On May 26 and June 17, 2020, Letters of Intent for the restoration of degraded areas were signed by the Ministry of Environment and Water (MAAE) and three indigenous organizations of the Ecuadorian Amazon: Pueblo Kichwa de Rukullakta, Comuna San Jacinto del Pindo and Comuna Ancestral Kichwa de Canelos. This action is part of the activities promoted by the Comprehensive Amazon Program for Forest Conservation and Sustainable Production, PROAmazonía to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Under an alliance with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment and Water has been executing PROAmazonía since 2017, with the aim of implementing the REDD+ Action Plan “Bosques del Buen Vivir” 2016-2025.

The signing took place through virtual events with the participation of Authorities and Presidents of Indigenous Organizations and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, UNDP, CONFENIAE, ALTROPICO Foundation and PROAmazonía.

With the signing of these Letters of Intent, the execution of a project for the restoration of degraded areas began; that is, wooded areas that have been affected and need to be recovered. Under this initiative 7,601 hectares will be recovered in Pastaza and Napo provinces.

A total of approximately 10,000 inhabitants of the three Amazonian organizations will benefit through the generation of temporary and permanent jobs, the improvement of local nurseries, support for bio-enterprises and the recovery of ecosystem services, such as water quantity and quality, biodiversity and the reduction of soil erosion. The project includes alternatives to the use of timber and non-timber forest products, improving the living conditions of indigenous organizations and promoting the sustainability of restored areas. The project seeks to ensure long-term conservation processes through inter-institutional management and the strengthening of the community’s social organization.

As a mechanism to strengthen the administrative, financial and technical capacities of the three Amazonian organizations during the implementation of the restoration project, this initiative will be carried out with the support of the Foundation for the Development of Community Alternatives for Conserving the Tropics – ALTRÓPICO, a non-governmental organization with experience and expertise in environmental issues and organizational strengthening. To carry out this inter-institutional collaboration, the United Nations Development Program – UNDP signed a Responsible Party Agreement with ALTRÓPICO. The project is part of an institutional collaboration agreement with the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon – CONFENIAE.

The project will begin with Free, Prior and Informed Consultation in the three Amazonian organizations, thus complying with the guidelines of the REDD+ Forests for Good Living Action Plan. It has also begun hiring of local personnel for implementation, and in the coming weeks it will carry out georeferencing of the areas and agreements with the beneficiaries. All these activities will be implemented under strict biosecurity measures through a work protocol, including virtual meetings and workshops as much as possible.

In this way, PROAmazonía is continuing to support the conservation and restoration of the forests of the Ecuadorian Amazon, benefiting the inhabitants of the area with this initiative and guaranteeing that this natural lung will remain for current and future generations.

•   Photograph by Alejandro Alfaro