Black Jaguar Foundation (BJF)

Qui sommes-nous

The Black Jaguar Foundation (BJF) is an international non-profit organization founded in 2010. BJF started in 2009, its initial goal making a unique documentary about the black jaguar in the wild – a dream of initiator Ben Valks. During his numerous expeditions it was not the black jaguar he encountered, but the drastically deforested Amazon. Inspired by the powerful documentary ‘HOME’ by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and its message that ‘we all have the power to change’, the BJF has expanded its mission. Ben has since devoted his life to restoring the Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna through the BJF.
Instead of being the focus of the foundation, the black jaguar came to be its icon. It symbolizes the precarious future of the entire Amazon and Cerrado as well as the endangerment of our own species.

Become part of one of the largest reforestation projects on earth.

Our mission
The BJF is driven to restore the balance between nature and mankind to improve the life of each of us and all future generations on our planet. We offer a tangible solution for the drastic degradation of two of our most precious ecosystems: the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado savanna in Brazil. With partners who match our values, we will reach our goal through well-defined tasks, step by step. We all have the power to change.

Our goal
The Black Jaguar Foundation pursues one clear objective: planting indigenous trees on a massive scale to help realize the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor in order to improve the lives of each of us and of all future generations on our planet.

Project
The Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor: The Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor in Central Brazil will become the longest of all nature corridors on earth and one of South America’s largest reforestation projects. Its scope is astonishing, with a total length of 2,600 kilometers and a width of up to 40 kilometers situated alongside the riverbanks of the entire Araguaia river and part of the Tocantins river. The Corridor connects two of the world’s most vital ecosystems: the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado savanna.
As for the Cerrado savanna, around 70% of its original pristine habitat within the corridor zone has already been deforested for agricultural purposes. The Corridor connects the remaining 30% of ‘natural habitat pockets’ with each other. It will save thousands of species and bring forth a massive reforestation project, converting agricultural land back to the original state of the Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna. Hundreds of millions of indigenous trees will be replanted and go on to have a positive and permanent effect on each of us and all future generations.
This corridor has global impact, it will affect all of us.
• 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced in the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado savanna.
• 30% of all sweet water in the world is filtered each year through the Amazon and Cerrado
• 25% of all modern medication is derived from plants in the Amazon and the Cerrado.
• Rain cycles in Southeast Brazil depend on trees from the Amazon and Cerrado. Without forests, no rain and no life.

By planting indigenous trees on a massive scale to realize the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor, the Black Jaguar Foundation is in support of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Joël Boele is a Community Outreach Coordinator of the Black Jaguar Foundation (BJF).

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.