In this episode of Dear Forests you will get a chance to hear more about the host and what motivated them to start this podcast as well as the background of the show and what will be covered in the next few months.

Sponsored by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund for nature) Belgium in collaboration with DGD (Direction générale Coopération au développement et Aide humanitaire.

**Since the publishing of this episode, there have been 9 confirmed as having passed on as a result of recent floods in Botswana.

This first episode of Dear Forests will cover all that you need to know about deforestation, the 'basics' if you will. Together with Tropical Forests Policy Officer Pieter Van de Sype from BOS+, we will define deforestation, explore its impacts on our climate and our daily lives, discuss important geolocations, and get to know different actors in the fight against deforestation.

Pieter's overall focus is on the importance of forests for the wellbeing of local communities and a resilient global society in Climate, Cocoa, and Wood. His main work focus however is lobby and advocacy on deforestation (and legislation to prevent it, mainly European Deforestation Regulation - EUDR); advocacy for the support for communities and countries in the global south to protect, restore and sustainably manage, their forests, as well as agroforestry (combinations of trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland).

BOS+ is an NGO dedicated to sustainable forestry, conservation and afforestation in Flanders and worldwide. A new name in the forest landscape, BOS+ is the integration of 2 existing NGOs: the Association for Forests in Flanders (VBV), which has been promoting forests in Flanders for more then 40 years, and Groenhart, since 10 years doing the same in a number of tropical countries. Their successful collaboration culminated in the creation of BOS+ in 2012. BOS means ‘forest’ in Dutch, and the '​+'​ in the name symbolises togetherness (collaboration), more forests and better forests.

Feel free to follow their journey on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook or visit their website for more information.

**Sponsored by the WWF Belgium in collaboration with DGD (Direction générale Coopération au développement et Aide humanitaire).

In this second episode we start our deep dive into the specifics of things that impact deforestation, starting with our food. Marion Meyvis, the Head of Sustainable Sourcing and Product Marketing at Oxfam Fair Trade, will share more about how the coffee and cocoa industry influence levels of deforestation as well as what her and her company do to promote an alternative form of relationships with Global South farmers that make our coffee and chocolate products possible.

The discussion does have a few slightly complex terms so I thought it best to share their meanings for you here:

Agroforestry — a method of farming in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among food crops or pastureland for livestock.

Mulching — a covering of straw or sawdust that is spread over the ground to protect the roots of plants from heat, cold, evaporation, or to prevent soil loss/degradation.

Commodities — a substance that can be bought, sold, or traded like agricultural products (wheat and cattle), energy products (oil and natural gas), and metals (gold and silver).

Commodity Market — where you can buy and sell goods taken from the earth, from cattle to gold, oil to oranges, and orange juice to wheat.

Stock Market — a system for buying and selling securities, or stocks and bonds. A stock is a share in the ownership of a company. A bond is an agreement to lend money to a company for a certain amount of time. Companies sell securities to people to get the money they need to grow.

We also spoke a little bit about live satellite mapping of deforestation, a palm oil campaign from a few years ago (and sustainable palm oil), and a potato harvest crisis in Belgium for those of you who are interested.

Marion's day to day focus is on marketing the most tasty Fair Trade food products sourced with the highest standards of sustainable sourcing practices together with her amazing team. She does this at Oxfam Fair Trade which is a pioneering Fair Trade food brand, since 1971, that imports and distributes ethically sourced food products from small-scale farmers and cooperatives in the Global South. They operate as part of the broader Oxfam movement, which works to fight poverty, inequality, and social injustice worldwide. You can find their products in your local worldshop and in different supermarkets world wide.

Each month, Oxfam Fair Trade highlights the exceptional products of our trade partners through dedicated campaigns in the Oxfam World Shops. In March, we celebrate Women's Month by featuring Women's Hope Coffee, a premium organic 100% Arabica coffee from the Rebuild Women's Hope cooperative on Idjwi Island in Congo, which empowers women in their community. In May, we turn our attention to our Palestinian partners, inviting you to explore the rich flavours of Palestine. Supporting Palestinian farmers is particularly vital given the current challenges they face, including economic hardships and threats to their livelihoods. Visit our Oxfam World Shops during these months to taste these unique products and support the communities behind them.

Feel free to follow their journey on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram or visit their website for more information.

**Sponsored by the WWF Belgium in collaboration with DGD (Direction générale Coopération au développement et Aide humanitaire).