Sky Rainforest Rescue, a partnership between Sky and WWF, today announced that it has reached its fundraising target a year early by raising £4 million which Sky has matched to total £8 million. The target was first set in May 2012 after an extension of the partnership was agreed. The money raised is helping to save one billion trees in the state of Acre in north-west Brazil and provides local communities with sustainable alternatives to deforestation.

Through the partnership Sky Rainforest Rescue helps over 1,500 small-scale farming families to manage their land in more sustainable ways and move away from ‘slash and burn’ practices. The partnership is also working with 60 rubber tappers from Acre, who tap wild rubber trees for liquid latex. By improving the market conditions and prices, the tappers now generate an income from the forest without cutting down trees. Sky Rainforest Rescue has also been developing environmental education activities within schools targeted at the small-scale farmers within the project area.

As one of the many ways to support Acre in the UK, Sky Rainforest Rescue recently teamed up with Lily Cole to create a sustainable trainer range with ethical French fashion brand Veja, who source rubber from Acre for the soles of their shoes. Sky has also raised awareness of deforestation with specially commissioned TV programming, the most recent of which was Flintoff’s Road to Nowhere.

Lucy Carver, Director of the Bigger Picture, Sky commented: “Sky Rainforest Rescue is proud to have reached its target of £8 million. We’re incredibly grateful to all our supporters who have helped raise this money through donations, jaguar adoptions, sponsoring an acre of rainforest and other sponsored events. We’ll continue to work together to support people in the Amazon and protect the future of this precious and irreplaceable rainforest.”

Nicky Day, Director of Corporate Partnerships at WWF commented: “The partnership over the past five years has gone from strength to strength and to have raised £8 million is just fantastic. Thanks to Sky and our Sky Rainforest Rescue supporters. Without your donations we couldn’t have got this far or made this impact on the ground. We hope you will continue to support our ambition to keep 1 billion trees standing in Acre, north-west Brazil and remain a part of our Sky Rainforest Rescue community. It is an exciting year ahead and I am looking forward to us achieving even more success together along the way.”

For more information or to get involved, please visit: http://rainforestrescue.sky.com/

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For further information please contact:

Sky:
Abigail Stableforth
Sky Rainforest Rescue Manager
Abigail.Stableforth@bskyb.com
020 7032 4888

WWF:
Aimee Aldersley
Senior Engagement Manager
01483 412 338
AAldersley@wwf.org.uk

Notes to Editor:

Sky Rainforest Rescue is a six year project between Sky and WWF to help save one billion trees in the state of Acre, northwest Brazil.  Sky and WWF are working with the Acre state government and local communities to make the trees worth more alive than dead, offering incentives for the sustainable use of the forest, working to increase market opportunities for sustainable produce from the forest, like rubber and monitoring deforestation.

Sky Rainforest Rescue has recently been involved with:
• In Acre, Brazil, Sky Rainforest Rescue has been developing environmental education activities within schools along the BR-364 road in the Project Area. The educational activities are also targeted at the small-scale farmers and extractivists.
• The partnership is also helping to improve processing standards for acai berries by working with the Acre state government and improving market conditions and prices.
• Sky Rainforest Rescue is supporting the growing industry of sustainable management of the large freshwater pirarucu (arapaima) - a highly profitable edible fish.  So far pirarucu management across 10 natural lakes has resulted in harvesting of 24 tonnes of the fish per annum, an 80% increase on previous years.  An association of pirarucu managers made up of representatives from the 256 families involved has been created.
• Back in the UK, throughout the partnership Sky has made on-air programming, to support Sky Rainforest Rescue, including our last show, ‘Flintoff’s Road to Nowhere’.
• SRR has also partnered with the Eden Project to open its first wild rubber exhibit in the Eden Rainforest Biome where visitors can learn more about wild rubber from the trees to the soles of your shoes

There are lots of ways for people to support Sky Rainforest Rescue.  For just £3 a month you can sponsor an acre of forest or adopt a jaguar.  For more information visit: www.sky.com/rainforestrescue

About WWF:
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

About Sky:
Sky is the UK and Ireland’s leading home entertainment and communications company.  Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.

Sky is the UK’s biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.6 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News.   Around two-thirds of Sky’s content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes.  More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.

Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator.  Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.

Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi.  NOW TV, Sky’s second consumer brand, builds on the company’s leadership in internet TV.  Sky is also the UK's fastest-growing home communications company and favourite ‘triple-play’ provider of TV, broadband and home phone.

Sky believes in making a positive contribution to society by acting responsibly day-to-day, reaching beyond our business to inspire people to take action through Sky Academy, Sky Rainforest Rescue and Sky Cycling, as well as by growing our economic and social contribution. Sky employs 25,000 people, has annual revenues of £7.6 billion and is estimated to support a £6.0 billion contribution to UK GDP.  Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY).