Protecting Intact Forests and Connected Landscapes
Nature and Culture International works with Indigenous peoples, communities, governments, and partners to protect intact forests within large, connected landscapes across Latin America. These living landscapes are home to extraordinary biodiversity. They store carbon, safeguard freshwater, and sustain cultures and livelihoods.
For more than 30 years, this locally led, landscape-scale approach has protected millions of acres. Today, it guides our vision to strengthen stewardship and ensure these connected landscapes remain protected for generations to come.
30+ Years Protecting Nature | 26.8M Acres Protected Today | 33M Acres Vision for 2030
Our Vision for 2030
The next decade will be decisive for biodiversity and climate resilience across Latin America. Building on more than 30 years of conservation, we are working to ensure intact, connected landscapes are protected and effectively stewarded at scale.
Our 2030 vision strengthens biodiversity conservation by protecting intact forests within connected landscapes where nature and people can thrive together.
HEALTHY LANDSCAPES
33 MILLION ACRES PROTECTED Protect over 30 million acres of intact, connected landscapes across Latin America.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Billions of tCO₂e PREVENTED
Protect forests that store and prevent billions of tons of carbon emissions.
BIODIVERSITY
500+ THREATENED SPECIES
Secure habitat for hundreds of threatened species across connected ecosystems.
REGIONAL STEWARDSHIP
7 CONSERVATION COALITIONS
Strengthen regional governance structures that steward landscapes at scale.
LONG-TERM PROTECTION
41% OF LANDSCAPES FINANCED
Ensure nearly half of protected landscapes are supported by durable conservation financing.
Why This Work Matters
Intact forests are among the most powerful natural defenses against biodiversity loss and climate change. They provide habitat for countless species, maintain ecological processes, safeguard freshwater systems, and sustain the communities who depend on them.
Yet these ecosystems are increasingly fragmented by deforestation, human activity, and unsustainable resource use. Protecting isolated sites is not enough. Conservation must maintain connectivity across landscapes so species can migrate, ecosystems can adapt, and people can continue to benefit from healthy natural systems.
How Our Conservation Model Works
Protect Landscapes, Partner for Stewardship, Sustain Conservation
Lasting conservation depends on people having the tools to protect forests within connected landscapes.
Our work is built on three interconnected pillars:
Protecting Critical Landscapes
We help establish and strengthen protected areas across biodiverse landscapes facing urgent threats.
Strengthening Leadership and Regional Coalitions
Over 90% of our staff live where we work, partnering with Indigenous peoples, communities, and governments to steward landscapes.
Securing Long-Term Stewardship
We secure long-term financing and stewardship tools that help ensure protected landscapes endure for generations.
Local Leadership at Landscape Scale
Nature and Culture International was founded on a simple insight: conservation succeeds when it grows from strong local relationships.
Today, our network includes more than 150 conservation professionals across Latin America—scientists, legal experts, community facilitators, and mapping specialists—working side by side with partners in the landscapes they protect.
This locally rooted approach enables the protection of biodiversity-rich landscapes while supporting cultural continuity, sustainable livelihoods, and community resilience.
Looking Ahead
The coming decade will be decisive for biodiversity and climate stability. As environmental pressures intensify, conservation approaches that combine intact forest protection, landscape connectivity, and locally led stewardship will be more essential than ever.
Nature and Culture International remains committed to safeguarding the living landscapes that sustain biodiversity, freshwater systems, climate resilience, and human well-being across Latin America.
