Atlantic Rainforest

The Atlantic Rainforest has one of the most tragic stories in terms of deforestation: 93 percent of the original area has been cut down. This natural ecosystem including its unique and vast endemic organisms is close to being completely eliminated. With your help we can try to battle this sad reality.

Even with this extreme reduction, the Atlantic Rainforest still holds enormous biological diversity – for example 20,000 different species of trees – much of it endemic to the region.

Near our rainforest basecamp, an analysis of just a hectare of land found: 270 types of mammals (90 endemic), 372 amphibian species (260 endemic), 197 reptiles (60 endemic), 849 bird species (188 endemic), 2120 butterflies (948 endemic) and 456 different tree species – easily a world record.

The Mission of ARFI

SuddenRush is committed to focusing on developing products that have a positive effect on social and ecological conditions. We feel responsible to live the change that we want to see on this planet and therefore spearhead the SuddenRush Guarana-Project with the primary goal of protecting the Atlantic Rainforest. Part of the profits generated through the sale of SuddenRush Guarana-Shots go directly towards the protection and preservation of the Atlantic Rainforest in the south of Bahia in Brazil. Guarana only grows in the South American Rainforest and will only do so in a healthy surrounding. At least 10% of all profits of SuddenRush therefore go to the Brazilian NGO “Atlantic Rainforest Institution” or simply ARFI.

The Atlantic Rainforest Institution is a non-governmental organization with a official entry in the commercial register. ARFI was founded on the 5th of June 2005 in Illheus, Brazil. The first goal is the purchase of 700,000 square meters of intact rainforest land plots in the south of Bahia. 99% of the area will remain a nature reserve; with your help the 7,000 m2 of the remaining 1% will be the location of a nature clinic.

In this clinic veterinarians from across the globe will treat the endemic Golden Lion Tamarin and the Maned Sloth, both close to extinction. In the planned visitors center of the Nature Clinic children and youths will learn about species diversity and the Atlantic Rainforest. Visitors from across the globe will walk the experience trail, learning to value of the Rainforest and its inhabitants. The clinic will serve as a base to start other projects to help the rainforest and diverse organisms that it hosts.

Donations

To purchase the 700,000 m2 we need to gather 1.2 million Swiss Francs, the construction of the clinic will cost another 300,000 Swiss Francs.

10 percent of the profit from SuddenRush Guarana Shots therefore flows into ARFI at the end of each year.

And with your help and donations we can achieve this goal even faster.

Muito Obrigado!

Chris Bachmann

In 1997 Chris Bachmann founded the SuddenRush surf travel agency. One of his surf trips brought him to the North East of Brazil. He settled there and got to know Guarana as well as the Atlantic Rainforest. During this time Bachmann commentated various international extreme sport events, many of which were sponsored from energy drink companies trying to introduce youths to their products through these events.

In Guarana he recognized a healthy alternative und wondered why no one had harnessed this effective and healthy rainforest plant.

The first SuddenRush Guarana-Shots were produced in 2006. The natural energy spread like wildfire through snowboard pros worldwide. Although many were sponsored by large energy drink companies, they preferred to consume the Guarana-Shot before competitions to increase their performance.

Snowboard legend Terje Haakonsen and multiple “Rider of the Year” award winner Nicolas Müller soon joined the SuddenRush team.

Even with the support of highly regarded international snowboarders, SuddenRush is still a small family run Swiss business. Many internationally successful athletes as well as amateurs from various sports consume our shots. Artists, students, professionals, long distance drivers, night shift workers and people that can’t drink coffee all cherish our products as a natural energy booster.

On top of that, every Guarana-Shot actively supports a good cause: preserving the Atlantic Rainforest. Now if that isn’t reason enough to try it out…