Over 10 years ago, we had a vision: to extend the Calakmul Biosphere and provide habit protection for the jaguar, saving valuable rainforest and thousands of plants and animals in the process. In order to accomplish this goal, we began work to set up a trust, a large savings account whose interest would cover the cost related to saving this land for future generations. Due to your impressive support and the hard work of staff, volunteers, and partners, that trust is now being seeded and financed by Conservation International through their Global Conservation Fund and the Moore Foundation. As a result, our partner in Mexico, Amigos de Calakmul, no longer needs Rainforest2Reef to provide them with direct support and assistance.

With the independence of Amigos de Calakmul, I am filled with pride but also sadness. I'm sure I'll feel the same way when my children, 8 and 10, go off to college. While Sandra and I helped create and grow Amigos de Calakmul, the need for our role as "parents" through R2R has now successfully come to an end. So what does this mean to all of you, our members, donors, partners, and friends?

Over the last year, our board asked us to consider three options: 1) find one or more NGOs on the ground in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor that could benefit from our role as a "parent" organization; 2) find another non-profit organization to support that could carry on our mission through their work in the area; or 3) dissolve and call our mission complete. 

When considering the second option, we began discussions with a US non-profit called EcoLogic Development Fund. We were very intrigued by their model for conservation. While R2R took the view that in order to protect biodiversity you first need to save land, then provide stewardship, and lastly engage the community in programs, EcoLogic takes a different but complimentary path to conservation.  EcoLogic works with rural communities, helping them to sustainably manage and protect their natural resources while also promoting sustainable livelihood alternatives.

At R2R, we sometimes viewed people as the problem but not necessarily part of the solution.  EcoLogic sees people as the basis for conservation solutions.  If you provide people with the education, economic opportunities, and incentives, they will be the first to protect the rainforest and the jaguar.  We experienced this directly at R2R when we partnered with hunters who, when given the chance, worked with scientists and tracked jaguars, rather than killing them. Now we have the opportunity to "take it to the next level."  By joining forces with EcoLogic, we take our mission and vision of conservation and marry it with EcoLogic's to provide a more powerful force for saving species and habitat. 

After careful consideration and months of conversations, R2R is handing over the reins of our mission to EcoLogic and their incredibly reliable and talented team. We ask that you join us in moving your support and donations from R2R to EcoLogic so we can provide stronger protection for the rainforest, the jaguar and communities in Mesoamerica. At the end of 2011 Rainforest2Reef will cease its operations, but our ideals will be carried on through EcoLogic and their work in the region.

The board of directors of R2R has elected to make one final payment this year, using funds received from donors specifically for this purpose, to the land owners who have conservation easement agreements with Amigos de Calakmul. All remaining funds of R2R will be donated to EcoLogic for them to apply toward furthering the mission of conservation and species and habitat protection.  EcoLogic has 18 years of experience working in Mesoamerica with local communities on high-impact conservation projects.  More information about EcoLogic can be found on their website - www.ecologic.org/r2r.

Like so many transitions in life, we look back at our great accomplishments with pride and look forward to new opportunities with anticipation.  In this spirit, we ask you to join us in supporting EcoLogic in this next phase of R2R's journey. It is not an end, but a new beginning.

We send a heartfelt thank you to all our members, supporters, friends, and family.

Sincerely,

David Leventhal, Board President Rainforest2Reef
Sandra Kahn, Visionary behind R2R and Founder of Amigos de Calakmul