In addition we donate to an initiative called Retted den Regenwald e.V. (german for Rainforest Rescue). With the help of its ecuadorian partner organization DECOIN (Defensa y Conservación Ecológica del Intag), Rettet den Regenwald e.V. is trying to protect the mountain rainforest region of the Intag in Ecuador from clearcutting.The mountain rainforest is the habitat of the spectacled bear, puma and tapir - and thousands of other animal and plant species. This region is also an important factor for the drinking water supply of the locals by storing rain water and protecting the precious liquid from dehydration and pollution. Only in the forest spring creeks that run water year-round to deliver drinking water to the people further down the valley. The Nature in Intag and people are threatened. Underneath the tropical mountain rainforests are rich in mineral resources, especially copper and gold. Mining companies want to exploit these for years. The residents are fighting against it and the small village of Junin is the center of resistance. It should, just as the neighboring villages, make room for a huge strip mine.
There are plans to tear big holes in the slopes of the Toisan mountains to get to the underground copper ore. A million tons of soil and rock will be removed, and rivers diverted. Dams will be built to form lakes for the highly toxic wastewater from the mines. People, animals and plants would lose their homes forever.
So far, the mining companies have failed again and again due to the resistance of the villagers. The purchase of mountain rainforest is an important step towards the copper industry. These estates will block the company's land access. The estates shall be declared a community forest and transferred to the villagers. They may not be sold or cleared. Already deforested areas must be party reforested with native tree species. The organization Decoin is overseeing the project.

The purchase price for the mountain rainforests is 600 U.S. dollars per hectare, equivalent to about 470 euros. All costs for surveying, demarcation, notary, administrative procedures, etc. are already included. The size of the forest area is located between 15 to 1,000 acres. One hectare corresponds to 10,000 square meters.The roots of compassion eG supports this initiative with a donation of 10 euro cents per order, so for each of your orders we buy 2 square meters of mountain rain forest!

• In 2011 we donated a total of 360 Euros for the period of September 2010 until September 2011 to Rettet den Regenwald e. V. for a similar project in Paraguay, which equals 30,000 square meters of forest which thereby shall remain untouched.
• In 2012, we donated 550 euros for the same period to the mountain rainforest project in the Intag. This represents nearly 1.2 hectares (12,000 sqm) rainforest.

For more information about the project and the organization check out: www.regenwald.org