Fundación Jocotoco
Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco is a non-profit organization established in 1998 when a team of scientists discovered a previously unknown bird species in the province of Zamora Chinchipe. The species became known as the Jocotoco Antpitta, an onomatopoeia used by farmers who recognized the bird by its song. Thus, Fundación Jocotoco was born with the mission to conserve the habitat of this species, which is currently classified as endangered. This bird began a conservation movement of 15 established reserves in Ecuador, which provide natural refuge for the most threatened species and ecosystems in the country, turning hot spots into hope spots. Support Fundación Jocotoco’s conservation efforts by making a donation here and 0.5% of your purchase will go to Jocotoco.
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***Conservation, Bird conservation, wildlife conservation, endangered species, habitat conservation, ornithology
Acción Ecológica
As one of the larger environmental groups in Ecuador, Acción Ecológica has worked in a wide array of ecological sectors in order to address environmental issues in areas such as mining, petroleum, climate change, food sovereignty, and lumber extraction. For most of these topics, Acción Ecológica has multiple campaigns and projects that are currently in progress. They pride themselves in their ‘horizontal organization,’ meaning that besides administrative positions, there is a lack of hierarchy which allows for decision making to include the larger body of the organization. Their mission is to incorporate environmental justice with social progress and sustainable development.
***Communities, Food Security, Governance, Individuals
EcoCencia
EcoCiencia’s goal is to conserve biological diversity through scientific research, environmental education, and promoting sustainable ways of life between community and the environment. This is done through socio-environmental mapping, studying the risks of forest loss, and strategic partnership in communities. They achieve this by fostering an interdisciplinary team, including anthropologists, ecologists, sociologists, urban planners, and more.
***Conservation, Communities, Education, Individuals, Research
Fondo de Inversión Ambiental Sostenible
Fondo de Inversión Ambiental Sostenible is a nonprofit NGO that manages funds for environmental management initiatives aimed at conservation, sustainable use of resources, adaptation and mitigation of climate change, and more on behalf of Ecuador. They have initiated many impactful projects, including Program Amazon Without Fire (PASF) and the Socio Bosque Program. Both look at ways to tackle forest habitat protection from threats like fires and deforestation practices in different industries. They additionally work to incorporate sustainable development in local rural communities in the country in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment.
***Conservation, Climate, Communities, Governance
Naturaleza con Derechos
Naturaleza con Derechos was founded to develop legal and political strategies to guarantee the maintenance of the environment, the protection of its defenders, and the sanctity of territories. Specifically, they confront problems such as deforestation by large-scale agro-industrial plantations, extractive activities and damming. Naturaleza con Derechos works with indigenous women, children, and populations to link their community to nature and to strengthen their roles as defenders of the environment. They have collaborated with Acción Ecológica and the Waorani tribe to help stop the China National Petroleum Corporation from polluting native territory during oil extraction.
***Conservation, Deforestation, Governance, Indigenous Communities, Public Participation
Red de Guardianes de Semillas
Red de Guardianes de Semillas (RGS) highlights and encourages appreciation for agriculture by leading initiatives celebrating ancestral Ecuadorian seeds and their vibrant diversity. Their work centers around research, implementation and promotion of Regenerative Lifestyle Systems, and in eco-social regeneration. Towards these ends RGS conducts workshops, Zoom webinars, and community family meetings on topics such as permaculture, agroecology, bio-construction, food sovereignty, solidarity economy, and alternatives in education. They work to provide community members with the knowledge to lead environmental projects themselves. The full array of resources can be located on the organization’s website, where one can learn about indigenous roots behind ingredient uses, watch professional chefs cook with ancestral seeds, and learn how to grow and cultivate these seeds sustainably.
***Individuals, Indigenous Communities
Fundación Altropico
Fundación Altropico is an Ecuadorian NGO founded in 1992 that takes a multidisciplinary approach to aiding local Indigenous and rural organizations and communities. Their work centers around three axes that have significant overlap: the social axis, the economic axis, and the environmental axis. All of the work in these areas though are aimed at the same goal of helping underserved communities in Ecuador and Colombia. In the social area, they have sought to promote democracy, gender equality, and youth leadership in Indigenous communities. On the economic side, they have partnered with young entrepreneurs looking to make a positive impact and financed banks for communities. The environment is where the organization has done the most work, where they have created and managed protected areas, equipped communities for sustainable resource use, and led important environmental education efforts.
National Organizations
