We all depend on nature to provide us with the basic conditions for a safe, healthy life. We don't have to get to the point of testing the planet's limits and exhausting its natural resources to realize the importance of environmental conservation. We also have the experience, the know-how and the resources to face up to this challenge.

The environmental services provided by the forests are essential to our quality of life, by protecting our water sources, regulating the climate, protecting the drainage basins and the soil, containing erosion, preventing flooding, and through pollination, all of which are crucial to human well-being. Throughout the world, people have failed to give due appreciation to these environmental services. However, as the natural resources have become ever more depleted, there is a growing recognition of their huge importance.

Strong partnerships with governments, international financial agencies, companies, non-governmental organizations, landowners and local associations are vital to put a stop to the deforestation and promote the conservation and restoration of the Atlantic Forest. The region is considered to be the birthplace of the Brazilian environmentalist movement and is home to some of the country's most renowned universities, research centers and NGOs. By providing a catalyst for support from all sectors of society, we hope to attain our common goal of effectively protecting at least 10% of the Atlantic Forest biome by the year 2010.