Peru ranked second in the world, with 1,439 species documented in a single day.
Every year on the second Saturday of May, birdsong around the world unites thousands of people for Global Big Day. This is the largest coordinated citizen science birdwatching event across the planet. It’s an opportunity for people to record and submit observations and support conservation worldwide. The Nature and Culture Team in Peru took to the forests to join in. We joined the count alongside biologists, university partners, and bird enthusiasts, documenting birds in two of our protected areas. Our team participated in the Huamantanga Regional Conservation Area in Cajamarca and the Chicuate Chinguelas Private Conservation Area in Piura.
Incredibly, Peru placed second in the number of species recorded. A total of 1,439 bird species were documented in a single day, just behind Colombia, which tallied 1,567.
In Huamantanga, an exceptionally biodiverse setting, the team documented many emblematic species. The list includes the black-billed mountain toucan (Andigena nigrirostris), the common pauraque (Nyctidromus albicollis), the speckled hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys), and the masked trogon (Trogon personatus). In parallel, Chicuate Chinguelas recorded the black-capped hemispingus (Kleinothraupis atropileus), the lacrimose mountain tanager (Anisognathus lacrymosus), and the blue-backed conebill (Conirostrum sitticolor).
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant (Pardo Ochthoeca fumicolor) | Photo: Eduardo La Torre
Citizen Science in Action
Observers, residents, specialists, and enthusiasts covered different sections of both areas with binoculars and cameras in hand, attentive to every sound and movement among the trees. Although Piura ranked 11th nationally, the activity generated valuable information about bird species present in the area and strengthened the connection between the community and conservation.
“Every record is an opportunity to appreciate our forests, recognize their importance, and remember that conserving these spaces is essential for the future of our biodiversity,” said Dalí Díaz of Nature and Culture.
Birdwatchers in the Chicuate Chinguelas Private Conservation Area in Piura
Each of the protected areas in which the team participated is part of the broader Andes Amazon Conservation Corridor. This key initiative connects ecologically important landscapes that ensure species conservation across Ecuador and Peru.
Days like Global Big Day are a reminder of why this work matters. Documenting these species reaffirmed the extraordinary biological diversity of the region and underscored the immense value of these forests. Every field outing is an opportunity to be moved, to learn, and to deepen our commitment to protecting nature.
Board Chair Charles J. Smith reflects on the foundation Ivan Gayler built — and what the next thirty years demand
By Charles J. Smith, Board Chair
There is a particular kind of person who looks at a disappearing forest and sees not just what is being lost, but everything that could still be saved. Ivan Gayler is that person. Thirty years ago, he had the audacity to believe that a small, determined organization could go to the most ecologically consequential landscapes on Earth — the cloud forests and river valleys of the Andes and Amazon — and actually turn the tide.
He was right.
Ivan Gayler and Charles J. Smith in Ecuadorian Amazon
The Founders Bet
When Ivan founded Nature and Culture International in 1996, the model he envisioned was as unconventional as it was clear-eyed. He was not interested in distant advocacy or feel-good gestures. He wanted to be on the ground, in partnership with local communities and governments, doing the hard and permanent work of protecting land, not for a decade, but forever. That insistence on permanence, on real and measurable outcomes, has defined the organization ever since.
What strikes me most, looking back across thirty years, is how fully Ivan saw around corners. He understood before most that the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor was not simply a collection of beautiful places; it was a living system, an engine of rainfall, biodiversity, and climate stability that the world could not afford to lose. He understood that the most effective conservationists were often not the ones who flew in from the outside, but the local community leaders who had spent their lives in these landscapes. And he understood that if you built the right relationships, secured the right protections, and invested in the right people, the results would compound for generations.
“That’s my dream for humanity.” — Ivan Gayler, founder, Nature and Culture International
Not lines on a map
That vision has produced something remarkable. Over three decades, Nature and Culture has helped protect 26.8 million acres across Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and beyond in what are, by any measure, the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. Those are not abstract numbers. They represent rainforests, cloud forests, river corridors, deciduous dry forests, and high-altitude páramos that will continue to shelter life and stabilize our climate long after the rest of us are gone.
This work was accomplished through the patient, relationship-driven approach that Ivan modeled from the very beginning. The reserves and corridors we have established are not lines on a map. They are functioning ecosystems, home to species found nowhere else on Earth, sustained by communities who have chosen to be their stewards.
The work ahead
None of this happened automatically. Conservation is slow, difficult, and often invisible work. There are setbacks, funding gaps, political headwinds, and years when the progress is hard to see. What has carried Nature and Culture through all of it is Ivan’s original conviction: that this work matters more than almost anything else we can do, and that, done with integrity and care, it lasts.
As I reflect on this anniversary, I am grateful for the foundation Ivan built and for the extraordinary team that carries it forward today. I am also clear-eyed about the urgency of the moment. The forests we are racing to protect are under more pressure than ever. The next thirty years will demand the same bold, grounded, relentless commitment that Ivan bequeathed Nature and Culture at the inception.
He showed us how. Now it is our turn.
In a landmark moment for the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor, Nature and Culture has achieved a major victory for biodiversity: the official establishment of the Huamantanga and Chorro Blanco Regional Conservation Area. Spanning over 34,500 acres in northern Peru, this new protected area represents a coordinated effort to protect some of the most ecologically significant water sources and cloud forest ecosystems in the region.
“This is an environmental achievement and a commitment to the future of our people,” stated the Regional Governor of Cajamarca, Roger Guevara. The establishment of this area demonstrates a firm determination to protect the water sources that sustain life and sustainable development in Jaén.
A Forest that Sustains Life and Secures Water
The headwaters of the La Rinconada, San José de la Alianza, and La Cascarilla streams are located within this territory. These waters feed the Amojú River basin, supplying drinking water to the populations of Jaén and Bellavista and supporting the farms that feed the surrounding province.
Beyond its hydrological importance, the forest is a refuge for the iconic spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus), and the red brocket deer (Mazama rufina). It also protects flora of immense historical value, such as Cinchona (Cinchona spp., the famous quinine bark tree, national tree of Peru and the origin of tonic water) and Romerillo (Podocarpus genus, a rare native conifer found in Andean cloud forests). These woods also host threatened and migratory birds, including the Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori) and the Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis).
Flame-faced tanager (Tangara parzudakii)
Four Years of Relationship-Building and Cooperation
Since 2021, Nature and Culture has led this participatory process with technical support and funding from the Andes Amazon Fund. Other key partners joined the effort, including Proyecto CUIDAR and Proyecto BLF Andes Amazónico and the Conserva Aves Initiative with support from the Government of Canada.
“This declaration is the result of a shared vision with local communities who understand that protecting the forest also means protecting their own way of life,” commented Iván Mejía, Nature and Culture Project Manager. Before the area was officially established, our team worked with local communities to assess conditions and develop hands-on action plans, ensuring that those living near the forest are their primary guardians.
Forests for the Future
This victory consolidates a key piece of the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor, connecting vital natural areas across Peru and Ecuador. The work is already yielding results; through conservation agreements, 20 acres of romerillo (Podocarpus genus) are already recovering in two local communities. This pilot model has proven that reforestation with native species can thrive and is now ready to be scaled across the new protected area.
“With this step, we consolidate a key piece within the Andes del Norte Conservation Corridor,” explained Auner Medina, Andes del Norte Coordinator, who highlighted the importance of this milestone for ecological connectivity and the regulation of the hydrological cycle.
A Legacy Built to Last
The new conservation area shows what’s possible when protection and people’s livelihoods are treated as the same goal. It guarantees the protection of Andean ecosystems while opening doors for sustainable tourism and scientific research.
As Sergio Sánchez Ibáñez, Regional Manager of Natural Resources, noted: “Protecting the forest is also protecting the life and culture of those who depend on it. This is a firm step toward a more sustainable future.” This is conservation built to last—protecting water, wildlife, and communities for generations to come.
A conversation with Renzo Paladines, Co-founder and Chief Conservation Officer, Nature and Culture
Some of the most important ideas don’t arrive fully formed. They take shape through experience, through small moments that turn out to matter more than anyone expected.
“It felt almost magical,” Renzo Paladines recalls, thinking back to the earliest days of Nature and Culture. “We were walking through a small forest with some donors. There were butterflies. The light was something else. And someone asked, ‘What can we do to protect this?'”
A simple question. But it changed everything.
Small Forests, Big Lessons: How Water Protection Shaped Our Strategy
That walk didn’t just spark an idea; it revealed something fundamental. Small forest fragments, even ones easy to overlook, carry outsized importance. Not just for the wildlife within them, but for the people living alongside them. These patches of forest are where water comes from. They are, in a very practical sense, what keeps communities alive.
“We understood that these small areas were a priority for local communities. They’re the ones that produce water. They sustain life.”
From that understanding came a new direction. Nature and Culture began partnering with local governments to protect these areas, in some cases, before the laws to do so even existed. The organization’s first municipal protected areas took shape in Loja, Ecuador, pioneering a model of community-anchored conservation that eventually helped lay the groundwork for what Ecuador now formally recognizes as Areas of Conservation and Sustainable Use (ACUS).
There was no master plan. The work in Loja wasn’t a strategy designed in advance; it was a direct response to a real need, in a real place, with real communities.
If there’s one conviction that has defined Nature and Culture across three decades, it’s that conservation is local work. It can’t be done from a desk. It’s done by the people who live on the land.
For Nature and Culture, that has never been a philosophy statement — it’s been a practical commitment that shapes every partnership we build. Rather than treating protected areas as something imposed from the outside, our model has always been to protect alongside communities, not instead of them.
Local governments, Indigenous communities, and private landowners share something fundamental, Renzo explains. They live in these territories, they manage them, and they depend on them directly.
“If communities aren’t involved, you can’t do conservation.”
Ttrotsky Viera, Zamora Chinchipe Technical Coordinator, Shuar el Kim Center
From Protected Areas to Connected Landscapes Across the Andes and Amazon
For years, the work focused on creating individual protected areas. But over time, the challenge evolved.
Managing dozens of scattered areas became complex. And science was making it clear that isolated patches aren’t enough — species need connectivity to survive and adapt.
“We realized that creating areas wasn’t sufficient. We had to connect them.”
That’s how the mosaic approach was born — landscapes where national protected areas, subnational zones, private reserves, and Indigenous territories work together as a unified system. Conservation at the scale that nature actually needs.
The Amazonian Platform and Andes Amazon Conservation Corridor: Scaling Forest Protection Across Borders
Mosaics solved the management problem. But connectivity at true Andes-Amazon scale required something larger. Nature and Culture’s two most ambitious programs grew from that recognition. The Amazonian Platform and the Andes Amazon Conservation Corridor bring together local governments, Indigenous organizations, and civil society across national borders, spanning ecosystems from the high Andes down through the Amazon basin, in pursuit of a shared goal.
“It was an evolution. Mosaics help with management. But when you’re talking about true connectivity and scale, you need a program vision.”
30 Years of Adaptive Conservation Strategy: What Worked, What Didn’t, and Why It Matters
Nature and Culture’s story isn’t a straight line. Renzo describes it as a process of constant evolution. “We started by creating areas. Then we understood we needed sustainable financing, so water funds emerged. Then we realized governance was the key piece. All of it has been a learning process.”
Not every approach worked. Productive development projects proved harder than expected, not at the production level, but at market access. “The problem isn’t producing. It’s getting products to market. That’s where almost every project falls apart.”
Rather than persist with what wasn’t working, Nature and Culture sharpened its focus on where it could generate the greatest impact — creating and managing protected areas, strengthening governance, and building sustainable financing mechanisms. Those three pillars define the strategy today.
One of the clearest expressions of that financing work is the Amazon Future Fund. Built on the foundation of the Amazonian Platform, the fund places decision-making power equally in the hands of Indigenous nationalities and provincial governments, channeling resources directly to the people protecting the forest rather than filtering them through distant institutions. It is an early but significant step toward durable, locally owned conservation financing at Amazon scale.
Scaling Community-Based Conservation From Ecuador Across Latin America
“I never thought we’d be able to grow into other countries,” Renzo admits.
What began in Ecuador’s forests found resonance in Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and beyond — not because the model was imposed, but because the conversations with local leaders in each new country turned out to be, at their core, the same conversation about forests, water, and the communities that depend on both.
“It always comes back to our dependence on ecosystems.”
And the same three pillars that shaped the strategy in Ecuador — creating protected areas, strengthening local governance, and building sustainable financing — proved just as relevant everywhere else. Thirty years of applying that approach across Latin America has added up to 26.8 million acres protected and 3.9 billion tons of CO₂ equivalent stored — a contribution to climate stability that could only have been built from the ground up.
Forest Conservation in the Next 30 Years: Why the Stakes Have Never Been Higher
The future, without a doubt, won’t be simple.
Renzo names three pressing concerns going forward: growing pressure on natural resources, the weakening of international cooperation, and the accelerating impact of climate change, even in forests that appear intact and well-managed. “You can have a healthy forest, with rangers, with funding, and still lose species to climate change.”
That honesty is part of what thirty years of conservation work produces. Not cynicism, but clarity about what’s actually at stake — and what it takes to meet the moment. The threats are real. So is the foundation that’s been built to face them: millions of acres under protection, Indigenous and local governments with real governance power, and financing models designed to outlast any single donor cycle.
The question now isn’t whether this work matters. It’s whether it can grow fast enough.
A Collective Conservation Model, Built to Last
What comes through most clearly in this conversation is that Nature and Culture has never operated from the top-down. Every protected area, every governance structure, every financing mechanism has been built collectively — through relationships, through failures, through the hard-won trust of communities who had every reason to be skeptical of outside organizations.
“It’s been a collective effort. Experiences, learning, failures, and successes — all of it has shaped a different way of doing conservation. From the local level, with many partners, and with a long view.”
Thirty years later, that core is still intact.
And maybe it all started with a simple question, asked by someone standing in a small forest, watching the light come through the trees:
What can we do to protect this?
The answer, it turns out, takes thirty years to build. And it’s not finished yet.
Mark your calendars! Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd.
What is Earth Day?
Earth Day is an annual event celebrated worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It serves as a reminder of our responsibility to safeguard our planet for future generations.
Why do we celebrate Earth Day?
Earth Day is celebrated to raise awareness about environmental issues such as pollution, deforestation, climate change, and endangered species. It encourages individuals, communities, and governments to take action to preserve and protect the Earth’s natural resources.
Why is Earth Day important?
Earth Day is crucial because it brings people together to advocate for sustainable practices and policies. By promoting environmental awareness and activism, Earth Day plays a vital role in inspiring positive change and fostering a deeper connection between humanity and the planet.
Earth Day Facts
The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, and is credited with launching the modern environmental movement.
Earth Day is now observed in over 190 countries, making it one of the largest secular observances in the world.
The theme for Earth Day 2026 is “Our Power, Our Planet,” the campaign focuses on accelerating clean energy, increasing accountability for environmental damage, and promoting community-scale climate solutions.
This Earth Day, your gift to Nature and Culture International helps protect some of the most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems on the planet. From the Amazon rainforest to Andean cloud forests, we work hand-in-hand with Indigenous peoples, local communities, and governments to conserve millions of acres of vital habitat. Every donation—big or small—drives lasting, locally led solutions for our planet’s future. Join us in safeguarding nature, culture, and life on Earth.
Join Us in Celebrating Earth Day Together, Let’s Make a Difference for Our Planet.
Protecting a Living Corridor Between the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Rainforest
The first ecological corridor connecting Ecuador and Peru—at the heart of Earth’s greatest biodiversity
The Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor connects ecosystems across southern Ecuador and northern Peru, linking more than 50 conservation areas on both sides of the border. It creates a bridge between the upper Amazon and the high Andes, supporting the movement of species across an extraordinary range of altitudes and ecosystems.
Acres protected
2,871,960 acres currently
21 Key
Biodiversity Areas
(3,941,854 acres)
More than 53
protected areas
2 countries
3 National Corridors
Key Species
Jaguar (Panthera onca),
Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus),
Andean condor (Vultur gryphus),
and the Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque).
Eco-regions
Cloud Forest, Amazon Rainforest, Páramo, Lakes and Wetlands.
A unique opportunity
Donate to Protect the Andes
The Andes-Amazon region is a global biodiversity hotspot. The Corridor ensures species can adapt to climate change, water sources remain secure for people, and forest continue storing carbon and regulating local climate.
The Tropical Andes hotspot in South America is home to over 34,000 species of plants and animals, with estimates suggesting that half of these species are endemic. Despite its critical importance for global biodiversity, this region faces severe threats, including climate change, extractive activities, and ecosystem fragmentation.
The governments of Ecuador and Peru have pledged to promote and strengthen bi-national ecosystem connectivity to ensure the conservation of habitat and ecosystem services. Nature and Culture International, along with the environmental authorities in both countries and Plan Binacional have joined forces to create The Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor.
FAQs
The Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor in Ecuador and Peru. It connects protected areas across the Andes to safeguard biodiversity, secure water supplies, and strengthen climate resilience.
Nature and Culture’s work is guided by three pillars:
Create Protected Areas
Strengthen Local Leadership
Secure Long-Term Protection
The Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor is one way we put this strategy into action, applying all three pillars across one of the most biodiverse mountain regions on Earth.
The Corridor is a mosaic of national parks, provincial and municipal reserves, and water protection areas. Examples include:
Many protected areas in the Corridor are designed to safeguard headwaters, páramos, and cloud forests. In Ecuador, Water Protection Areas (Áreas de Protección Hídrica) legally protect drinking water sources. In Peru, Regional Conservation Areas secure watershed health for local communities.
The Corridor relies on subnational leadership, provincial and municipal governments, and community stewards. These local leaders integrate conservation into development plans and ensure protection lasts beyond project cycles.
Durability comes from:
Legal frameworks (national, provincial, and municipal protected areas).
Integration into local land-use and development plans.
Water funds and other conservation finance mechanisms.
Public budgets for protected area management.
Monitoring systems for biodiversity, water, and climate resilience.
The Andes-Amazon region is a global biodiversity hotspot. The Corridor ensures species can adapt to climate change, water sources remain secure for people, and forests continue storing carbon and regulating local climates.
Why is it important to protect ecological connectivity?
Ecological connectivity is the invisible bridge of life, linking forests, rivers, and mountains so nature stays resilient. When these connections stay intact, ecosystems thrive and life flows freely. Animals can migrate, plants regenerate, and species share genetic diversity across landscapes.
Protecting connectivity means protecting the flow of life itself.
Results So Far
We’ve already protected over half of the corridor, but safeguarding individual areas is not enough. These ecosystems must also be connected to ensure the flow of species and maintain biodiversity.
Over the next five years, our teams plan to protect an additional 461,345.04 acres, complete the legal process for establishing the entire Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor, and work with local actors to ensure the long-term stewardship of this 5-million-acre biodiverse paradise.
We invite you to join us
in this monumental effort to protect one of the most extraordinary regions on Earth for future generations. .
A Groundbreaking Solution for Durable Forest Protection
The Amazon Future Fund (AFF) is an innovative conservation fund that ensures durable protection of Ecuador’s Amazon. For the first time, Indigenous Peoples and provincial governments share equal power to govern a fund that directs resources straight to those safeguarding the forest.
Unlike many global pledges where financing rarely reaches local communities, the Amazon Future Fund changes this. The Amazon Future Fund builds in transparency, accountability, and local ownership from the start. Each founding member is investing directly, and together the fund will guarantee lasting protection of 14 million acres of rainforest that store 2.8 billion tons of CO₂ equivalent.
The Amazon Fund builds on the Amazonian Platform, a coalition of 11 Indigenous nationalities and 6 provincial governments that has already secured more than 10 million acres of protected forest. With the Amazon Future Fund, this progress will endure for generations, ensuring the Platform’s full 14 million acres remain protected as one of the largest Indigenous- and government-led conservation efforts in the world.
The Amazon is a global treasure, home to countless species and diverse cultures. Learn about the Amazonian Platform’s critical work with local partners to conserve the rainforest for generations to come. Your support helps secure this vital ecosystem—and the future of our planet.
Why the Fund Matters
Global climate pledges and biodiversity targets often fail on one crucial point: funds rarely reach Indigenous and frontline communities who safeguard forests. The Amazon Future Fund is designed to fix this—channeling resources directly into the Amazonian Platform and its members.
What the Fund Is
A sustainable conservation fund dedicated to durable protection of the Amazon Platform’s 14 million acres.
Governed equally by Indigenous nationalities and subnational governments.
Anchored in the Amazonian Platform, which has already secured the largest conservation commitments in Ecuador’s Amazon.
Shared governance: Equal decision-making power for Indigenous and provincial leaders.
Built on strong foundations: Over 15 years of collaboration, with 10 million acres already under protection.
Concrete impact: Ensures durable protection of 14 million acres—home to 2.8 billion tons of CO₂ equivalent.
Transparency & accountability: Donor contributions and carbon/climate finance flow into local action plans with measurable outcomes.
Local ownership: Each founding member contributes to launch the fund, ensuring genuine buy-in.
Long-Term Goal
To build a self-sustaining fund within 3–5 years, guaranteeing durable protection of the Amazonian Platform’s 14 million acres and the wellbeing of the people and species that depend on it.
Platform Progress to Date
Visionary Promise
The Amazonian Platform is already one of the most advanced, large-scale conservation initiatives in the Amazon. The Amazon Future Fund guarantees it will endure, ensuring that 14 million acres of intact rainforest and 2.8 billion tons of CO2e remain protected, communities thrive, and the Amazon continues to stabilize the planet’s climate for generations to come.
Deforestation is the clearing of trees from large expanses of forest. This process disrupts ecosystems, reduces biodiversity, contributes to climate change by releasing stored carbon dioxide, and often leads to soil erosion and habitat loss for countless plant and animal species. Forests are not just collections of trees; they are vital ecosystems that support an incredible array of life, from plants and animals to Indigenous communities who depend on them for their livelihoods and cultural heritage.
Deforestation is a significant environmental issue with far-reaching consequences for local communities and the planet.
Solutions to deforestation
We protect threatened forests in partnership with the communities who live there.
Unlike nature reserves in the U.S., many of these forests are home to people who have lived on the land for centuries. The relationships we have built with the people who live in the areas we work to protect are key to our success. From municipal and local level protection to national level protection, to land purchase when necessary, no matter the method, we always consider the local communities who live in these areas along with long-term ecosystem health.
In 25+ years, Nature and Culture has never seen a protected area reversed and we believe that is because of our commitment to serving local communities.
Our co-management model is what sets us apart. Providing access to legal tools to establish a protected area, technical training for skills such as monitoring a protected area for threats, or investing in a new means of sustainably generating income from local resources are just a few ways we provide solutions to deforestation.
Our protected areas are living, breathing, dynamic spaces that require fostering relationships and understanding local needs. Indigenous Peoples and local communities are often the initial advocates for the protected areas we support. We provide them with the tools to safeguard natural resources.
Effects of deforestation
Why is deforestation a bad thing?
Forests cover approximately one-third of the Earth’s land surface and play crucial roles in supporting the lives of millions of people. They are incredibly biodiverse habitats, housing more than half of the world’s land-based animals, plants, and insects. Forests help combat climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and serve as natural buffers against storms and floods. They are essential for drinking water in nearly half of the world’s largest cities. They also offer shelter, employment opportunities, and security to forest-dependent communities.
However, according to the latest FAO UN Global Forest Resources Assessment, approximately 24.7 million acres of forest are lost yearly, with 95% of this loss occurring in tropical regions. Many of the world’s most biodiverse forests, such as the Amazon rainforest in South America, are disappearing or facing a critical tipping point. The Amazon rainforest, in particular, exhibits reduced resilience, meaning it has a diminished ability to regenerate lost areas due to deforestation. Experts warn that the Amazon rainforest is reaching a point of no return, where large-scale dieback occurs, transforming much of the forest into savanna. This would have devastating ecological consequences and impact global climate patterns and biodiversity.
How does deforestation affect climate change?
Clearing forests reduces the Earth’s capacity to absorb CO2 and increases greenhouse gas emissions, ultimately disrupting climate patterns.
Reducing Carbon Sequestration: Trees act as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere during photosynthesis. Deforestation reduces the number of trees available to sequester carbon, leading to increased levels of atmospheric CO2.
Emissions of Greenhouse Gases: When forests are cleared or burned, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere as CO2. Additionally, deforestation contributes to emissions of other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide from forest degradation and soil disturbance.
Altered Climate Patterns: Deforestation disrupts local and regional climate patterns by affecting evapotranspiration, cloud formation, and rainfall. Changes in land use can lead to shifts in temperature, precipitation, and weather extremes.
How does deforestation affect the environment?
Deforestation is a major driver of climate change: Every time we lose a forest we’re not only releasing CO2 into the atmosphere, but we’re also no longer capturing the carbon, a key greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere. Addressing deforestation, particularly in tropical regions, is imperative in combatting climate change.
Forests are essential for human well-being: They provide us with clean air, fresh water, food, and materials for shelter, medicine, and fuel. Forests help regulate local and global climates, stabilize soils, purify water sources, and provide important ecosystem services such as pollination and nutrient cycling. They alleviate poverty and provide food security.
Deforestation threatens the survival of countless species: More than half the world’s land-based plants and animals, and three-quarters of all birds, live in and around forests. They conserve global biodiversity.
Causes of deforestation
Industrial agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, accounting for around 85% of global deforestation. Clearing land for crops or livestock has been in practice for hundreds of years, however, the globalization of food production has intensified this practice to meet growing global demand. This is especially evident in industries like beef production, large-scale soy cultivation, and palm oil production, where forests are cleared at an unsustainable rate to satisfy worldwide consumption.
Timber logging, or wood extraction is another cause of deforestation.
Mining is increasingly driving deforestation in the Amazon and Tropical Andes. In search of precious metals such as gold, mining clears the forest to dig excavation pits and access roads.
What is Climate Change?
Climate change refers to significant and lasting changes in global weather patterns including severe heat waves, floods, and droughts, primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes.
Why is Climate Change Important?
Climate change is important because it poses a significant threat to the environment, human health, and global stability. It leads to rising temperatures, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, habitat loss, and disruption of ecosystems, impacting food and water security, biodiversity, and economies worldwide.
What is Extreme Weather?
Extreme weather includes heat waves, freezes, heavy downpours, tornadoes, tropical cyclones, and floods. These events are considered extreme when they fall out of the normal range for a particular region and these are all becoming more common as our climate shifts.
Causes of Climate Change
Climate change is primarily caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The main contributors include:
Burning Fossil Fuels: The combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas for energy production releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases.
Deforestation: Clearing forests for agriculture, logging, and urbanization reduces the Earth’s capacity to absorb CO2 and contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Industrial Processes: Manufacturing, transportation, and other industrial activities emit greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide.
Solutions to Climate Change
Addressing climate change requires collective action and innovative solutions. Some key strategies include:
Reforestation: Restore and expand forests to sequester carbon dioxide and enhance natural carbon sinks.
Transition to Renewable Energy: Invest in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy Efficiency: Improve energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, and industry through technology upgrades, conservation measures, and smart design.
Climate Policy: Implement policies and regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainable practices, and incentivize climate-friendly behaviors.
Is it Too Late to Stop Climate Change?
While the impacts of climate change are already being felt, it is not too late to take action. Urgent and ambitious efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate climate risks, and adapt to changing conditions can help limit the severity of future impacts.
What Can We Do to Reduce Climate Change?
Individuals, communities, businesses, and governments all have a role in combating climate change. Here are some actions we can take:
Reduce energy consumption and use energy-efficient appliances.
Minimize waste and recycle materials to reduce emissions from landfills.
Support sustainable transportation options such as walking, cycling, and public transit.
Advocate for climate-friendly policies and support organizations working on climate solutions.
Together, Let’s Take Action to Address Climate Change and Protect Our Planet for Future Generations.
An animal habitat refers to the natural environment where a particular species of animal lives, finds shelter, and fulfills its basic needs such as food, water, and reproduction.
Types of Animal Habitats
There are various types of animal habitats, including:
Forest Habitats: Dense forests provide homes to diverse species of mammals, birds, insects, and plants.
Aquatic Habitats: Rivers, lakes, oceans, and other water bodies support aquatic life such as fish, amphibians, and aquatic plants.
Desert Habitats: Harsh desert environments are inhabited by specially adapted species like camels, snakes, and cacti.
Grassland Habitats: Open grasslands host grazing mammals, birds, and insects, forming vital ecosystems.
Ways to Protect Animal Habitats
Protecting animal habitats is crucial for preserving biodiversity and ensuring the survival of countless species. Here are some effective ways to safeguard animal habitats:
Connectivity and Wildlife Corridors: Recognize the importance of connectivity between habitats and advocate for the establishment of wildlife corridors to allow animals to move freely between fragmented habitats.
Habitat Restoration: Participate in habitat restoration projects such as tree planting, wetland restoration, and beach cleanups.
Sustainable Practices: Adopt sustainable practices in agriculture, forestry, and urban development to minimize habitat destruction.
Education and Awareness: Educate others about the importance of protecting animal habitats and promote responsible environmental stewardship.
Conservation Initiatives: Support our work and initiatives focused on preserving natural habitats and wildlife.
Why is it Important to Protect Animal Habitats?
Protecting animal habitats is essential for several reasons:
Biodiversity Conservation: Habitats support a wide range of plant and animal species, contributing to biodiversity and ecosystem stability.
Ecosystem Services: Healthy habitats provide vital ecosystem services such as clean air and water, pollination, and climate regulation.
Species Survival: Protecting habitats ensures the survival of endangered species and maintains ecological balance.
Human Well-being: Preserving animal habitats benefits human well-being by providing recreational opportunities, cultural significance, and natural resources.
Join Us in Our Efforts to Protect Animal Habitats! Together, Let’s Ensure a Sustainable Future for Wildlife.
Nature and Culture LatAm Comms Coordinator Nora Sánchez travels from Ecuador to northern Peru to explore the Peruvian side of the Andes–Amazon Conservation Corridor
Earlier this month, the governments of Ecuador and Peru officially recognized the Andes–Amazon Conservation Corridor, a major binational conservation initiative designed to protect more than five million acres of connected Andean–Amazonian ecosystems from southern Ecuador to northern Peru.
To better understand this huge undertaking, I traveled to Peru with the goal of getting to know the Peruvian side and, finally, seeing with my own eyes the Andean–Amazonian landscapes we have been talking about for so long.
Nature and Culture LatAm Comms Coordinator Nora Sánchez travels from Ecuador to northern Peru to explore the Peruvian side of the Andes–Amazon Conservation Corridor
Crossing the border
My route began in Quito, Ecuador, flying south to the city of Loja. I then continued overland, moving little by little until I reached the border.
As I traveled, I thought about borders as an entirely human concept. They do not exist for animals or for nature. A jaguar, for example, does not see the border between Ecuador and Peru. It sees connected or fragmented forests and looks for large, healthy spaces where it can move and live.
With that in mind, I began a seven-day journey through the regions of Piura and Cajamarca in northern Peru. Each day, the landscape transformed: from páramo to cloud forest, from the dry cold of the Andes to the humid heat of the low Amazon.
Chicuate Chingelas Private Conservation AreaJaen y Tabaconas Regional Conservation Area, Photo: Mateo TassaraLaguna Shimbe, Huaringas Regional Conservation Area
This diversity in the landscape is no coincidence. The Andes–Amazon Conservation Corridor connects ecosystems ranging from approximately 2,000 feet above sea level to more than 13,000 feet, creating a continuous altitudinal gradient. This variation in elevation is precisely what allows species to move and adapt to temperature changes, and enables key processes—such as water and climate regulation—to be maintained across the entire landscape of the Corridor.
Communities at the Heart of Conservation
The Peruvian side of the Corridor is known as the Andes del Norte Corridor, with an area of 1.8 million acres, of which 370,658 are protected under some form of conservation.
During my visit, I had the opportunity to travel through five of these areas, speak with their inhabitants, and marvel at their landscapes. And although each place faced different challenges, I found one common element in all of them: people’s commitment to their territory.
I spoke with Esmilda, in the community of Pumurco, who told me about the richness of her land for producing organic coffee, something that motivated her to leave behind polluting practices and learn to farm sustainably.
“What makes Pumurco special is the quality of our coffee and our forest. We also have waterfalls with crystal-clear water that are unique. That’s our concern: taking care of the environment so that our water is not contaminated.”
I also met Angie Melendres, who first volunteered as a forest ranger in her community and is now part of Nature and Culture’s technical team.
“For me, conserving this ecosystem comes from my family. My parents have always fought to protect it. We are facing a challenge with a mining company that wants to take over our forests, but from a young age, we learned that caring for our ecosystem is fundamental, because even our productive activities depend on it.”
In the forests of Tabaconas, Lideimer Flores gave me one of the simplest and most powerful explanations of the trip. When I asked him why it was important to protect the forest, he replied:
“The forest is like air conditioning; when there is forest, there is coolness.”
His words summed up a profound truth. Forests not only sustain wildlife and the habitats of the Andean tapir, the spectacled bear, or the Andean eagle, but they also regulate the climate, protect the soil, and secure the water that communities depend on.
The stories of each of these individuals reaffirmed something essential: the value of the territory has always been clear to those who live there. Today, through the purpose of the Corridor, that commitment is strengthened by a broader vision, conserving what connects us, for present and future generations.
A great puzzle built by people
A conservation corridor, also known as an ecological corridor, is a conservation method that maintains and restores connections between ecosystems, even when roads, productive activities, or other land uses have fragmented them. At Nature and Culture, together with many other actors, we have spent several years promoting this vision to build a corridor based on a network of protected areas, while advancing toward collaborative management models between Ecuador and Peru.
I like to think of the Corridor as a great puzzle, where every piece is indispensable, where the work that Esmilda, Angie, and Lideimer do is just as important as that of local governments or of our own organization.
And although we are still “building” that puzzle, through the establishment of new conservation areas that contribute to landscape connectivity and strengthening management in existing protected areas, during this trip, I witnessed real progress in connecting this vast territory, which spans more than 5 million acres across Ecuador and Peru.
One of those moments came when residents of the Puerta El Edén community took me to a point where the boundaries of two areas converge: the Bosques Montanos Regional Conservation Area and the proposed Huamantanga Regional Conservation Area.
Puerta El Edén community
Although the fragmentation of the ecosystem caused by human activity was evident, so too were the connections: the forest continuing from one side to the other, birds flying overhead without recognizing borders, and people—like us—moving from one area to the next.
A new perspective on the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor
I returned to Ecuador convinced that conservation only works when the people who live in the forest lead the way.
I saw it in every community, in every conversation, and in every corner of the Corridor. This territory is a natural bridge between two countries, but it is also a human bridge among those who live in it, care for it, and project it into the future.
And although the challenges remain enormous, there is also an immense opportunity: to continue building this network that sustains water, biodiversity, cultures, and well-being for thousands of people on both sides of the border.
This journey was a reminder that our work matters. That every acre conserved, every area strengthened, and every local alliance adds up. And that, in the end, protecting this corridor is protecting life itself.
Nora Sánchez is the Latin America Communications Coordinator at Nature and Culture International, focusing on community-led conservation in the Andes and Amazon.
In the misty montane forests of northern Cajamarca, the silence is broken by the crunch of dry leaves under the firm steps of local community rangers. Their disciplined presence conveys both security and deep commitment. Organized into specialized brigades, they stealthily patrol the boundaries of the conservation areas they dedicate themselves to protecting. Their primary tools are the ancestral knowledge inherited from life in the forest, combined with the technical skills they have strengthened through the support of Nature and Culture.
Community rangers are the true heroes of this story
In the Andes del Norte Conservation Corridor, community rangers from the San Miguel de Tabaconas Private Conservation Area recently joined forces with park rangers from the Páramos y Bosques Montanos de Jaén y Tabaconas Regional Conservation Area. Together, they traversed their shared boundaries, united by the critical mission of safeguarding a territory that serves as both a sanctuary for unique species and a vital source of life for local communities.
Along the patrol route, nature offered a remarkable sight. High in the hills, they successfully documented the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) and deep in the forest, the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus), both iconic species of the Northern Peruvian Andes. The air was filled with bird songs, while the native trees stood in majestic silence. These species play a crucial ecological role as natural dispersers within the ecosystem.
Red howler monkey (David Torres | iNaturalist)Spectacled bear
For Karla Vega, specialist at Nature and Culture, these patrols extend far beyond simple vigilance. “These are actions that prevent or provide early alerts regarding threats to the forest. More importantly, they demonstrate crucial community coordination and leadership, where locals take active control in managing their areas, regardless of allied institutional support. This fills us with pride, confirming that together we are building a lasting legacy.
Karla Vega, specialist at Nature and Culture
This coordinated effort secures a massive corridor: the San Miguel de Tabaconas Private Conservation Area protects 43,371.32 acres, while the Páramos y Bosques Montanos Regional Conservation Area covers 77,930.29 acres. Both are essential components of the Andes del Norte Conservation Corridor and form a vital part of the broader Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor, a robust network of protected areas.
San Miguel de Tabaconas Conservation Area
This corridor serves as the primary water source for the Chira, Chamaya, and Chinchipe river basins, upon which thousands of families depend. The effective management of this area is currently made possible by funding from the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF), channeled through Nature and Culture, which prioritizes actions benefiting both biodiversity and local communities.
Community rangers at work installing camera traps
With every patrol and every registered track of the bear or the monkey, a fundamental truth is reaffirmed: conservation is not solely the task of institutions; it is a shared mission where community members, driven by their deep connection to the land, prove to be the most steadfast guardians of the future.
The first binational conservation corridor recognized in the region’s history
Presidents Daniel Noboa and José Jerí signed the joint declaration at the Presidential Meeting and the 16th Binational Cabinet in Quito.
The governments of Ecuador and Peru officially recognized the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor last Friday. This area spans over 5 million acres and connects more than 50 conservation units across both countries. It encompasses some of the planet’s most biodiverse and strategically important ecosystems, and represents a binational initiative to protect key landscapes.
The declaration was signed in the framework of the Encuentro Presidencial y XVI Gabinete Binacional Ecuador-Perú, held on December 12, 2025, in Quito, with the participation of Peruvian President José Jerí, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, ministers of state, and senior representatives from both governments. Through this act, both countries instructed their relevant institutions to coordinate and implement ongoing inter-institutional and bilateral cooperation to advance scientific research, strengthen ecological connectivity, and promote sustainable development for the people who live in this region.
A Strategic Landscape for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development
The corridor is a conservation strategy promoted by the governments of Ecuador and Peru, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ecuador, the Ministry of Environment, Peru, the National Service of State-Protected Natural Areas (SERNANP) in Peru, the Ecuador and Peru chapters of the Binational Plan for the Development of the Border Region (Plan Binacional de Desarrollo de la Región Fronteriza), Nature and Culture, subnational governments, and various social organizations.
The Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor extends from southern Ecuador, among the provinces of Azuay, Loja, Morona Santiago, and Zamora Chinchipe, to northern Peru, between the regions of Piura and Cajamarca. This landscape protects the upper reaches of three binational river basins (Santiago, Mayo-Chinchipe, and Catamayo-Chira), which serve as the headwaters that feed both the Amazon River and the Pacific.
The corridor also brings together three interdependent national initiatives: the Sangay-Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor, the Podocarpus-Yacuri Connectivity Corridor, and the Andes del Norte Conservation Corridor, forming mosaics of ecosystems, including páramos, montane forests, and tropical forests. Together, these ecosystems enable species movement, sustain water supplies, and maintain the ecological processes essential for life.
Colibrí de Neblina (Metallura odomae) Photo: Elio NuñezJaguar (Panthera onca) Photo: Fabián Rodas Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque)
This extensive territory forms part of the Tropical Andes Hotspot, globally recognized for its extraordinary biological richness as well as its high vulnerability to human-driven change. It is home to emblematic species such as the spectacled bear, Andean tapir, jaguar, and numerous migratory birds that depend on connected landscapes to survive. The corridor also sustains the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in Ecuador and Peru by regulating climate and water cycles, protecting critical headwaters, and providing essential ecosystem services that support agriculture, energy production, and human well-being.
The Importance of a Shared Vision
While both countries have regulatory frameworks in place to protect conservation areas, the presence of protected sites alone does not ensure ecological connectivity. The corridor approach—grounded in landscape-scale management and cross-regional coordination—is therefore essential to maintaining these ecosystem functions over the long term.
Andes del Norte Connectivity Corridor in Peru (Mateo Tassara | Nature and Culture International)
“The official recognition of the binational corridor strengthens a historic commitment between both countries to protect their biodiversity, promote scientific research, and ensure that local communities benefit from sustainable development in these shared ecosystems—grounded in the conservation and governance of binational watersheds,” said Fernando Iñiguez Celi, Executive Director of the Ecuador Chapter of Plan Binacional.
For his part, Ambassador Javier Yépez Verdeguer, Executive Director of the Peru Chapter of Plan Binacional, emphasized that “this corridor reflects the political will for cooperation and integration between Peru and Ecuador, in keeping with the spirit of the Comprehensive Agreement (Acuerdo Amplio) signed by both countries in Brazil in October 1998. It also opens an opportunity to strengthen shared governance, joint water management, and the conservation of ecosystems beyond borders.”
The Power of Collective Action
The Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor technical report warns that habitat fragmentation, the expansion of the agricultural frontier, and the overexploitation of natural resources continue to threaten these ecosystems. The implementation of the Corridor seeks to address these challenges through integrated territory management that brings together governments, communities, academia, the productive sector, and conservation organizations.
With its official recognition, the Andes–Amazon Conservation Corridor becomes a regional benchmark for transboundary conservation, as the first binational corridor in Latin America to be formally recognized by the highest state authorities.
Ecuadorian Andes (Fabián Rodas | Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional)
“Receiving this kind of binational recognition—the first in our region’s history—opens the door to deeper collaboration and support from international cooperation committed to addressing climate change and protecting biodiversity. This process is also supported by funding from the UK through the proyecto BLF Andes Amazónico,” said Fabián Rodas, Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor Coordinator at Nature and Culture.
Join us at COP30 to advance community-led climate action
At COP30 in Belém, Nature and Culture International is showcasing how community-led action is shaping the future of forest conservation and climate resilience. Through the Amazonian Platform and the Amazon Future Fund, we are working hand in hand with Indigenous Peoples and local governments to protect the health of the Ecuadorian Amazon, safeguarding over 14 million acres of rainforest that store 2.8 billion tons of carbon and sustain the global climate, biodiversity, and human well-being.
Nature and Culture, Alianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y Bosques (AMPB), SAMA Health In Harmony
Panel Discussion
11th of November, 4:30 pm | Abema House
From the Amazon to the Pacific: Forest Protection, Community Engagement, and Jurisdictional Governance in Colombia & Ecuador.
Tiyua Uyunkar joins other GCF governors and representatives to discuss forest protection in Colombia and Ecuador.
GCF Task Force, Nature and Culture, Earth Innovation Institute
Panel Discussion
12th of November, 4:30 pm | Abema House
Advancing the New Forest Economy: Governors’ Roundtable on Scaling Subnational Leadership & Investment in Tropical Forests.
Tiyua Uyunkar, along with governors from Bolivia, Brazil, Perú, and Mexico, discuss how they bring financing to their jurisdictions to advance jurisdictional approaches.
GCF Task Force, Regions
Panel Discussion
13th of November, 11:30 am | Blue Zone (Side Event Room 3)
Driving Climate Impact from the Ground Up: Implementing New Forest Economies, Climate Finance, Indigenous Digital Sovereignty, and Climate Communications at the Subnational Level.
Tiyua Uyunkar, along with other governors, will discuss bioeconomy and territorial funds.
When Angie Melendres Velasco remembers her childhood in the rural community of Segunda y Cajas, in Huancabamba, Piura, her eyes light up enthusiastically. “I’m from Sapalache, and what inspired me to become a Future Forest Ranger was my father’s passion for exploring nature. He always went to new places, like Chinguelas, and told us what he found—plants and little animals. That’s where my curiosity was born to explore and protect biodiversity,” she recalls.
She was only 16 when she joined the Future Forest Rangers, a Nature and Culture initiative that supports youth to discover, care for, and monitor local ecosystems. Excursions with Future Forest Rangers helped strengthen her training. Angie learned to watch birds, identify species, recognize threats, and above all, to look at the forest with respect and a sense of belonging.
“Being a Future Forest Ranger taught me that our forests are a source of life and of our future; it was there that I understood that every tree and every bird is part of us,” she remembers.
At 25, Angie has already built a wide range of experience. She volunteered at the Tumbes Mangrove National Sanctuary, where she learned about managing coastal ecosystems. Through the Women in Nature Network (WiNN Perú) project, implemented by Nodo Conservation, she received a fellowship to monitor emblematic species such as the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) and the Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus). She also earned a fellowship to study primates at the Cocha Cashu Biological Station.
These opportunities deepened Angie’s passion for nature. Today, that passion drives her to spend hours walking through the forests and páramos of Sapalache—an ecosystem she knows like the back of her hand.
“Now I’m confident enough to venture out alone,” she says, “I can walk for hours, put my knowledge into practice, and contribute to the technical work that conservation demands.”
Her love of nature runs in the family. Her father is a farmer, her mother an artisan and defender of ancestral knowledge. “My mom is a lover of plants and also a conservationist. She helped me choose my career in environmental engineering,” Angie explains, noting that her mother’s example as a community leader shaped her path as much as her father’s adventures did.
One of Angie’s fondest memories is the day she got lost in the forest as a child while chasing butterflies. “I wasn’t afraid—I was curious,” she recalls. “Instead of looking for my grandfather, I climbed a big tree. From there, I could see everything around me, and it was wonderful.” That same spirit of discovery stayed with her years later, when her community, Segunda y Cajas, celebrated the creation of the Chicuate Chinguelas Private Conservation Area—a community-led protected area. With more than 66,000 acres of forest and páramo, it is one of the largest in Piura, established with technical support from Nature and Culture International and funding from World Land Trust.
Neblina Metaltail – Photo by Steve Sánchez: This hummingbird of the northern Andes is her favorite species.
She has a deep connection to wildlife.
“My favorite species is the Neblina Metaltail hummingbird, because of its energy, joy, and the way it symbolizes freedom. It goes from flower to flower but always has a place to return to,” she says with a smile. She also dreams of one day seeing the mountain tapir, “a species that plays a vital role in our ecosystem. That’s why I work to protect its habitat—to help safeguard its home.”
Today, Angie walks the same trails that amazed her as a child and that, as a Future Forest Ranger, she learned to value. But now she does it with a firmer conviction: to protect them forever.
From Future Forest Ranger to Forest Defender
As an environmental engineer, Angie is now a part of the Nature and Culture team and is working in partnership with the Regional Government of Piura to establish the Andean Páramos of Huaringas Regional Conservation Area, with financial support from Andes Amazon Fund. This proposed area will connect to the Andes del Norte Corridor, which in turn connects to the larger Andean Bi-national Corridor between Peru and Ecuador—a living corridor of biodiversity, and hope.
Covering more than 39,000 acres, the proposed Andean Páramos of Huaringas Protected Area is a source of inspiration for Angie.
Angie’s journey has been one of continuous learning—starting out as a volunteer park ranger, then working as a field technician to help create a Private Conservation Area, and now contributing to the establishment of a Regional Conservation Area. Each step has built on the last, shaping her into the leader she is today.
Angie’s experience is becoming an inspiring example for students and women leaders in her community to engage in ecosystem conservation, a legacy tied to their culture and traditions.
Angie Meléndres Velasco’s story inspires new generations
The curious girl who once climbed trees has grown into a young leader inspiring new generations to love and protect nature.
“I grew up seeing my community united to protect our ecosystems. Now I am the one defending them”.
At more than 11,500 feet above sea level, a silent solitary species roams the highlands. The mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), known locally as “ante”, a name rooted in the ancestral languages of the Andes. In northern Peru, this elusive species is more than just a part of the landscape; it helps shape it, dispersing seeds and supporting forest regeneration with every step.
The mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), known for its important role in the ecosystem of the Northern Andes. Credit: Nodo Conservation
Life Springs Forth Where the Tapir Walks,
Katty Carrillo, Biologist and Nature and Culture Project Manager, explains that there are only five species of tapir in the world, two of which are found in Peru. One is the Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), and the other is the Amazonian tapir (Tapirus terrestris), known in the rainforest as the sachavaca.
Biologist, Katty Carrillo, Nature and Culture Project Manager highlights the mountain tapir as one of the five tapir species that exist in the world.
The Andean tapir is the only tapir species adapted to life at high altitudes. In Peru, it is found in Ayabaca and Huancabamba in the Piura region; San Ignacio and Jaén in Cajamarca; and there is an isolated population in Lambayeque. The Andean tapir is critically endangered due to the expansion of human activity.
“Its role is so vital that its presence is considered an indicator of a healthy ecosystem. It needs well-preserved forests, clean water, and large natural areas,” explained Katty. “Protecting the tapir means protecting the water consumed by hundreds of families and the soil that supports crops and livestock.” She added, “Through its herbivorous diet and movement, the tapir transports seeds that help regenerate vegetation, ensuring the survival of native species and maintaining biodiversity.”
The Andean tapir has been called the architect of the forest because of its vital work as a seed disperser. (Credits: SBC)
The Northern Andes Conservation Corridor: Home of the Andean Tapir
Since 2018 Nature and Culture, in partnership with local communities and regional authorities has brought the Andes del Norte Corridor to life. This network includes seven private conservation areas, two environmental conservation areas, two regional conservation areas in Cajamarca, and the Tabaconas Namballe National Sanctuary—together protecting around 150,000 hectares that make up the Northern Andes Conservation Corridor.
This corridor is more than a geographical area—it’s a living bridge. Its purpose is to link ecosystems, enabling tapirs and other species to move freely and ensuring their survival. This connectivity also benefits local communities by providing fundamental ecosystem services, such as water regulation and soil conservation.
Rural communities are joining the Andes del Norte Corridor to collectively protect their territory.
BiodiBiodiversity extends beyond international borders
According to Katty Carrillo, tapir conservation is boundless. For this reason, she highlights that Nature and Culture International are joining the Ministries of the Environment of Peru and Ecuador, SERNANP, the Binational Plan, and local and regional governments. With the support of the BLF Andean-Amazonian Project and other organizations, they are promoting the recognition of the Andean Bi-National Corridor (CCTAA), which integrates the Andes del Norte Corridor.
“This binational initiative seeks to protect 5 million acres, from Sangay National Park in Ecuador to the Tabaconas Namballe Sanctuary in Peru,” she said.
Currently in the process of official recognition, the CCTAA is shaping up to be a key tool for regional cooperation. By promoting ecosystem connectivity and the collaborative management of natural resources, it has become a living expression of the commitment signed between Ecuador and Peru in the Tumbes Presidential Declaration.
A vision for the future
The tapir’s footprint is also being felt in planning offices. In Peru, the National Andean Tapir Conservation Plan (2018-2028, SERFOR) articulates scientific, community, and governmental efforts to protect this endangered species.
Building on this, and as part of the implementation and in collaboration with national technical specialists on the species, we have formed the Northern Andes Mountain Tapir and Spectacled Bear Technical Group, together with organizations like Nodo Conservation, SBC, WWF, and BIOS. This demonstrates that conservation is a joint, inter-institutional, and long-term commitment. The group’s objective is to establish a solid scientific foundation that allows it to coordinate with the IUCN Specialist Group, through the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM).
In this context, local authorities are joining this coordinated effort, promoting collaboration with civil society to strengthen informed decision-making in the region. This includes efforts by regional governments, who are working on an ordinance to declare the protection of the mountain tapir a matter of public interest. “By taking an integrated approach, we can move toward the effective conservation of these emblematic species of the Andes and their ecosystems,” says Katty.
The Andean Bi-National Corridor, spanning Ecuador and Peru, protects communities and some of the Andes’ most important ecosystems. In 2024, this lifeline—crucial for both water and biodiversity—was hit by one of its greatest threats: forest fires.
In 2024, forest fires caught us off guard. A prolonged drought period in the region increased the scale and speed at which the flames spread, outpacing the measures we had in place to respond. They were difficult days, marked by the concern of hundreds of local communities whose livelihoods, water sources, and natural landscapes were suddenly at risk.
But it was also a year of learning. “At Nature and Culture International, we came to understand that wildfire prevention and mitigation activities can only work if they’re done collaboratively, starting at the local level.” — Ángel Jaramillo, Project Coordinator.
In 2025, we are working alongside local governments, state entities, academia, and local communities in Ecuador and Peru to take action, creating community brigades, running awareness campaigns, and promoting safer, sustainable ways of using and managing fire. Together, these efforts are laying the groundwork for stronger, more resilient management models, built on local knowledge and collaboration.
Photo by: Daniel Sanmartín
Fire Threats Are Increasing in the Tropical Andes
According to the World Resources Institute, in 2024 the tropics lost 16.6 million acres (6.7 million hectares) of primary forest (a record figure), with fire responsible for nearly half of this loss. The consequences were devastating billions of tons of CO₂ emissions, soil erosion, reduced ecosystem regeneration capacity, and the acceleration of climate change impacts.
In the Tropical Andes, long dry seasons, flammable vegetation, strong winds, and steep terrain make it easy for fires to spread, making wildfires a constant and growing threat. In recent years, they’ve become more frequent and more severe, fueled by climate change, farming practices, and growing pressure on the land.
Photo by: Daniel Sanmartín
At Nature and Culture, we felt these impacts firsthand: the Andean Bi-National Corridor—a collaborative initiative to protect important ecosystems down the spine of the Andes in Ecuador and Peru—was affected, endangering its biodiversity, the ecological connectivity it safeguards, and the livelihoods of the communities that depend on these ecosystems.
Ecuador: Over 205,000 Acres Affected in 2024
In 2024, Ecuador recorded 5,815 forest fires that destroyed more than 205,000 acres of vegetation nationwide. Loja and Azuay—both part of the Andean Bi-National Corridor—were among the hardest hit. In Loja alone, over 81,000 acres burned, accounting for more than 40% of the national total.
These fires damaged national parks, municipal conservation areas, and vital water sources. This emergency showed just how vulnerable the region is to fire, and how urgent it is to plan, fund, and coordinate action locally.
Photo by: Daniel Sanmartín
Peru: Fragmented Ecosystems, Communities under Pressure
The situation in Peru was no different. According to a recent MapBiomas report, September 2024 registered the highest number of fires in the country since 2015. Two out of three fires affected natural ecosystems such as montane forests and páramos, while the remaining third occurred in agricultural areas. Between July and October, more than 220 wildfires were documented across 20 regions of the country.
The Andes del Norte Corridor—an important link between Peru’s tropical rainforests and high Andean páramos—was among the hardest hit. Satellite data from Nature and Culture show that at least 1,000 acres burned, with the San Juan de Sallique Private Conservation Area suffering the most damage. The fires displaced emblematic species like the spectacled bear, and some wild cats were killed after being trapped by the flames.
Local Actions to Confront Wildfires in Southern Ecuador
The 2024 emergency served as a starting point for joint action and prevention. Various institutions have been working to ensure that southern Ecuador does not experience a similar scenario again.
Inter-Institutional Collaboration
We created inter-institutional technical committees in several towns within the province of Loja province (Quilanga, Espíndola, Catamayo, and Loja). These spaces bring together key actors such as the Environmental Authority, the Amazon Without Fire Program, the National Secretariat for Risk Management, municipal and provincial governments, citizen groups, universities, fire departments, and international partners. The goal has been clear: to build prevention strategies from the ground up, based on dialogue, shared responsibility, and technical expertise.
These committees have set out several key priorities:
Strengthening community brigades: In the towns of Loja, Quilanga, and Espíndola three brigades have been created, training and equipping more than 100 brigade members for risk management and wildfire response.
Prevention through awareness and communication: A prevention campaign is underway to highlight the dangers of unsafe fire use, promote sustainable agroecological practices as alternatives, and encourage community involvement through the implementation of the Early Warning System that combines monitoring, local alerts, and community response protocols to help prevent small fires from becoming large wildfires.
Promoting alternatives to fire use: Through Farmer Field Schools, communities are learning sustainable farming practices that replace fire as a tool for agriculture.
Early Warning Systems, Ordinances, and Risk Maps
Two local universities have created wildfire vulnerability maps and a color-coded system to indicate fire risk. These tools will form the basis of an Early Warning System. In addition, proposals for new municipal ordinances are being advanced to align with the upcoming Provincial Inter-Institutional Wildfire Plan, led by the Loja Provincial Government.
Northern Andes in Peru Takes Action
A Community-Based Plan for Prevention and Preparedness
In northern Peru, the lessons of 2024 have laid the foundation for building a stronger preventive approach. In areas such as Sallique, San Felipe, and Tabaconas, communities that had already begun organizing are now leading efforts to strengthen local capacities for more effective fire response.
In 2025, Nature and Culture continues to back these efforts, focusing on building long-term solutions together with communities, local authorities, Peru’s National Forest Service, and fire brigades. Current priorities include:
Strengthening and equipping community brigades so they can put out fires quickly with fast, local action.
Developing awareness campaigns tailored to each community, focused on prevention, safe fire management in farming, and shared responsibility.
Improving participatory monitoring and early alerts, using satellite tools and local conservation networks to detect risks sooner.
Promoting local ordinances and public policies that formally recognize the key role communities play in preventing and responding to wildfires.
2024 Left Us Valuable Lessons: Community Organization Makes the Difference
The events of 2024 left us with important lessons learned: “Where there are active community processes, local organization, and coordination with authorities, fires were easier to contain and their impacts significantly lower.” — Auner Medina, Northern Andes Mosaic Coordinator.
From southern Ecuador to northern Peru, communities have shown that it is possible to move from reaction to prevention—and that these strategies are effective when rooted in local knowledge, collective commitment, and inter-institutional collaboration.
The Andean Bi-National Corridor is an example of how cooperation beyond borders and coordination between communities and institutions can protect critical territories. Safeguarding its biodiversity, water sources, and livelihoods means strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and the people who depend on them—reminding us that joint and planned management is the best way to face threats such as wildfires.
On the Peruvian side of the Andean Bi-National Corridor, scientists have discovered three new frog species, each named in tribute to the land, its people, and local traditions.
Last month, a team of biologists described three new frog species in the Chicuate Chinguelas Protected Area, a 66,983-acre expanse of páramo and montane forest in Huancabamba Province, Piura. Nature and Culture International helped establish this community-led reserve in 2016, securing a refuge for emblematic wildlife like the spectacled bear and mountain tapir, along with countless species yet to be documented. This protected area is within a vital ecological corridor that links Peru’s mountain forests with those of Ecuador, the Andean Bi-National Corridor.
Chicuate Chinguelas is managed in partnership with the community of Segunda y Cajas, who fought for its creation and continue to safeguard it. For generations, their livelihoods, traditions, and cultural identity have been intertwined with the páramos and forests they now protect—making the reserve both a refuge for rare species and a living expression of the deep bond between people and nature.
The discovery—five years in the making and led by herpetologist Germán Chávez—represents an act of resilience in an ecosystem threatened by fires, deforestation, and resource-based activities such as mining and logging.
“We knew something was waiting for us in the Huancabamba páramos. It wasn’t a complete surprise, but it was an immense satisfaction,” says Germán Chávez. The discovery, published in a scientific article, confirms that this natural area is a prime location for scientific exploration.
The Names Behind the Frog Species
Each of the three newly described frog species carries a name that honors the region. In northern Peru, cutin is a colloquial term for small frogs or toads—a familiar word in rural communities that reflects the region’s connection to its amphibians. Paired with a second descriptor, each name tells its own story.
Pristimantis chinguelasP. nunezcorteziP. yonque
Cutin de Chinguelas(Pristimantis chinguelas) inhabits the Chinguelas Mountain. It is distinguished by long tubercles along the sides of its body—a striking morphological feature that makes it easy to identify. Its name pays tribute to the place where it was found.
Cutin de Elio (Pristimantis nunezcortezi) is a more elusive species, found in the shaded ravines of mountain forests. Its most distinctive feature is the black coloring on the inner thighs, which sets it apart from other frogs in the region. Its name honors conservationist Elio Iván Núñez Cortez, a field technician with Nature and Culture International in Peru and a passionate defender of the Huancabamba mountain range. For more than a decade, Elio has worked to protect the region’s páramos and montane forests—always ready to set out in search of the rarest birds in the area. “Elio knows the land, walks it, protects it, dreams it. It was only right that his name be immortalized in one of its species,” says fellow expedition scientist Iván Wong.
And then there’s Cutin del Yonke (Pristimantis yonke), a frog that lives among bromeliads. Its flattened body, pointed head, and granular texture give it a unique appearance. Its name, far from classical academic terms, is a tribute to a traditional Andean drink: “yonke,” a sugarcane spirit that’s a staple for hikes, camps, and rural celebrations. “We wanted a name that also spoke of the cultural bond with the territory,” explains researcher Iván Wong.
Huancabamba, A Biological Treasure
The Huancabamba páramos, together with the surrounding cloud forests, are part of the Andes del Norte Corridor, which connects with the Andean Bi-National Corridor linking Peru and Ecuador. This continuity explains why the new Pristimantis species have closer genetic ties to their Ecuadorian relatives.
“If you see something on one mountain, you can’t assume it’s on the next. That’s why we’ve decided to walk it all—every ridge, every slope. We want to make sure no centimeter goes unexplored,” says researcher Wilmar Aznaran.
These new species live in a fragile environment, threatened mainly by seasonal fires set to clear fields for crops and pasture—a long-standing farming practice in the region. While currently under control, these burns remain a persistent shadow over a landscape whose unique geological history means it cannot be fragmented without losing irreplaceable species.
“The ecosystem doesn’t respect political borders. We can’t assume that if we destroy one ridge, the same species is safe on the next. That’s a mistake,” warns scientist Karen Victoriano.
Beyond the Lab: Science with Identity
The research team embraces a science that is close to and sensitive to local culture. From naming a frog after yonke to involving community members in fieldwork, the message is clear: protecting biodiversity also means recognizing the people and traditions that have coexisted with it for centuries.
“We want people to feel proud knowing that these species exist in their land, because they’re part of their identity, their history—and now, their future.”
Germán Chávez
Partners in Discovery
This research was made possible through the dedication of herpetologists Germán Chávez, Wilmar Aznaran, Iván Wong, Karen Y. Victoriano-Cigüeñas, Luis A. García-Ayachi, Juan D. Valencia-Málaga, Jesús R. Ormeño, Michael Gulman, Ronal Sumiano-Mejía, Michelle E. Thompson, and Alessandro Catenazzi.
Fieldwork in remote areas like Chinguelas Mountain would not have been possible without local allies such as Angie Meléndres and Eswin Jibaja, who opened trails and offered hospitality. Support came from Nature and Culture International, the Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund, the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation, Consultants in Nature and Development (CANDES), Cafetería Pajarero, Restaurante La Cortez, and many friends.
Special recognition goes to the community that championed the creation of the Chicuate Chinguelas Protected Area—today a refuge not only for biodiversity, but also for the promise of future discoveries.
A new Regional Conservation Area has been created in San Pedro de Chonta, located in Peru’s Marañón province. Perched high in the Andean Highlands, this landscape is where lakes give rise to rivers and life flourishes in abundance. The sanctuary safeguards 126,023 acres (51,000 hectares) of ecosystems rich in biodiversity and home to species found nowhere else on Earth. This designation marks a vital step in protecting one of central Peru’s most unique and irreplaceable natural treasures.
“This area represents a significant step forward in the efforts to conserve highly threatened ecoregions like the páramos and the Marañón Dry Forests. The Marañon ecosystem had, until now, no formal protection measures in the Huánuco department,” according to Vilma Vilcas Melchor, Huanuco Natural Resources and Environmental Regional Manager.
Species Richness Emerging Between Mountains and Lakes
The San Pedro de Chonta Protected Area safeguards key zones of the Chontayacu and Huacrachuco river basins, which include the Chontayacu, Tingo, and Huanchay rivers. This area is a vital water supply for more than 41,000 people guaranteeing water security for local populations.
Nature and Culture’s Field Technician, Jorge Gálvez, explained that the new area is about more than protecting water sources.
“A biological assessment led by experts has revealed exceptional biodiversity: 296 species of birds have been identified, including 15 species endemic to Peru. Among these, the golden-backed mountain-tanager (Cnemathraupis aureodorsalis) stands out—a species considered endangered whose conservation depends on the protection of its specific habitat,” he reported.
Researchers have also documented 29 species of mammals, including five found only in Peru. It is also home to eight reptile species, with a remarkable concentration of those in the Potamites genusm or semi-aquatic lizards.
All of these animals depend on the sanctuary’s 570 plant species, including the romerillo tree that provides food and shelter. For plant lovers, the discovery of 131 orchid species makes San Pedro de Chonta a true biodiversity treasure.
A Vital Biological Corridor
The San Pedro de Chonta Regional Conservation Area plays a strategic role in ecological connectivity. Together with the Bosques de Shunte and Mishollo Protected Area, the Río Abiseo National Park, the proposed Yanajanca Protected Area in Huánuco, and the Permanent Production Forests of San Martín (sustainably managed forest zones), it forms part of a larger conservation mosaic. Collectively, these areas create a vital biological corridor that allows species to move freely across landscapes.
“Connectivity between protected areas allows ecosystems to function as a whole, which is fundamental for adapting to climate change and for long-term conservation,” emphasizes Gálvez.
A Legacy for Nature
The creation of San Pedro de Chonta is not only a big step for biodiversity, but also a victory for local communities and authorities who have been supporting a sustainable development model. Peru is a country so rich in biodiversity that every protected acre is a major victory. This new sanctuary is proof that we can both safeguard our natural world and continue to make progress.
“Protecting our ecosystems isn’t an option; it’s a historical responsibility to Huánuco and future generations. From the Regional Government, we are firmly moving forward with the San Pedro de Chonta Regional Conservation Area, a vital space for the defense of our most threatened ecoregions, such as the páramos and the Marañón Dry Forests. This effort not only conserves our unique biodiversity but also strengthens our identity, promotes sustainable development, and honors our commitment to the well-being of our communities. We will continue to work with local and national allies to ensure that San Pedro de Chonta becomes a symbol of hope, resilience, and pride for all of Huánuco,” said Antonio Pulgar, the regional governor of Huánuco.
Welcome to Nature and Culture’s 2025 Newsletter
A conservation update on our wins across Latin America, and a look at the impact you’ve made on some of our biggest projects so far in 2025.
We have a lot to celebrate! You’ve helped create five new protected areas, including Corazón de la Amazonía and Cutervo in the Andean Bi-National Corridor linking key ecosystems in Ecuador and Peru. In Bolivia’s Chaco, communities are advancing wildfire prevention in one of the region’s most threatened landscapes.
