FAQ

About STARO

When was STARO founded? Jessica Hatfield, has been involved in the protection of rainforests for over twenty years since the first time she journeyed down the River Negro in the Amazon. Together with Dr. Dieter Bratschi she founded STARO three years ago.

Why was STARO created? STARO was created to protect the Amazon Rainforest from destruction and help the people living in the rainforest live in harmony with nature using income generating projects which do not threaten the rainforest.

Where does STARO operate? STARO’s main office is based in London; however the charity has land optioned in the Rio Negro region of the Amazon rainforest. Within this land lie two  settlements populated by native Brazilians known as the ‘Caboclos’.

What does STARO do? STARO’s central concern is to save the rainforest whilst working in cooperation with the local people. The charity options land and raises money to purchase these areas of forest. The purchased land is then protected against development and destruction. STARO also sponsors research projects of its land to study the intensely rich flora and fauna. The charity is dedicated to raising awareness of both the plight of the forest and the Brazilian inhabitants. Once sufficient funds have been accumulated further land in the rainforest is purchased and thus protected

How does STARO work with the local people? In order to help natives to earn a living without chopping down the forest, STARO introduces and teaches sustainable economic projects. These include stingless bee keeping and Inga Tree Alleycropping, as developed by Rainforest Saver.

How does STARO raise money? STARO’s chief fundraising mechanism is the ‘Buy an Acre’ scheme. Via the website, www.staro.org and a bespoke satellite imaging system, consumers can choose and purchase an acre of rainforest to be dedicated as a personal conservation zone. We also have other options to donate, from standing orders to details of one off donations. Please click on the 'ways to donate' button on the green bar above.

How is STARO different to other rainforest charities? We believe in creating solutions, we focus on only one area the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil and our focus is creating sustainable income for the forest dwellers. STARO also has the only  satellite imaging system for dedicating areas of rainforest. STARO is constantly searching for sustainable ways of income generation for the forest dwellers.

Are you a registered charity? Yes, we are registered with the UK Charity Commission. Registration number: 1116002

Who are the patrons of STARO? Singer/songwriter Luc Floreani became a patron of STARO in the past. Marcella Detroit (formerly of Shakespears Sister) became a fellow patron and we are in the process of inviting others who have a passion for this region. 

Alleycropping

What is Alley cropping? This is an agro forestry system in which crops are grown on strips of land between widely spaced rows of trees. It can be used to create a miniature canopy which will cover soil in a layer of mulch. Normal slash and burning agriculture means that the soil will only be fertile for a short length of time

Why Inga Trees? Almost two decades of research into alley cropping with Inga trees has found effective and alternative techniques which will enable sustainable farming on the degraded former rainforest soils, providing the farmers with both food security and cash crops without exposing them to debt or an intolerable workload, and without the need to cut down more rainforest.

Where can this technique be viewed? The technique, as developed by the organisation Rainforest Saver, will be put on show at the Eden Project in Cornwall shortly. 

Where can I find more information about Inga Tree Alley cropping and Rainforest Saver? There is a large amount of comprehensive information about Rainforest Saver on their website at www.rainforestsaver.org/. Otherwise visit the Eden Project, Cornwall

Could Inga Tree Alley cropping be introduced elsewhere? Yes. It has the potential to be a solution for saving rainforest across the Amazon and other regions of the world, depending on geographic details. Alley cropping has been rigorously tested over two decades and has proven to be a long-term answer to the exploitation of native workers. 

Stingless bees

What is the stingless bee project? This is simple honey production using stingless bees. STARO has helped to introduce this as a source of income for the settlements. The production not only preserves the forest but also increases its growth due to an increase in pollination. Honey is a traditional product that has always been harvested in the Amazon.

Payment

How do I convert my currency? There is a currency converter on our website. Just click on it and you will know how the £65 equates in your currency. www.xe.com/ucc

What ways can I pay? Either by credit card, paypal or make a cheque payable to STARO. When the cheque has gone through, we will contact you by email to register the acre and send the certificate.

Does the forest stay in our name forever? Yes, it does.

Acres and areas

What do consumers receive from Buy an Acre? Other than the satisfaction that they have saved a part of the world’s most ancient and complex ecosystem, a certificate of ownership including a unique map reference is sent directly to them. This allows the patron to view their land using satellite imaging systems such as Google Earth.

Who actually owns the acre? Legally speaking the acres will still be owned by STARO and its sister charity in Brazil the ICGA. The patronisation goes to whoever buys or receives the acre. This ensures the safety of the forest going forward for generations to come.

I purchased an acre but I don't see it, Can you guide me in the right direction? You can view the acres on: www.staro.org/index.php?id=chooseacre and scroll along each box until a yellow box appears with your details. As for spinney’s, glades and copses, see the spinney/copse/glade webpage for the rainforest locations, found here.

Can I write ANYTHING on my inscription? No. If we deem it offensive you will be contacted with a suggestion about changing it

How much does it cost to buy an acre? Whole acres cost £65, purchased via the website www.staro.org. The land can also be purchased in smaller sizes such as;

Glades – £38
Copses – £19
Spinney’s – £10.

Can the land be dedicated to other people? Whoever purchases the land can choose whose name will appear on the certificate as the patron for that area of protected land. 

I’ve seen other charities that offer acres of rainforest for sale, what’s different here? Rather than simply paying for conservation areas, the money raised from STARO’s Buy an Acre scheme is used to promote both the forest and the people living within it. STARO is seeking an end to deforestation through protecting areas of land and by introducing sustainable economic projects for the Amazon dwellers. The funds raised are also used to provide study grants for the land protected by STARO.

Is it possible to visit my acre/s? The STARO acres and the settlements are very remote, situated in the heart of the Rainforest. They are accessible by boat via the rivers Negro and Jufari. We welcome supporters to join us on our expeditions.

Can we get a printed, not emailed, certificate? Emailed certificates are more environmentally friendly, but if you are having problems or need a printed copy, we will gladly post one out to you. Just email us with your request to enquiries@staro.org

How much of the £65 I spend actually goes towards buying an acre? The £65 covers the cost of purchasing and a percentage of that £65 is channelled into a number of  funding economic projects such as  the stingless bee projects and Alley cropping

Why some of the rainforest are squares shown as unavailable? They are shown as unavailable as STARO has not optioned them.

How much virgin rainforest has STARO optioned? Approx- 11,000 acres 

How do I buy more then one acre? Click on the amount of boxes you want and then proceed to checkout

How can I view the glade/ spinney/ copses? Details of where they are on the glade/ spinney/copse website page, found here

About the Amazon

How big are the settlements? The larger of the two has around 400 people and the second is populated by about 80.

Why is it important to save the Amazon? The environmental importance of saving the Rainforest is immeasurable. It covers about 5% of the world’s land surface and contains 20% of the Earth’s freshwater. As a result, 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced there. Half of all known species are native to the forest and 70% of all plants active against cancer cells are indigenous. The continual destruction of the forest has meant the release of vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere and the loss of a vital global warming heat sink.

How do you protect the land you have optioned? The local people who reside in two settlements on the land keep a vigilant eye on the land and have access to a satellite phone to contact our representatives in Manaus so we can take action. We ourselves regularly patrol the river where the land is.

What happens when the trees are cut down and why is it done? Much of the forest is slashed and burned to make space for agricultural development. This will be for either crop growing or cattle grazing. Given that the soil in the Amazon is that of a wet desert, (poor quality), crops cannot be sustained for longer than a few years. Once the minimal nutrients are gone the land is left to waste.

Communication

Can I communicate directly to someone at STARO? Yes, please use the phone number, mailing address, SKYPE or email. Details here

Will my questions be answered? We will always answer your questions. but please read our information first as we hope we can already have answered any questions you have 

How do I get STARO to come into my school? Contact STARO directly by calling or emailing us (see contact page)

I want to help STARO, how do I go about it? There are many ways you can help us, by having fundraising events, making a donation, clubbing together to buy an acre, purchasing acres/spinney’s/copses and glades as gifts for weddings, Christmas, birthdays or for yourself AND spreading the word about us by emailing your contacts

Events

What other events and projects does the charity have coming up? STARO is to be involved with alarge fundraising concert in Brazil and other festivals in Europe next year. In the meantime the charity will be visiting a number of schools to raise awareness amongst the young.