Our goal: This project will strengthen local community-led ecotourism as a sustainable source of income, building economic resilience and supporting long term conservation. The San Antonio Annex, a small community in the cloudforests of the Pampa Hermosa district, is surrounded by the immense biodiversity of the Tropical Andes hotspot.
Supporting sustainable economic options like ecotourism motivates and empowers local people to lead conservation efforts-- to protect standing forests and regenerate degraded ones. With economic stability and the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary, local communities lead in the care and conservation of their lands, local wildlife, and natural resources.
We coordinate workshops and apprenticeships to expand the community’s capacity for ecotourism management and to build local economic security.
We work directly with San Antonio tourism managers to design and implement comprehensive plans for the community’s tourism sector, while ensuring the participation of San Antonio residents.
Complemented by our biodiversity research in the area, the project also increases local environmental awareness and motivates local-led sustainable forest management.