Aerial view of a vast tropical rainforest canopy stretching to the horizon beneath a cloudy sky with patches of sunlight.

Tuur is committed to protecting the tropical rainforest

To preserve the most species-rich forests

Tuur is working alongside the Wilderness International Foundation on a mission to protect the Earth’s last remaining rainforests. Through the Tuur Rainforest in the Madre de Dios region of Peru, valuable rainforest – and with it, the habitat for a vast array of species – is now being protected, helping to ensure a healthy climate. 

How many square metres of forest can we protect together?

Donations

have wilderness sponsors

m2 old-growth forest

protected forever, thereby ensuring that

tonnes of CO2

remain permanently sequestered in the forest’s biomass

As a family-run business, Tuur offers sustainable sleep products made from natural latex, combining health, environmental protection and comfort for both present and future generations. By focusing on resource conservation and strong partnerships, such as with Wilderness International, the company actively contributes to nature conservation and is committed to a greener future and the preservation of biodiversity.

Impressions from the rainforest

The protected rainforest area is situated in the Madre de Dios region of Peru. There are 10 times as many reptiles and amphibians there as in Germany; around 10 per cent of all the world’s bird species can be observed here; and on one hectare of forest, one can find around 400 tree species – more than in the whole of Europe north of the Alps.
Capybara wading through shallow water near the riverbank with driftwood and vegetation in the background.
Weighing up to 75 kg, capybaras are the largest rodents in the world.
Dense tropical rainforest with moss-covered tree trunks, twisted branches, and lush green vegetation.
Massive buttress roots give these primeval forest giants stability.
Bright green tree frog with orange legs and belly clinging to a mossy branch against a black background.
Tiger-maki frogs are an indicator of an intact forest, as they depend on undisturbed rainforests.
Misty rainforest canopy at dawn with towering trees beneath an overcast sky and morning fog.
As the sun rises over the rainforests along the Tambopata River, the forest begins to breathe.

Transparency

Why protect the rainforest with WI?
Tuur has chosen to partner with Wilderness International because the use of funds is particularly transparent and measurable: every €1 donated protects 1m2 of old-growth forest. As proof of their support, donors receive a certificate including the exact geographical coordinates and an aerial photograph of the protected area.

When you play this video, data (including your IP address) will be sent to YouTube (Google).

Your Wilderness Conservation Certificate

Immediately after making your donation, you will receive a personalised certificate detailing the piece of wilderness you have helped to protect.
Protect forest now opens in a new tab
Wilderness Protection Certificate for Sally Sunshine's 18th birthday protecting 25 m² of rainforest in Peru, featuring wildlife and signatures.

About Wilderness International

The foundation, which has offices in Peru, Canada and Germany, acquires wilderness areas in a legally secure manner and protects them for generations to come. These acquisitions are funded by donations, which ensure the long-term protection of the areas and enable environmental education projects and research into CO2 storage and biodiversity.
Find out more
Group of about twelve people smiling on a forest trail surrounded by lush green trees and vegetation.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is Wilderness International, and what does the organisation do?

    Wilderness International is a non-profit environmental organisation with a single goal: to protect the Earth’s last remaining unique forests and wilderness areas for ever. To this end, Wilderness International purchases plots of land through registration in the land register, thereby ensuring their legally secure and permanent protection. The land purchases are funded by donations towards so-called ‘wilderness sponsorships’. Wilderness sponsors receive a personalised certificate stating the exact geographical coordinates of the protected forest area.

    WI Germany and WI Canada were founded in 2008 by 25 people from six countries, representing 24 different professional fields and aged between 18 and 69. In 2019, the Peruvian organisation dedicated to protecting the tropical rainforest joined the initiative. Today, Wilderness International consists of three sister foundations: 

    In addition to the founding donors, Wilderness International Germany is supported by eight members of the Foundation Board, three members of the Executive Board, our operational team, many volunteers and countless donors, partners, sponsors and supporters. You can find out more on the “Wilderness International Germany” page.

    At Wilderness International Canada, alongside Tobias Hürten and Kai Andersch, Marco Lou, Tyler Bruce and Stephen Gabrysh also work directly on the ground to manage our partnerships, land acquisitions, expeditions and the protection of our forest areas. Volunteers, donors and supporters are also actively involved here. You can find out more under “Wilderness International Canada”.

    At Wilderness International Peru, the seven founders form the board of trustees. On the ground, the organisation’s president, Dr Chris Kirkby, works alongside a team of forest rangers and the rest of the operational team to oversee the protected areas, carry out research and biodiversity monitoring in the forests, the search for and purchase of new plots of land, and projects with local schools, communities and partners. You can find more information on the “Wilderness International Peru” page.

  • What role does the tropical rainforest play in Peru?

    More than half of Peru’s land area is covered by forests. This makes the country home to the world’s fourth-largest area of tropical rainforest – after Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Indonesia. In 2018, 87 per cent of this area was still virgin forest. The forests of the Amazon Basin are the largest contiguous rainforests on Earth. This means they are not only a huge CO2 sink, but also generate their own weather – a unique water cycle that carries rain from the Atlantic up to 5,000 km into the west of the continent. The only thing that sustains this water cycle is the vast extent of the contiguous rainforests. 

    At the same time, the Amazon rainforests play a vital role in cooling the surrounding environment and purifying the air of pollutants. Over the millennia, these rainforests have also produced the oxygen in the atmosphere that is essential for our survival. Furthermore, the rainforests in the Madre de Dios region are considered the most biodiverse place on Earth! Thanks to favourable climatic conditions and geological history, there are 10 times more reptiles and amphibians here than in Germany. Around 10 per cent of all the world’s bird species can be observed there, and on one hectare of forest you can find around 400 tree species – more than in the whole of Europe north of the Alps! 

    Unfortunately, however, the forest is under serious threat: according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), between 2015 and 2020 around 10 million hectares of tropical rainforest were lost each year, with the Amazon region suffering the most damage annually. In 2020 alone, an area of primary forest the size of Israel disappeared – that’s more than 22,000km2.

  • How do you ensure the long-term protection of these areas?

    We protect the areas we have selected exclusively by purchasing them and registering them in the land register, in countries with a high degree of legal certainty. All three international foundations (Peru, Canada, Germany) are registered as owners in the land register. The forest areas we have purchased as foundations can no longer be bought from us, and we are also no longer permitted to sell them. 

    The foundation’s organisational structure prevents the rights to dispose of the property from resting with a single individual and ensures its long-term survival. You can find out more about the longevity of the foundation concept here. Our articles of association stipulate that the plots of land must be left undisturbed and may only be visited for research and documentation purposes. 

    In Canada: 

    Due to their remoteness and the fact that the area is undeveloped, our protected areas in Canada can only be reached at great financial, material and time-related expense, and not without risk. Furthermore, the high level of legal certainty in Canada ensures that damage to land results in severe penalties. The British Columbia Trespass Act explicitly prohibits trespassing on private land. Violations are prosecuted in court upon complaint, even if no damage has been caused. Furthermore, we visit and monitor the areas as part of regular research trips and have partnerships with local companies that support us. In Canada, we also benefit from the fact that property is held in very high regard for its cultural and historical value and is respected.

    In Peru:

    In Peru, we have Forest Guardians on the ground whose day-to-day duties include monitoring our protected areas and preventing unauthorised entry. By using drones, the Guardians can survey a larger area, and special sensors trigger an alarm instantly if, for example, a fire breaks out or the sound of chainsaws is detected. In addition, we work there with the organisation ‘Fauna Forever’, which also has a permanent presence on the ground and, as part of its research projects, patrols and monitors our areas.

    Furthermore, the Forest Guardians are in direct contact with the local population, promote our conservation objectives within the community, erect information signs and actively work on community projects – such as our current agroforestry project – to show the local population ways to benefit from the rainforest without clearing it. Should a conflict nevertheless arise, we report poachers and other individuals acting illegally to the local law enforcement agencies (such as the police, lawyers and authorities), and work closely with them.