Forest Trends (forest-trends.org) is dedicated to promoting the sustainable management of the world’s forests. Founded in 1996, the organization brings together representatives of the forest industry with conservation leaders to create market-based approaches to preserving forests and improving the livelihoods of people who live in and around them. As part of this effort, the organization aims to create market values for the kinds of services forests provide us. Its Ecosystem Marketplace offers difficult-to-obtain data and news to help assign values to nature’s goods and services, such as prices for carbon-offset trading and water-quality controls. The aim is to encourage companies and policymakers to invest in what we get from nature, in ways that benefit both people and the environment.
Each charity we feature has earned a four-star overall rating from Charity Navigator, which ranks not-for-profit organizations on the strength of their finances, their control of administrative and fund-raising expenses, and the transparency of their operations. Four stars is the group’s highest ranking.
