We do not see conservation and community wellbeing as competing goals. Forest can only be safeguarded in a sustainable way, if the people who live in the protected area or in its direct vicinity benefit from its protection.
A good starting point is education: local schools near our project areas are including sustainability and sustainable forestry into their curricula, turning the forest next door into a living classroom.
Also, our projects directly improve the livelihoods of the surrounding communities, from the water sources families depend on to job opportunities in ecotourism and nature protection. These livelihood improvements are reported and independently verified under the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Standard alongside our carbon and biodiversity results.
Neighbouring farmers benefit too: forest protection secures the water sources their agriculture depends on, while rangers reduce the risk of fires spreading onto surrounding fields.
One Protected Forest, Five Social Benefits
Protecting the Yungas forests doesn’t just safeguard climate and biodiversity, it creates concrete, everyday value for the people who live close to it.