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.
The Amazonian Platform is a collaborative alliance of Indigenous nationalities and local governments working to protect 14 million acres of Ecuador’s Amazon Rainforest—vital for the world’s climate and biodiversity.
For more than a decade, Nature and Culture has partnered with these local leaders to establish a connected network of protected areas across three provinces, with the ultimate goal of spanning all six provinces of the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Join the movement
To protect large,
Intact forests
A Collaborative Effort to Protect the Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon faces immense pressure and complex issues that are too great for one response alone. Lasting solutions depend on collective action and a shared vision. To meet this challenge, Indigenous nationalities and provincial governments have come together for the first time through the Amazonian Platform.
This innovative union promotes coordinated action to conserve and manage 14 million acres of the country’s largest continuous rainforest, reduce CO2 emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and incorporate Indigenous ancestral practices to sustainably protect the largest biological corridor of continuous forest in Ecuador.
How does it work?
The Amazon Future Fund
The Amazon Future Fund is a sustainable conservation fund that finances forest protection in the Ecuadorian Amazon, led jointly by Indigenous Peoples and subnational governments. It’s a fund that will ensure conservation financing finally reaches the people protecting the forest, while building a long-term path for climate stability and human wellbeing.
Every year, deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon advances at alarming rates, accelerating the climate crisis and endangering countless animal and plant species, along with millions of people, including 11 Indigenous nationalities who safeguard the forest.
So far, the Amazonian Platform has secured more than 10 million acres of protected areas across three provinces — Pastaza, Zamora Chinchipe, and Morona Santiago. The next steps are to expand this success to the northern provinces and to launch the Amazon Future Fund, a financing mechanism led jointly by Indigenous Peoples and provincial governments to ensure long-term protection of this network of forests.
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.
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.
In 2024, fire became the main driver of deforestation, but Indigenous leadership and collaboration kept Bolivia’s Ñembi Guasu Protected Area safe
According to the Global Forest Review, 2024 marked a dangerous new milestone for the world’s forests: wildfires became the leading cause of tropical primary forest loss, responsible for nearly half of global tropical deforestation. This shift reflects a growing crisis fueled by climate change that threatens biodiversity, accelerates carbon emissions, and underscores the urgent need for proactive forest management, especially by communities on the frontlines.
Nowhere was this trend more evident than in Bolivia, which saw a staggering 200% increase in primary forest loss—climbing to the second-highest level worldwide in 2024, behind only Brazil.
Amid this destruction, the Ñembi Guasu Protected Area defied the national trend. It prevented both forest loss and fire damage for the second year in a row—the only documented case of its kind in Bolivia.
Protected Area Resists the Flames
Ñembi Guasu is located in southern Bolivia’s Gran Chaco ecoregion, one of the most ecologically and culturally important regions in Bolivia. Officially recognized in 2019, Ñembi Guasu spans nearly 3 million acres, making it the second-largest protected area in the region and a vital refuge for biodiversity, home to threatened species such as jaguars, giant armadillos, tapirs, and over 1,000 endemic plant species.
The protected area lies within the territory of Charagua Iyambae (Bolivia’s first Indigenous autonomy) and holds deep cultural and ecological significance for the last uncontacted Indigenous Peoples outside of the Amazon — Ayoreo families who live in voluntary isolation and have cared for this land for generations.
In a year when fire ravaged Bolivia’s forests, Ñembi Guasu stood out as the only documented case in the country where forest loss and fire damage were successfully prevented. According to the Global Forest Review, it’s a rare example of effective, locally driven prevention in the face of overwhelming pressure.
The Guardian also highlighted this rare victory in its coverage of the global forest crisis:
“Bolivia experienced its worst fire season on record… but the Charagua Iyambae Indigenous territory successfully resisted fires through land‑use policies and early‑warning systems.” Read the article ›
Building Local Capacity: A Model for Forest Protection
Ñembi Guasu’s success is no accident. It’s the result of years of investment in local capacity, Indigenous governance, and coordinated prevention strategies—especially in the face of ongoing threats from illegal burning, agribusiness expansion, and road construction. This work has been made possible through close collaboration between the Charagua Iyambae Indigenous government, the Bolivian NGO Fundación Nativa, and Nature and Culture International.
At the center of this model are Guaraní park rangers and community conservation staff, who monitor the forest year-round. Trained in fire prevention and early detection, they patrol the landscape, identify signs of risk, and report threats to both Indigenous authorities and local municipal governments. This coordination enables fast, collective action before fires can spread or illegal incursions escalate.
Their work is supported by GPS and satellite monitoring systems, as well as tools and training developed to help the Charagua Iyambae Indigenous autonomy document deforestation, defend territorial rights, and enforce land-use plans. Local enforcement is guided by culturally grounded conservation plans, rooted in ecological knowledge and legal frameworks.
As Iván Arnold, Director of Fundación Nativa, explains: “This achievement is neither accidental nor the result of less external pressure. The difference lies in the approach. For years, the Indigenous government of Charagua Iyambae has led its own model of land management—one that’s community-based, culturally grounded, and guided by deep knowledge of the territory.”
Ñembi Guasu shows that with the right tools, partnerships, and leadership, even the most fire-prone forests can be protected.
The Urgency to Replicate Success
Ñembi Guasu’s success offers a powerful answer to the global challenge of the rise of wildfires as the primary cause of tropical forest loss. Indigenous leadership and locally rooted collaboration are essential to protecting forest landscapes.
Nature and Culture centers its work on community-led conservation. We work alongside local and Indigenous partners to strengthen protected areas across Latin America, including those most vulnerable to fire. In these high-risk landscapes, local leadership—combined with coordinated policy and technical training—does more than prevent devastating fires. It offers a proven, scalable path forward in the face of mounting climate threats.
As climate threats grow, community-led conservation offers not just hope—but a clear path forward.
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.
Thank you for making this impact real.
A conservation update on our efforts across Latin America, and a deeper look at some of our biggest projects yet.
Welcome to the summer edition of Nature and Culture’s Newsletter. We have a lot to celebrate! From Peru’s Mar Tropical de Grau to the rain-soaked Chocó rainforest of Colombia, journey with us as we explore thriving landscapes and the communities that protect them.
The effectiveness of our collaborative efforts is remarkable, and none of this would have been possible without you, our Nature and Culture Community! Since our founding, in total we have protected 26 million acres, preventing 3.9 billion tons of CO2 emissions!
As you read through our Impact Report, we invite you to join us in celebrating our achievements.
Here’s a look at some of the incredible work you helped support over the last year.
On February 1, 2023, two Indigenous nationalities came together with the Provincial Government of Morona Santiago, Ecuador to create the 3,057,670-acre reserve, named Tarímiat Pujutaí Nunka in Shuar, which roughly translates to “Territory of Good Living.”
With the generous support of our donors and partners, Nature and Culture has been working since 2021, to facilitate a participatory process that led to the protection of this massive connected Amazonian forest. This process involved hosting 21 community meetings, during which 893 community members shared their traditional ecological knowledge, worldviews, and visions for a sustainable future within their ancestral territory to preserve natural and cultural resources for future generations.
The declaration of this area aims to improve the quality of life for local communities through sustainable development opportunities, while safeguarding its 744 million tons of above-ground carbon stores.
Tarímiat Pujutaí Nunka joins as the centerpiece of the Amazonian Platform, a collaborative alliance uniting 7 Indigenous nationalities and 3 Provincial Governments in protecting 11 million acres of continuous Amazonian rainforest. About the size of West Virginia, U.S. in total, this impressive biological corridor collectively sequesters an estimated 2.3 billion tons of above-ground carbon.
The opportunity for Nature and Culture to attend the international climate conference, COP27, in 2022, and amplify Indigenous voices in climate action was a significant milestone for the organization. In 2023, we continued to build on the momentum and champion the presence of Indigenous leaders in pivotal international forums.
In March 2023, Josefina Tunki, former President of the Shuar Arutam Nationality, journeyed to the United Nations Water Conference in New York alongside Nature and Culture, Executive Director, Matt Clark. Josefina delivered a compelling presentation on the critical issue of water resources in the Amazon. Josefina’s perspective was enriched by her deep connection to the land, stemming from her leadership in safeguarding the 3-million-acre protected area, Tarímiat Pujutaí Nunka. She is fighting to keep her ancestral territory free of mining activities that have devastated her community.
Later in the year, our esteemed partners, Governor of Morona Santiago, Tiyua Uyunkar and Pastaza Governor André Granda, took the stage at COP28, proudly representing the Amazonian Platform—a testament to the collaborative efforts between Nature and Culture, subnational governments, and local Indigenous communities. They shared the remarkable successes achieved in protecting the Ecuadorian Amazon. Together, we’re safeguarding an astonishing 11 million acres of pristine forest, forming the largest biological corridor in Ecuador.
By facilitating the participation of Indigenous leaders in global dialogues, we are supporting them in reshaping the narrative on conservation and climate action. Their invaluable insights, rooted in millennia of lived experience, are indispensable in shaping policies and solutions. As we forge ahead, Nature and Culture remains steadfast in our resolve to amplify Indigenous voices, ensuring that their rightful place at the forefront of the environmental movement is acknowledged and respected on a global scale.
In 2019, we celebrated the establishment of the Ñembi Guasu protected area, safeguarding 3 million acres in the Bolivian Gran Chaco. That same year, the world watched in horror as wildfires ravaged the country’s southern region of Santa Cruz.
Since then, Nature and Culture and one of our local implementation partners, have been working to ensure the long-term health of the Ñembi Guasu area. We’re doing this in several ways, including the creation of a management framework and sustainable finance mechanism, the development of a firefighting patrol, and post-wildfire reforestation projects. Recognizing the growing risk of fire in Bolivia’s precious dry forests, we have provided firefighting tools, conducted fire safety awareness campaigns, and devised emergency firefighting strategies to mitigate future disasters.
Helping communities adapt to climate change is crucial because, despite efforts to mitigate its causes, the impacts of climate change are already being felt globally. These impacts often disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. By supporting adaptation measures, such as building resilience, enhancing infrastructure, and implementing early warning systems, communities can better withstand the effects of climate change and minimize associated risks to livelihoods, health, and well-being.
In the last eight years, Nature and Culture has documented more than 450 species of birds in areas we protect in the northern Tropical Andes of Peru, 24 percent of the country’s recognized avian species. Our work here spans a 3,763,481-acre ecoregion of high-altitude grasslands and cloud forests.
Two new subnational areas are in the works which will join to surrounding protected areas between the departments of Huánuco and San Martín, Peru. This ecoregion provides critical habitat connectivity and food resources to birds and other wildlife in the region.
Monitoring wildlife within the areas we protect is just one way we gauge the efficacy of our work. It also allows us to prioritize new areas for conservation as species’ ranges shift in response to climate change.
In Ecuador, Water Protection Areas (WPAs) are a unique conservation measure aimed at safeguarding water resources for local populations and protecting key watersheds and their surrounding ecosystems. These areas legally shield forests and natural ecosystems from harmful activities like mining, ensuring a clean water supply and food security for local communities. From 2019 to 2022, our team in Ecuador spearheaded a comprehensive national-level hydrological study. This effort culminated in the creation of a Priority Map of Hydric Zones covering approximately 17.3 million acres. The study was instrumental in aiding the Ecuadorian government in prioritizing its watershed conservation projects, called Water Protection Areas.
Since the inception of this conservation mechanism, 32 Water Protection Areas have been established, 20 with Nature and Culture’s support. In 2023 alone, 12 areas were established, protecting 150,000 acres, and bringing positive change to the lives of 85,000 residents.
Our commitment to safeguarding the rich biodiversity and cultural heritage of this remarkable region remains unwavering, and it is thanks to supporters like you that our projects continue to thrive. Thank you for joining us on this journey!
Real Stories. Real Impact.
Two recent climate wins driven by local citizens highlight the strength of local communities in protecting nature.
In the ongoing effort to combat climate change, there are events that highlight the potential for progress. Today, we invite you to take a closer look at two significant climate victories, on opposite sides of the globe but connected by a common thread: the tangible outcomes achievable when people work together for the betterment of our planet.
Ecuadorians proved that they care deeply about the environment with the passage of the Yasuní referendum.
Something incredible has taken place in Ecuador’s elections earlier this month. Over 5 million people came together to pass a referendum to protect the Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon from any further oil extraction. This is huge step towards mitigating climate change. This passed referendum will block oil extraction in Indigenous territories, in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The resounding “yes” vote marked a monumental victory for environmental preservation and the rights of Indigenous communities.
The Yasuní National Park is much more than a natural treasure.
Protected areas such as the Yasuní National Park are key tools to guarantee ecosystem services like clean air and fresh water, and help to mitigate climate change. That is why we must protect them and ensure their long-term sustainability. Ecuadorians made a choice for the future of Yasuní and showed that they care deeply for nature. This sets a precedent for the country and the world in the fight against climate change.
While this achievement was not a result of Nature and Culture’s efforts, it has major implications for the future of the Ecuadorian Amazon and resonates deeply with our unique approach to conservation. At our core, we believe in fostering solutions that originate with local communities and believe in the transformative power of community involvement.
In the U.S., the recent court ruling, in favor of local students, will require the state of Montana to consider climate change when deciding whether to approve or renew fossil fuel projects
The Yasuní victory is just one example of how community-centered conservation can lead to remarkable change. The recent Montana Climate Lawsuit in the United States similarly demonstrates that when communities take the lead and have a stake in decisions affecting their environment, they can achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Hear from Nature and Culture CEO on these recent climate wins
Restoration improves the structure and functionality of forests for local communities
We often hear about the devastating effects of deforestation and degradation in rainforests and ask ourselves, what can be done to stop this? Indigenous communities in the Pastaza province of Ecuador refuse to stand idly by. With the help of Nature and Culture International, they have taken on a forest restoration project to renew their ancestral degraded lands and reinvigorate the local ecosystem.
Nature and Culture, through the “Actions for the Amazon” project, is taking action to prevent and reverse deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon. This project will also guarantee the rights and sustainable livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and local communities through the implementation of the ancestral practice of traditional Chakra gardens.
The project began in September 2022, with the goal of restoring 235 acres of degraded land.
Due to the rate of deforestation and the need for intervention in the area, the Shuar Kawa Indigenous community was first selected from a list of priority areas by Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment. Additionally, Nature and Culture seeks to incorporate the Shuar Kawa restoration goals into Pastaza’s REDD+ Plan for the implementation of measures and actions to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (PdIPPz REDD+). The REDD+ Plans are part of a framework of the United Nations Development Project and provide long-term climate funding to support Indigenous and local communities’ conservation efforts.
People from the Shuar Kawa community actively participated in the project
The Shuar Kawa community was consulted and actively involved in the decision-making process.
With their consent, the Nature and Culture team has focused on educating local communities on the benefits of forest restoration and provided training around reforestation tactics. This way, the local communities will be able to continue the project for years to come. Initially, the team constructed a temporary nursery for the propagation of 63 native species. The seedlings will be established in local watersheds, helping to maintain groundwater and access to clean water in dryer seasons.
Seedlings from the nursery will also be used in “Chakras”, or multi-species traditional Indigenous gardens.
Traditionally, the women of the community took care of the Chakra gardens, and their position as conservationists is more important than ever within the project. Men and women have worked together to reforest the gardens using specific trees and plants that provide food security and an additional source of income.
Women are traditionally in charge of caring for the Chakras
“We did not come just to restore. By sharing and talking with the people of the communities, we have learned a lot, complementing the technical aspect with their culture and traditions”
– Amparo Lima, Restoration Specialist, Nature and Culture
Restoration is important because it allows us to recuperate the structure and functionality of forests, which improves the quality and quantity of water collected for community consumption.
Working at the ChakrasWorking at the ChakrasWorking at the Chakras
So far, the team has already restored 190 acres of land.
The communities’ enthusiasm and participation have been crucial in achieving this goal.
This level of community involvement and collaboration should serve as a model for other conservation projects in Ecuador and beyond. By working together, communities and organizations can reforest portions of the Amazon Rainforest and protect the planet. This project serves as an example of what is possible when we work together to restore our natural world.
Indigenous women have long been the backbone of their communities, preserving their traditions, culture, and knowledge for generations. However, Indigenous communities across the world are facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change. As the world comes together to address the climate crisis, it is essential that Indigenous female leaders are included in the international climate conversation to ensure that their voices and perspectives are heard. That is why, in the last year, Nature and Culture has supported two of our Indigenous partners in attending United Nations conferences
We are committed to amplifying the voices of Indigenous leaders by ensuring their inclusion in the global climate conversation.
In the past year, Nature and Culture sent two Indigenous female leaders, Lolita Piyaguaje of the Siekopai Nationality and Vice President of CONFENIAE and Josefina Tunki of the Shuar Arutam Nationality, to United Nations conferences. In November 2022, Piyaguaje traveled with Nature and Culture CEO, Matt Clark, to Egypt for the United Nations Climate Conference (COP27)For Piyaguaje, it was “an honor to be in this space giving voice in defense of our territories and the human rights of the people who live in the Ecuadorian Amazon.” Clark and Piyaguaje attended the conference, speaking together on a panel about Indigenous leadership preventing deforestation within the Amazonian province of Pastaza.
Lolita Piyaguaje of the Siekopai nationality and Vice President of CONFENIAE with Nature and Culture CEO, Matt Clark at COP27
Josefina Tunki, who just completed her four-year term as the President of the Shuar Arutam Nationality, traveled to the United Nations Water Conference in New York in March 2023 where she and Clark presented on water resources in the Amazon. She is from one of four Indigenous nationalities Nature and Culture worked with to create the 3-million-acre protected area, Tarímiat Pujutaí Nunka. She is fighting to keep her ancestral territory free of mining activities that have devastated her community.
Josefina Tunki standing in front of mining excavators in the Amazon, Photo courtesy of Nora Sanchez
Historically, Indigenous peoples have not been included in these critical conversations even though Indigenous territories hold 80% of the world’s biodiversity and Indigenous communities preserve their forests at twice the rate of other protected areas. Nature and Culture is working to change this paradigm and ensure that the voices of the world’s greatest conservationists are heard on the global level.
Indigenous women are often the primary caretakers of their families and communities, and they depend on the environment for their livelihoods.
Climate change has a direct impact on their way of life, as it can lead to food and water scarcity, displacement, and loss of traditional knowledge. For Tunki and the people of the Shuar Arutam, “The forest is our mother, it sustains us.” In the province of Pastaza in Ecuador, “the forest was our supermarket, but now the fish are contaminated, there’s no more medicine, and we can’t eat.” According to Piyaguaje, “We want to live without pollution, without destruction, and, above all, to live healthily with our rights, our identity, our culture, our language.” Sending Indigenous female leaders to international climate conferences ensures that their experiences and concerns are taken into account when developing policies and solutions.
Lolita Piyaguaje shares, “We want to live without pollution, without destruction, and, above all, to live healthily with our rights, our identity, our culture, our language.”
Indigenous women have a deep understanding of their local environments and the impact of climate change on their communities. They have unique perspectives and solutions that can contribute to the development of effective climate policies. In Piyaguaje’s words, “proposals and projects need to be co-designed with the communities and with our needs in mind. If these policies come from the top, they won’t work.” By including Indigenous female leaders in international climate conferences, policymakers can gain valuable insights that can inform their decision-making.
Clean water is one of the most important resources in the rainforest and extractive activities are the primary threat.
Tunki has long fought for clean water protection for the 47 communities of the Shuar Arutam Nationality. “Ancestrally, we have always known the value of the rivers and freshwater. Historically, our rivers were never contaminated. An uncontaminated environment gives you a healthy life and helps you live with joy, without epidemics. We’re now fighting to sustain the fresh water of the Amazon and looking for the best strategies for protection. We invite the whole world to reflect on the fact that it is us, the humans, that are contaminating the planet. Not the animals, not the birds, not the fish, since they respect nature. It’s the humans.”
Both women agree that the biggest threats to their ancestral lands are petroleum extraction and mining. Extractive activities pollute the rivers and lead to deforestation. They both attest that petroleum and mining companies are not doing enough to mitigate environmental impacts and that the Ecuadorian and other governments are responsible for enforcing mitigation.
For both Piyaguaje and Tunki, being a woman is key to their leadership.
“I feel proud to have worthily served as a woman in my organization, demonstrating that women are also capable of representing an organization on the municipal, provincial, national, and international levels,” says Josefina. Intersectionality and inclusion are key to the future, says Lolita. “It’s important that women participate in these processes, we have to work very hard towards intersectionality. Women should not just be sitting at the meetings, but they should be making decisions.”
“I feel proud to have worthily served as a woman in my organization, demonstrating that women are also capable of representing an organization on the municipal, provincial, national, and international levels,” says Josefina.
On April 22th we commemorate Earth Day, an opportunity to recognize our role in caring for the planet and all the forms of life that inhabit it.
For our Peru Country Director, Guillermo Maraví, it is necessary to create immediate actions to stop the accelerated loss of biodiversity and generate effective actions collaboratively to address climate change.
English quote of Peru Country DirectorCita en español del Director Ejecutivo Perú
In this sense, he emphasizes that Nature and Culture International, in addition to promoting the establishment of conservation areas connected to other conservation initiatives, also engages in their management and handling, with the aim of making them sustainable over time. For Guillermo, this work, which is only possible because we do it in collaboration with local, peasant and indigenous communities, must prevail, because it is there where the accumulated knowledge for years about caring for the land has many of the solutions to the world’s climate and biodiversity crisis.
In addition, in Peru, we help endangered and endemic species have a safe place to feed and move. We protect the habitat of animals such as the spatuletail hummingbird in Amazonas, known for being one of the most beautiful hummingbirds in the world, or the emblematic spectacled bear that we have registered in Piura, Cajamarca, Amazonas, and Huánuco.
Marvelous spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis), an endangered species of hummingbird endemic to northern Peru.
Peru is home to thousands of species whose habitats we must protect and rehabilitate! Our actions matter. Let’s be responsible! We have only one planet to live on, with hundreds of plants and animals that, like us, depend on the good condition of ecosystems, pure air, fresh water, and so many other services provided by Mother Earth.
Real Stories. Real Impact.
New protected areas, beekeeping for conservation, and gender equity in reforestation are a few of the stories you’ll explore in our 2023 Spring Newsletter!
Make a donation today to continue supporting projects like these!
The 6th Assessment Synthesis Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that despite progress in climate mitigation efforts, the current pace of action is insufficient to keep global temperatures below the threshold of 1.5°C. That is the threshold beyond which scientists say climate impacts increase significantly and damage becomes rapidly irreversible. Below is a summary of the report’s findings.
Action needs to happen now, this is the decisive decade
To ensure temperatures do not exceed the threshold of 1.5°C, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will need to peak within this decade, decline by 43% by 2030, and 60% by 2035. Adverse climate impacts are already far more extreme than initial reports anticipated. The current global surface temperature has already warmed 1.1°C above preindustrial levels. With this alone, there has been an increase in biodiversity loss, drought, extreme heat, and flooding, among other impacts. Despite a decrease in the cost of green energy, improved technologies, and national commitments to reduce GHG emissions. These measures have continued to increase and will fall short. Unsustainable energy use, land use, lifestyles and patterns of consumption and production all contribute to the GHG emissions. A rapid scaling of policy and increased funding to climate is needed to achieve climate stabilization.
Even small increases in overall temperature matter
The report defines the risks, adverse impacts, and related losses and damages from climate change at varying degrees of temperature rises. At each tier, the loss of biodiversity increases, access to clean water and food decreases, and sea levels rise. There is no question that any positive changes to keep global warming in check will help to avoid further loss of life and encourage ecosystem health. At a certain point, it is no longer reversible. As certain losses and damage occur, reversal and adaptation options are far less feasible, if even effective at all. It is important to take every action possible at this very moment. Hope lies in the prevention of further tipping the warming scales.
A member of the Shuar Indigenous nationality in the province of Morona Santiago, Ecuador.
Biggest impacts threaten those who have historically contributed the least to climate change
According to the IPCC, nearly half of the global population lives in areas where their lives or livelihoods are under threat of climate change. It is said that between 3.3 billion and 3.6 billion people live in countries that are highly vulnerable to climate impacts, including those within Central and South America where Nature and Culture operates. In addition, many of these areas face extreme poverty, governance challenges, and limited access to financial resources or technical support. In this 6th Assessment Report, the IPCC also notes that climate adaptation challenges are often “exacerbated by inequity and marginalization linked to gender, ethnicity, low income or combinations thereof, especially for many Indigenous Peoples and local communities.”
Data on the global inequalities of CO2 emissions reveals that higher-earning countries as well as higher-earning individuals produce more of the world’s GHGs and yet it is those who are producing the least who are most heavily impacted. The highest income-earning households contribute around 45% of the world’s consumption-based CO2 emissions, while the bottom 50% account for only around 15%.
The threats of climate change weigh more heavily on regions that are not historically responsible for the production of GHGs; however, the world is looking to many of these areas for quick adaptation efforts or asking for limitation on development that could provide an immediate higher standard of living. That is why it is important to allow these most vulnerable groups or regions inclusive governance, and transparent and participatory decision-making for mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Tropical forests provide ecosystem services such as food security and clean water and air.
What is Nature and Culture’s role?
Protecting Earth’s remaining oceans, plants, animals, and soils is the most cost-effective climate adaptation option. The most potential exists in preventing deforestation in tropical regions. For Nature and Culture that means maintaining tropical forests in the Amazon and Andes. Long-term management of our protected areas supports biodiversity resilience in the region and supports ecosystem services at a global scale, including the sequestration of billions of tons of carbon. Beyond the protection and management of these threatened forests, reforestation and agroforestry (or sustainably cultivating native crops) also contribute to climate mitigation. All these efforts can positively affect local communities if they are done in coordination with the people who live in these areas. Reforestation can improve air quality, access to clean water and food, and agroforestry techniques include economic benefits that have potential to reduce poverty and improve local livelihoods.
The Amazon Rainforest stores billions of tons of carbon and provides ecosystem services to the entire planet. Protection and long-term management of these tropical forests benefits all life on the planet.
Many climate adaptation solutions already exist and positively impact global well-being
According to the report, there are feasible, effective, low-cost, low-trade-off options already available, and many include wider societal benefits. A major conclusion of the synthesis is the need to prioritize equity, climate justice, social justice, and inclusion in the near-term actions to mitigate climate change.
Focusing on societal enhancements like education, hunger, poverty, gender, and energy access can support regions and people with the highest climate change vulnerabilities. It not only supports overall societal well-being, but it can also scaffold climate adaptation development programs. Recognition of the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples is also crucial to successful adaptation across forests and other ecosystems, according to the report. This has always been a cornerstone of Nature and Culture’s work, prioritizing the needs of the local communities we work with.
Looking to communities, governments and businesses for leadership
Cooperative climate mitigation is essential. This means including climate adaptation practices that are informed by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Truly effective climate action will involve coordination among many stakeholders. A prime example of this in action is in our work on the Amazonian Platform, This is a agreement between 7 Indigenous nationalities and local governments to manage 11 million acres of the Amazon rainforest. Nature and Culture supports projects that require buy-in from varying levels of government and marketplaces and include frameworks that hear a multitude of voices, including Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
At the Shuar El Kiim Center, the first Indigenous-managed, nationally recognized conservation area is celebrated by members of the Shuar community with Nature and Culture technician, Trotsky Riera.
The climate adaptation measures we implement are done in close collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and local communities and in partnership with local government. These types of projects put people at the heart of the outcome and provide access to finance and technology that would otherwise be unavailable. They often also provide other economic benefits, such as food and water security and improve the overall health of the human populations while safeguarding biodiversity and promoting carbon sequestration.
Please join us in safeguarding our climate future by making a donation today!
Peruvians are a resilient, united, strong, and proudly biodiverse country. We have shown that together we are capable of making small actions to generate big changes. On International Forest Day we want to recognize the efforts of Peruvians who joined the “Plant a tree and sow life” campaign.
A few months ago, we involved the general public in Peru in the “Plant a tree and sow life” campaign with the aim of giving back to the forest of the peasant communities of Llamapampa La Jalca and San Pedro de Chuquibamba in Amazonas and thereby recovering ecosystem services such as climate control, water regulation, and flood control.
This campaign was born as part of an agreement between the Amazon Voluntary Conservation Network – AMA, which brings together voluntary conservation initiatives, and Nature and Culture International, which works in the Private Conservation Areas of both communities.
#Residents of the communities of Llamapampa La Jalca and San Pedro de Chuquibamba in Amazonas who took part in the campaign
During the campaign, the main protagonists were the residents of the communities, who took care of the native plants in the community, until they had the resources to move them to the forest and plant them in degraded areas. Now, these trees are monitored and receive the necessary care to develop.
#Napoleón Vega Escobedo took part in the campaign
We spoke with Napoleón Vega Escobedo, president of the Palmira Forestry-Agricultural Association, in the Leymebamba district, and he describes the campaign as an opportunity to strengthen the propagation of native and medicinal species, the latter with added value for marketing.
Thanks to the “Plant a tree and sow life” campaign, dozens of Peruvians did their bit to maintain the good condition of the forest, improve the climatic conditions for humanity and the hundreds of animals that live in both ACPs, because there they find necessary food and ideal setting to reproduce.
As a supporter of Nature and Culture, take a moment to review our impact in 2022!
Our 2022 Annual Impact Report is a testament to our commitment to community-based conservation. As trailblazers in this field, the well-being of local communities is as important as protecting and conserving natural resources. For us, those go hand in hand.
Our work is organized into 5 key strategy areas: wild places, climate, water, people, and species. As you read through this report, you’ll see how our team approaches our projects through these lenses, ensuring the long term overall health of the areas we protect.
Please remember that none of this would be possible without the generous support we’ve received from so many of you!
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Nature and Culture attends COP27, the U.N. climate conference held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, November 6 – 18, 2022.
The opportunity for Nature and Culture to attend COP, participate in the climate conversation and amplify Indigenous voices in climate action is a significant milestone for the organization.
Nature and Culture’s President & CEO, Matt Clark and Lolita Piyahuaje, Vice President of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon’s (CONFENIAE) attended the conference, speaking together on a panel about Indigenous leadership within Pastaza Province’s jurisdictional REDD+ program. This program is the first of its kind in Ecuador, bringing together 7 Indigenous nationalities, the local provincial government, CONFENIAE, and Nature and Culture International to implement activities to reduce deforestation.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”26946″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]The project provides a new set of insights into the processes and structures that allow for meaningful Indigenous participation, equitable benefit sharing, and free and prior consent, all major themes of this year’s conference.
Watch the full presentation below.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
COP27 Presentation: Indigenous Leadership in Amazonian REDD+ Program
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Providing carbon funding directly to Indigenous Peoples
The U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said earlier this year that Indigenous Peoples are “critical” to addressing climate change. Their report cited the fundamental importance of recognizing their land tenure, knowledge systems, and management of forests.
Reducing tropical deforestation can contribute as much as 20 percent of the solution to reach the U.N. Paris Accord target of halting the average global temperature to 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Indigenous Peoples live on about 60 percent of the world’s tropical forests. And they are not receiving fair compensation for the sustainable management of these forests. Of the 1.7 billion that was pledged at COP26 to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ forest tenure, only about 7 percent, of the 19 percent already delivered, has gone directly to Indigenous-led organizations.
Although a theme from years prior, the slow pace of carbon funding reaching Indigenous nationalities received particular attention at this year’s climate meeting. Lolita addressed the issue in her remarks as did numerous Indigenous speakers on other panels and workshops. Among potential solutions, they highlighted the need for two-way knowledge exchange between Indigenous and non-Indigenous actors and a joint commitment to create funding and administrative structures consistent with Indigenous forms of governance. They also stressed the importance of building the technical, administrative and financial capacity of all actors in order to facilitate direct funding to Indigenous Peoples.
On the complex nature of providing timely carbon funding directly to Indigenous Peoples Matt Clark explains, “On one hand, there’s this urgency to combat climate change. We’re rapidly blasting past the Paris Climate Accord. That goal will soon be unattainable if we don’t take drastic actions now. There’s also clearly an urgency that Indigenous Peoples feel to be compensated for conserving their forests. They’re tired of waiting. On the other hand, it’s critical to take the time to build trust and mutual understanding. Carbon markets are technically, socially, and politically COMPLICATED and the free, prior, and informed consent that Indigenous Peoples demand and deserve cannot be completed quickly.”[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”26947″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
Pastaza: a case study for Indigenous Inclusion in climate mitigation.
Nature and Culture has long-established relationships with Indigenous communities that are crucial to ensuring transparency and mutual benefit. Though a work in progress, the multi-stakeholder REDD+ Pastaza project is a good example of this.
The partnership Nature and Culture established with the provincial government of Pastaza, 7 Indigenous nationalities, and the Indigenous Confederation, CONFENIAE has led to a shared framework where all parties have endorsed guiding principles that recognize Indigenous rights.
The collaborative framework also utilizes a trust fund that accepts and channels funds to Indigenous and non-Indigenous actors alike with control and oversight from a board of directors that includes representatives of the 7 Indigenous nationalities, the Indigenous confederation, and the provincial and other local governments.
These funds are used to implement four actionable activities: restoration, conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and improvements to governance mechanisms. Throughout this process, local Indigenous communities are consulted and their Planes de Vida, or community development and territorial zoning plans according to an Indigenous worldview are incorporated into the project design.
These Planes de Vida are overseen by Indigenous representatives who understand the Indigenous worldview and can encourage further community participation.
It is important to empower women and youth. Revenues from this project may also support gender equality training, as well as improve healthcare, housing, education, better living conditions, and clean water.
Chakras, or multi-species traditional gardens, are another way funds are used which provide food security and a means for additional income. Medicinal, and/or culturally important crops can be harvested and brought to market. Furthermore, there is an interest in developing a bigger market for forest products. Products would use a ‘green seal’ that signals they are sustainably sourced from the tropical rainforests.
To have a real climate impact, Indigenous Peoples must be consulted, considered, and invited to participate as equal partners. This project in Pastaza is beginning to show that not only is that possible, but it also has direct and lasting conservation impacts.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”MAKE A GIFT TODAY” style=”custom” custom_background=”#0f7d3f” custom_text=”#ffffff” shape=”square” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fgive.natureandculture.org%2Fcampaign%2Ffight-climate-change-save-wild-places%2Fc438048%3Futm_source%3Demail2%26utm_medium%3Dblog%26c_src%3Demail2%26c_src2%3Dblog”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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Climate change adaptation, species discovery, and newly declared protected areas in Nature and Culture’s latest round-up of news from 2022.
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Our strength as an organization lies within the passion of people around the globe who share our same dream. As part of the Nature and Culture community, you help us achieve so much — diverse vibrant cultures; wild places alive with plants and animals, and clean water and other ecosystem services for communities throughout Latin America. Thank you!
President and CEO of Nature and Culture International
Matt started with Nature and Culture in 2015, as an advisor in the Loja, Ecuador office. For seven years prior to that, he was the Executive Director of the Johnson Creek Watershed Council, a conservation organization in his native Portland, Oregon and also served as treasurer on the board of an Oregon-wide network of conservation entities. Additionally, he’s worked extensively for Native American tribal governments in the US, supporting their treaty fishing and water rights. Matt first fell in love with Latin America — its vibrant cultures, stunning landscapes and incredible biodiversity — while in Honduras in the 1990s as a Peace Corps volunteer. He has a BA from Stanford University in English Literature and Human Biology and a Master’s in Environmental Management from Yale University.
Tropical forests have been in the headlines a lot recently, for all the wrong reasons. Wildfires, illegal deforestation, difficult politics, and the list goes on. However, amidst all the doom and gloom, there are also reasons for hope. One such bright spot is the multi-stakeholder efforts gaining traction in the Pastaza region of Ecuador.
But first, a step back. Why tropical forests? Because, at the moment, tropical deforestation puts only slightly less carbon pollution into the atmosphere than does the United States (and more than the entire European Union combined). Stopping tropical deforestation means keeping carbon out of the atmosphere and is one of the best nature-based solutions we have against climate change. By one estimate, tropical forests could contribute more than 20% of the climate mitigation needed to keep average global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius, the target agreed to in the Paris Climate Agreement.
Thankfully, the global community is taking action on tropical deforestation. For example, the Leaf Coalition, a public – private partnership of governments, businesses, and non-governmental organizations (including among the world’s largest) recently pledged $1 billion to protect tropical forests. The idea that tropical forests are critical to maintaining a livable, or at least comfortable, future on this planet is mainstream now, as it should be.
Despite the urgency, it behooves us to pause and consider not just why to protect tropical forests but how to do so most effectively. Otherwise, we risk pouring money into strategies that don’t work. There’s a saying that the Amazon rainforest is where conservation projects go to die. While I don’t take such a pessimistic view, conservation in the Amazon is complex for myriad reasons: conflicting legal systems, global commodity pressures, dams, roads and other infrastructure, corruption, gold-mining mafias. The list goes on.
“Indigenous peoples have lived on their lands, including those in tropical forests, since time immemorial and they know how to take care of them.”
To save tropical rainforests, let Indigenous peoples lead the effort. That’s the punchline of this essay. Indigenous peoples have lived on their lands, including those in tropical forests, since time immemorial and they know how to take care of them. When RAISG, a consortium of non-governmental organizations mapped and analyzed deforestation trends in the Amazon rainforest, they found that Indigenous territories there had lower deforestation rates even than protected areas. Indigenous peoples truly are nature’s greatest guardians.
This is easy to say but much harder to put into practice. There are entrenched political and economic interests that are indifferent or even hostile to meaningful, rights-based participation by Indigenous peoples because that would disrupt lucrative activities on Indigenous lands (that Indigenous peoples often don’t benefit from). Even when intentions are good, it’s a challenge to foster participatory decision-making that centers Indigenous needs, wants, and worldviews. It can be done though. Pastaza, a province in the Ecuadorian Amazon, shows how.
More than a decade ago, the Pastaza Provincial Government began incorporating conservation principles into the province’s Zoning and Development Plan. Concurrently, several of Pastaza’s Indigenous nationalities began, with Nature and Culture International’s support, enrolling portions of their lands into Ecuador’s SocioBosque program, which pays communities for conserving their communal forests.
These early achievements set the stage (more below on how) for the creation, in 2017, of a 6.2-million-acre provincial protected area. Subsequently, the partners in this effort — the provincial government, Pastaza’s seven Indigenous nationalities, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CONFENIAE), and several conservation NGOs — developed and are now implementing a REDD+ plan to reduce deforestation and create a conservation-based economy in the protected area.
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+ for short) is a United Nations framework intended to guide and fund developing countries in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from tropical deforestation. There’s a lively ongoing debate as to REDD+’s pros and cons. Some criticisms about REDD+ are ideological: nature shouldn’t be commodified. Some are practical: REDD+ payments are linked to reducing deforestation rates so areas with historically low deforestation have limited ability to secure REDD+ credits. In other words, REDD+ rewards improvement, not being good in the first place. One of the most salient criticisms is that, by and large, REDD+ benefits haven’t reached the Indigenous peoples who do the most to save tropical forests.
Although REDD+ has shortcomings, we should improve, not abandon it. And there are exciting advances creating REDD+ models that include Indigenous peoples in decision-making and ensure that Indigenous communities see real benefits. That’s what happening in Pastaza.
As a member of the Governors’ Climate and Forests (GCF) Task Force, the Pastaza Provincial Government has formally endorsed GCF’s Guiding Principles for Collaboration between Subnational Governments, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, as has CONFENIAE. These 13 principles, based on Indigenous rights recognition and security, participation, and benefits sharing lay out a collaborative framework between sub-national governments and Indigenous peoples to protect forests and mitigate climate change.
To operationalize these principles in Pastaza, an inclusive governance structure has been created to oversee and manage the provincial protected area and the REDD+ plan being implemented within. The governing consortium includes a Consultative Council comprising representatives of the seven Indigenous nationalities in Pastaza, each of whom have a vote, as well as a technical working group comprising 10 conservation non-profits. The Consultative Council recently forged an agreement that outlines a Free Prior and Informed Consent process before any REDD+ implementation activities proceed in indigenous territories. In terms of benefit sharing, the government, Indigenous and NGO partners in Pastaza are committed to incorporating Indigenous territorial life plans into the provincial area management plan. These life plans will be funded through REDD+.
Three other factors have contributed greatly to Pastaza’s success. First, we received generous funding support from several entities, including the Governors’ Climate Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, and Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative to develop the REDD+ Plan. Second, unlike many other Latin American countries, Ecuador has completed a national REDD+ Implementation Plan, which served as a support and guide for Pastaza’s subnational plan. And as mentioned above, efforts are being made to align provincial plans and Indigenous territorial life plans in meaningful ways. This is not to say that national, subnational and Indigenous conservation visions and policies always align, but when they do, it can have a positive amplifying effect. Last, Pastaza enjoys the peer support of the 39 other state and provincial members of the Governors’ Climate Fund.
Formal structures are important, but successful partnerships are based on trust. Twenty years ago, I heard a tribal leader from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation say in a meeting with a US government agency, “Paper doesn’t talk to me.” What he meant was that there’s no substitute for face-to-face human connections to build trust: eating together, laughing together, just sitting together.
That’s why the early activities in Pastaza were important. We phased the milestones in Pastaza sequentially and achieved them gradually. Slowly but surely, we layered success atop success. This was deliberate, to build trust. In our world of fleeting attention spans and instant gratification, this kind of patience is hard to muster and rarely aligns with short funding and political cycles. But it’s necessary if we are to achieve the lasting results we want.
