In southern Ecuador’s Andean Dry Forest, we restore degraded landscapes while empowering the communities who depend on them. In Tumianuma, our work has planted 25,000+ native trees and established women-led agroforestry plots that improve food security and generate income.

Yet, ecological recovery cannot endure without economic resilience. Our central challenge is the lack of sustainable revenue streams for local families, which threatens long-term stewardship. To solve this, we are launching a community-based tourism initiative.

Prize funding will directly bridge the capacity gap: training local women and youth as certified eco-guides, supporting families to safely host visitors, and completing low-impact mountain trails.

This creates a self-reinforcing cycle: healthy ecosystems attract responsible travelers, visitor spending supports local households, and economic ownership ensures the forest remains protected.

By integrating reforestation, agroecology, and ethical tourism, we prove that conservation and community prosperity must grow together. Your support will transform this vision into a replicable model of lasting resilience.