Marketing - Forest Futures

Working to give the Forest a Future

Here at Iracambi we are working to address the twin issues of rural poverty and forest degradation. Our Forest Futures project unites these two issues, and fits in to our Forest Restoration research priority. The land involved in the Forest Futures program is land that is of strategic importance - using aerial photography and our on the ground knowledge we have been able to identify areas that are of the highest priority. The areas have been identified either because they are primary forest which is under threat, or because the land could be reforested and link up with, or enlarge existing fragments of important forest. The land involved is of little value to the farmer, and buying it frees up much needed capital for the farmer involved.

The aim of the Forest Futures project is to protect forest and to designate it as protected forest. Land acquired through the Forest Futures initiative may also be used in the forest corridors project, and it is hoped that these areas will increase wildlife habitat. The project involves individuals or corporations adopting plots of forest,which are reforested by volunteers and protected by Iracambi.

Marketing is aimed at schools and community groups, as well as through various websites. An additional facet of the project involves maintaining and improving marketing strategies. Making information about the project as widespread as possible, which includes partnerships with companies such as Innocent Drinks who not only support the initiative but have posted information about the Forest Futures plan on their website.

Ongoing work

1. Keeping the innocent foundation up to date with their project.

2. Keeping the Forest Futures website up to date.

3. Making certificates for people and organisations that have adopted a plot of Forest Futures land.

Current priorities

Our priorities for the work break down into three areas:

Firstly, carrying on the work that we have been doing to increase the places you can find out about our adopt-a-plot program:

• Adding details of our project to gift websites.
• Adding details of project to charitable giving websites.
• Exchanging links with organisations that work on similar issues.

Secondly, building on our kids website, we want to get more schools involved with our project. Using the materials and class plans to complement fundraising efforts to adopt-a-plot of rainforest. We would also like to make contact with more colleges and universities so that they can get involved with the work that we do - this will also help us to spread the word more generally about our program.

• Contacting schools, colleges and universities to give them details about out Forest Futures.
• Building up contacts with these institutions which can feed in to the other work that we do.

Thirdly, approaching larger organizations and foundations to get larger funding and donations.

• Obtaining corporate donors - either through one-off arrangements or as part of an ongoing process.
• Researching potential organizations.
• Making contacts and writing proposals.

Skills and expertise needed

• Organizational skills
• Creative thinking
• Excellent written Portuguese and/or English
• Research skills
• Design skills - to prepare materials for promotional purposes

Time Frame

This is a project that can be worked on year round.

Project update

We have been working on the Nursery - that work continues apace and is definitely on schedule to start growing lots of lovely trees for the Forest Futures plot.

To increase the amount of people that know about the project we have contacted lots of organisations to exchange reciprocal links with us - this should lead to a higher amount of people visiting the site, and those people should already be interested in the sort of work we do. Gift websites have also been approached with a view to putting our product on their site.

A webpage about the status of the land has been made, to add to the information that is already online. Adding more optimised pages will also make it easier for people to find out about the project through search engines. It is also useful because we have got a listing of 20,000+ school e-mail addresses in England which we have sent an e-mail about the project to, so we anticipate more traffic to the site as a result. The company has given us these e-mail addresses for free - which is incredibly generous of them.

A day in the life...

When you apply for a voluntary position in marketing at Iracambi, you are assured of a unique experience. The mixture of volunteers, researchers and the beautiful surroundings, results in a very relaxed atmosphere, where people do their work with a lot of affection. For everyone who wants a new work experience, living environment, setting or to meet different people, Iracambi is the place to be. You are able to experience a mixture of these things in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

On a normal weekday I wake up around 08.00 with the sounds of guinea fowls, cows and lots of other animals. After a shower and a nice fruity breakfast combined with some crackers or porridge and a fresh cup of coffee I walk through the field in front of the house (where there are often cows walking around) with a view of the hills of Iracambi and beyond.

It takes me around 5 minutes to get to the office, in Robin and Binka's house. From the house you have a magnificent view and you can walk through the fruit garden to pick some fresh fruits for a snack during the day. The day at the office starts at 09.00 with a cup of coffee in the hand. During the day, I work on several areas of promotion for the Forest Futures project with an occasional break outside to enjoy the weather. Marketing activities I have been working on include exchanging links, reading information on our program, writing marketing ideas for the future, looking at competitors, brainstorming new marketing opportunities, look for potential partnerships, etc. Around 12 or 13 o'clock I go together with other volunteers and researchers working in the office to our house for a delicious lunch containing rice, pasta, beans, vegetables, salad and cake with coffee (after all coffee is a great business in Brazil), made by a woman living at one of the farms or made by ourselves.

At the end of the day, there is time to read and send some emails to friends and family or just leave early for a nice run through the hills, swimming at the waterfall or read a book. We then either spend time with the volunteers and researchers we are sharing a house with, or go over to another house and get together with other researchers and volunteers. Between seven and nine o'clock in the evening the creativity on the dinners occurs and within an hour a fantastic meal arises. The dinner is followed by a game of cards, reading a book, spending time with other volunteers and researchers, watching the stars, having a camp fire or just getting a rugged hair cut.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying to volunteer on this project you need to e-mail us on iracambi@iracambi.com an up to date copy of your CV/Resume and give us the following details:

• How do you feel you can benefit the project?
• What interests you about our project?
• What relevant experience and interests do you have?
• What other interests do you have?
• What expectations do you have from your time here?
• What language skills do you have?
• What date are you planning to come to Iracambi and how long are you going to stay?
• How did you find out about Iracambi?

We look forward to hearing from you soon.