In April 2008, Marriott International signed an agreement to partner with the Government of Amazonas in Brazil and the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation to protect and preserve 1.4 million acres (589,612 hectares) of endangered rainforest in the Amazon, an area called the Juma Sustainable Development Reserve. A cornerstone of Marriott’s environmental strategy, rainforest preservation is one way the company is engaging guests and employees to help protecting the environment.