutting (which also supplies biomass) and their petition has garnered almost 25,000 signatures. Through communications, photography, and events, the group educates their community about the natural and cultural value of their beloved Schoorlse Bos.

Werkgroep Bomen Groningen

This local working group works on tree preservation and environmental protection issues in the municipality of Groningen.

Woudreus Foundation
Begun by community members to preserve two local national parks from “redevelopment” plans, the foundation works at the local and regional level to protect forests and heaths in national parks and on Natura 2000 properties. They organize letter writing campaigns, monitor deforestation and species loss, educate on the natural and cultural histories of the areas being damaged, and inform the public about legislation and subsidies for biomass plants and “nature development” that drive the decimation of Dutch forests.

 

Mozambique

Justica Ambiental JA!
JA! is recognised as a leading Mozambican NGO working on the environmental and social impacts of Mozambique’s uncontrolled and unsustainable development. They believe that the country’s natural beauty, including its natural forests, belongs to the country’s people and is not for sale to big business.

 

Poland

Fundacja Dzika Polska (Wild Poland Foundation)
The Foundation was established in 2006 by activist Polish ecological organizations and focuses its efforts on protecting the most valuable parts of Polish nature and on pro-environmental education. Its current priority is the protection of the Bialowieza Forest. Just some of their activities include: monitoring the management of the Forest; corresponding with the UNESCO Secretariat and the European Commission; participating in natural forest inventories; and informing the public about the condition of the Forest.

Fundacja “Rozwój TAK–Odkrywki NIE”
The “RT-ON” Foundation represents the national coalition “Development YES–Open-pit mines NO”. a civic movement to stop plans to build new lignite mines using the opencast method and to move Poland from the fossil era to the renewable era. The Foundation supports civic activities aimed at stopping the plans to build open-cast lignite mines in Poland, and at promoting the development of energy based on renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and local self-sufficiency.

Inicjatywa Dzikie Karpaty (Wild Carpathians Initiative)
This initiative is a grassroots civic movement seeking better protection of the Carpathian Forest, and especially the freedom its most valuable fragments from forest management and hunting. This year, the all-volunteer group set up camp in the Bieszczady Mountains and organized a nationwide day of protests to oppose the destruction of Bieszczady forests. They believe that ordinary citizens have the right to decide on the management of Polish forests, which are a public good. 

INSPRO (Instytut Spraw Obywatelskich)
The Institute of Civic Affairs is a civic organization independent of political parties with a mission to develop, shape and promote civic attitudes. Their Energy Revolution project promotes energy innovations based on local, sustainable, and renewable energy sources; protests against the combustion of biomass to produce electricity and heat; and opposes exponential economic growth based on the abusive exploitation of resources, disregarding social and environmental costs.

Obóz dla Puszczy (Camp for Forest)
This group works to protect the Bialowieza Forest—the last remaining part of European primeval forest. There is a need for civic mobilization, because petitions and other actions to protect the Bialowieza Forest have proved insufficient. The Camp for the Protection of the Forest is a place that fosters peaceful direct actions aimed at protecting that unique place from on-going devastation. Their goal is to establish a National Park throughout the Białowieża Primeval Forest.

OTOP (The Polish Society for the Protection of Birds)
OTOP works to protect wild birds and areas where they live, including forests like the Białowieża Primeval Forest in Poland. Their actions include monitoring, active conservation, shaping policies that have impact on the environment, and education. They are one of the largest nature protection organisations in Poland and the Polish partner of the world’s federation of bird conservation societies (BirdLife International). They work in collaboration with both Polish and foreign authorities and NGOs.

Pracownia na rzecz Wszystkich Istot (Workshop for All Beings)
This NGO carries out interventions and campaigns to save valuable wild places; solve environmental problems related to road construction; and protect large carnivores, the climate, and mountain ecosystems. Their actions have lead to legal protection of the wolf, doubling the area of the Białowieża National Park, and preventing construction of two large coal power plants. Their monthly magazine, Dzikie Życie (wild life), covers most pressing environmental issues rarely covered by other media.

Stowarzyszenie Okolica (Okolica Association)
The Association was established through the successful mobilization of local residents against plans for development in the Turczyński forest. Today they conduct activities to care for the forest areas saved from logging, including an “Ecological Picnic” and clean up and monitoring of forest litter. They promote ecological education, environmentally friendly waste management, and personal responsibility for the environment. They also participate in administrative processes regarding investments impacting the environment and compliance with environmental laws.

 

Portugal

ZERO (Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável)
ZERO was born from a common goal of achieving sustainable development in Portugal that respects the limits of the planet and promotes social equity. Their interventions are based on solid ideas and a permanent dialogue with different key actors to achieve goals such as zero fossil fuels, zero pollution, zero waste of resources, zero destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity, and zero social and economic inequality. Their core areas of work include biodiversity, agriculture, and forests.

 

Romania

2Celsius

2Celsius is an advocacy and research organization focused on Central and Eastern Europe. A member of the EU’s main environmental networks, they run projects on clean transport, biodiversity conservation, bioenergy, and climate policies, with a special focus on climate and environmental litigation at the national and EU level. They’ve used their networks and communications expertise to call attention to the legal case against EU biomass policy and biomass-driven deforestation.

Agent Green
Agent Green is an environmental crime fighter. The organization was founded in 2009 to preserve biodiversity in Romania, especially in the Carpathian Mountains. There illegal logging, driven in part by the large market for biomass, has become a threat to both humans and forests. Agent Green has an affinity for investigating and strategically exposing these environmental crimes, and promoting solutions for protecting nature. Their motto: Investigate. Expose. Positive Change.

Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC)
FCC was founded by 12 philanthropists and conservationists with the goal to stop illegal logging in the Carpathian Mountains and to protecting a significant surface of Carpathian forests. They do this by purchasing land and leasing hunting rights with private and public money. Their aim is to create a world-class wilderness reserve and National Park in the Southern Romanian Carpathians, for the benefit of biodiversity and the economy of the local communities.