About Us

Anthrotect works to protect tropical rainforests by starting with the people that live in them. We build long-term partnerships with community landowners that show a deep, unwavering commitment to protecting the forests they call home. We value local traditions and perspectives as unique strengths crucial to understanding and addressing the global environmental issues facing our world today. Join us on our mission to protect rainforests and leave a healthier planet for future generations.

Anthrotect was founded in 2007 by anthropologist Brodie Ferguson with the mission of making conservation a viable economic alternative for forest-dependent communities worldwide. In 2009, Anthrotect opened it's second office in Colombia to provide Afro-Colombian and indigenous landowners with the training and skills needed to turn their traditional knowledge into a global environmental service. The result was the Chocó-Darién Conservation Corridor, the first community-owned REDD+ project in the world to be awarded carbon credits for forest conservation.

In 2012, after the successful launch of its Colombian project, Anthrotect began working with Afro-descendant communities in the Brazilian Amazon. In 2013, the Oriximiná Quilombola REDD+ Project was launched, representing the first commitment by an Afro-Brazilian community to reduce carbon emissions by protecting and enhancing forests on their ancestral lands. Today, the projects continue to serve as a model for landholders around the world seeking new ways to manage their forests sustainably.