The Russas Project will preserve over 102,000 acres of rare and threatened tropical rainforest eco-system while simultaneously providing this rural community with sustainable economic opportunities and direct payments for forest conservation. The project area is facing extensive deforestation pressures as a result of subsistence agriculture, cattle ranching, and the paving of highway thru the project zone.

​Russas will mitigate deforestation and preserve the Project’s rich bio-diversity while simultaneously generating sustainable economic and educational opportunities for the local community and children. Russas serves as the model for successfully utilizing carbon credit revenues as the best approach to preserving these extraordinary forest eco-systems and helping these individual families to have a better life. The project is validated to the highest standards including the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS) Gold Level.

Regional studies in the Southwestern Amazon, particularly in Acre, have demonstrated some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. There are an estimated one to two million animal species in the Amazon including howler monkeys, freshwater dolphins, and scarlet macaws; while also providing habitat for 30,000 endemic plants. If Russas is converted to cattle pasture, these threatened animal and plant species would virtually disappear from the Project area due to a substantial reduction in habitat. With nearly 1/3 of all known species and the largest network of freshwater contained in the Amazon Rainforest – Russas aims to protect these remaining forests and associated bio-diversity by permanently preventing threats of cattle ranches, slash-and-burn agriculture, and commercial agriculture to the Project area.

The paving of two primary roads BR-364 and BR-317 has greatly increased destruction of primary forests and conversion to cattle pastures. Deforestation pressures in the project region have increased significantly in the past several years as the paving of BR-364 is nearing completion. Upon being fully paved, BR-364 will allow for year-round transportation and will increase property values and market access and facilitate immigration. The Juruá River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, borders the project property and connects areas upstream and downstream from BR-364 to consumer markets. Further, secondary roads, are fast approaching the project area  providing access to previously hard to reach areas for the agents of deforestation.