Forest Conservation Planning in the Ecuadorian Choco Forest, Year 3

The Pinchot Institute for Conservation has been awarded a third year of funding for Amy Rogers as Project Director, continuing to develop a conservation program for the Mache-Chindul Reserve in Ecuador focusing on reforestation and, this year, testing the concept of environmental mortgages.  Amy has established a conservation program in the Esmeraldas Province in Ecuador focusing on two primary goals:  to understand forest regeneration ecology in the Choco Forest, and to undertake reforestation and conservation strategies in a way that also supports local stewardship and economic development so that forest-based livelihoods can be sustainable and meet forest conservation goals.  This year, Amy will work with Switzer Fellow Josh Donlan of Advanced Conservation Strategies, to test the concept of 'environmental mortgages' as a way to create these sustainable livelihoods.