The design of our new logo (above, left) was a true team effort. The idea to create a new logo and thus upgrade the image of the organization — and to use an image of a rainforest animal — came from the desire to help further connect people to the reality of the destruction of rainforests. Our original logo, designed by Tim Keating when we began Rainforest Relief in late 1989, is to the right.

Ultimately, after some discussion, we chose the ocelot for a number of reasons. Ocelots are small night hunters, qualities that seemed to embody Rainforest Relief’s campaign work and actions. Also, ocelots are highly endangered, losing out to the loss of habitat as well as overhunting and poaching for their skins. The status of this species reflects the reality that there are many means by which forests can be degraded by humans.

One other reason: we thought the ocelot image would lend itself to black and white, thus making reproducing the image much easier.

The idea for the image itself came out of a discussion between Tim Keating and Tim Doody. Tim K. wanted to get close to the face. Tim D. thought just the eyes would do. We compromised. Our idea was then put on paper by Portland, OR artist Mimi Denker. Tim Keating then vectorized the image with some slight revisions.

The header artwork for our website was designed by Ed Mullen, our website designer, and includes a composite of photos, most taken by Tim Keating in Belize, Costa Rica and Fiji.