The Iroko is one of the largest trees in the African rainforest with a crown that reaches the upper canopy and is common right across tropical Africa. It is well known internationally for its excellent durable hard timber. Locally, many villagers see the trees as sacred and believe that they are inhabited by forest spirits. Thus in spite of its economic value, it is often one of the last rainforest trees to remain in a deforested landscape. The Iroko Foundation is the European partner for a number of African grassroot NGOs. Iroko assists these partners with international networking to raise the profiles of the projects and influence environmental policies both on a national and an international level. The Foundation also works hard to strengthen the effectiveness of its partners by giving them support with strategic planning, project and organisational management, fundraising and technical expertise. Thousands of communities are losing forests and wildlife throughout West and Central Africa through poverty. Many communities clear large areas of forest and sell their forests to logging companies for a quick income. The results can be devastating to the forests and village livelihoods. Farmland becomes eroded, streams dry up, medicinal plants are lost and revenue from the sale of timber and rattans is also lost. This often hits the poorest people in the villages hardest. As the deforestation accelerates, sustainable forest use is no longer a luxury but a necessity for the livelihoods of thousands of people in Africa. The Iroko Foundation was established in 1999 to assist Africa's non-government organisations (NGOs or charities) in their goal to support communities who recognise that well managed forests and wildlife are essential for their own livelihoods. All the Foundation's partners support village livelihoods activities that promote forest conservation.