Established in 1998, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has actively fostered awareness of environmental issues through participation with such organizations as Natural Resources Defense Council, Global Green USA, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and National Geographic Kids, to name a few.

In order to reach, inform, and entertain a wider global audience about these issues, the environmental website www.leonardodicaprio.org was created.

The Foundation places particular emphasis on the issues of global warming, alternative and renewable energy sources, and the preservation of the planet's amazing biodiversity.

To this end, it supported the efforts made by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Reef Check, Oceana, Santa Monica's Heal the Bay, and the U'wa Defense Project.

TreePeople and the Foundation, along with Tree Muskateers joined forces to promote the incorporation of trees into urban neighborhoods and also to help reforest the decimated Southern California mountains.

Environment Now honored the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation with its prestigious Martin Litton Environmental Warrior Award in 2001.