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Puerto Misahualli | ECUADOR |
Agro-ecological plantations and preservation of biodiversity |
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Created in 2001, Trésor de Nature aims to preserve and restore biodiversity. Since 2021, the association has also had an Ecuadorian legal structure, the Tesoro de Naturaleza foundation.
In Ecuador, the association operates at the gateway to the Amazon, in Puerto Misahualli. It has a 30-hectare site there where it experiments with and promotes ecological alternatives.
GOALS
The foundation has several objectives:
– To preserve our ecosystem and biodiversity over the long term
– To help reduce greenhouse gas emissions
– Improve the living conditions of the local population by offering local jobs and training them to use their environment in a sustainable way
– Responsible farming methods: feeding the earth’s inhabitants without damaging and destroying it
– Preserve primary forests from oil exploitation and the multiple aggressions linked to our excessive consumption, which are currently damaging the Amazonian forests
– Preserve wildlife
RESOURCES
The foundation owns 30 hectares of land, 5 hectares of which is covered by primary forest. It is developing its agroforestry, permaculture and agroecology activities there.
The foundation has 2 main activities:
1/ the reforestation and planting of an agroforestry cocoa plantation with the cultivation of Ecuador’s traditional and native “Arriba National” cocoa tree, combined with trees in danger of extinction in the forests, fruit trees, timber and trees of noble species
2/ the creation of a protected area to preserve flora and fauna
The population is also seeking to train the local population in the traditional processes used to obtain better quality cocoa (collecting the pods, fermentation, drying and selecting the beans), which have been forgotten and replaced by industrial techniques aimed at making a profit, sometimes to the detriment of nature. People need to be able to reintroduce these methods, which will enable them to add value to their cocoa and sell their cocoa beans more profitably.
OUR IMPACT
International Impact supports the Tesoro de Naturaleza foundation by enabling it to take on several civic service volunteers each year. These volunteers take part in various activities (soil preparation and planting, raising awareness, setting up a transit shelter for animals, etc.).
Trésor de Nature also welcomes student agronomists from the Purpan engineering school every year.
Photos ©TrésordeNature, InternationalImapct
To become a volunteer with Trésor de Nature, check out our vacancies here!
To visit the association’s website, click here.