Rainforest Committee
Guardians of Green: Protecting Our Planet's Lungs
Welcome to the Rainforest Committee of the Sierra Club! Our dedicated group of volunteers and environmental advocates is committed to preserving the vital ecosystems found within the world’s rainforests. These lush and vibrant landscapes are not only home to an incredible diversity of species but also play a crucial role in regulating the global climate and providing essential resources. Join us as we work together to protect these irreplaceable treasures, advocate for sustainable practices, and raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and conservation.
The Rainforest Committee of the Northeast Ohio Sierra Club
The world’s tropical rainforests are the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. Threats to their continued existence result primarily from forces originating in United States and other nations of the Global North. Therefore, it is appropriate for the NEO Sierra Club to have a committee that is focused on understanding how we can contribute to rainforest conservation.
The Committee does this through educational events held in the Cleveland area and through direct support of people in tropical countries who are engaged in rainforest conservation. Our educational events usually involve presentations from Committee members concerning experiences that they have had in visiting tropical rainforest countries or concerning domestic issues that may affect rainforest conservation.
We have also sponsored presentations by visitors from rainforest countries, particularly from Ecuador. The Committee has a longstanding relationship with DECOIN, a grassroots environmental organization in northern Ecuador that is
fighting to protect that region from the destructive impact of industrial scale mining.
Our meetings usually occur about four times a year and notifications of issues related to rainforest conservation are done via email.
How You Can Help
For over a decade, Amazon Watch and our Indigenous and local partners have fought to stop Canadian mining company Belo Sun from building what would become Brazil’s largest open-pit gold mine on the Xingu River.
And that fight is working.
Belo Sun remains entangled in legal and licensing challenges and determined community resistance. The project has not yet moved forward because Amazonian people have refused to give up on their river that sustains life in their territory.
But right now, there is great risk and so we need your help at this critical time to shut them down.
Since 2012, Amazon Watch has stood in long-term solidarity with the Indigenous peoples and riverine communities defending the Xingu. We have supported advocacy, amplified local voices, exposed corporate misconduct, and helped sustain the international pressure that has kept this disastrous mine from becoming a reality.
These victories do not happen overnight. They require years of persistence, partnership, and resources. They are born from a global community who refuses to give up on a living river.
Belo Sun is still trying to push this project forward. The communities defending the Xingu are still counting on allies, like you, who understand that protecting the Amazon means staying in the fight for as long as it takes.
Your support strengthens the long-term movement to stop Belo Sun, defend Indigenous rights, and protect one of the Amazon’s most vital rivers for generations to come.
Please give today and stand with the defenders of the Xingu.
For the Amazon,
Leila Salazar-López
Executive Director
P.S. Your employer may match your donation. If so, the email receipt you’ll receive from us is usually all you need. Our team is here to help if you have any questions.
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For more information about the Rainforest Committee, contact:
Michael Melampy at mmelampy@bw.edu or 440-263-6483.
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Committee Chair
- Michael Melampy
- melampy@bw.edu
- (440) 263-6483
Committee Meetings
Meetings occur four times/year; contact the Committee Chair for more info.
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