A new study by t
he World Resources Institute shows that deforestation can be up to 20 times lower in community forests that have strong legal protection, than in areas that do not enjoy such protection.
This is a compelling argument to strengthen the rights of indigenous peoples to own and manage their territories.
It also points to the urgent need to support indigenous peoples with the transfer of their unique ecological knowledge to their children.
The Rutu Foundation works with indigenous communities to integrate their languages and knowledge into the education system by training teachers and developing multilingual learning materials.
