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Organization	Project Amazonas, Inc.
Region	Peru
Website	Website
Facebook	Facebook
Twitter	N/A
ProjectLeader	Devon Graham

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You hear a lot about Amazon DEforestation, but not much about REforestation! At our field stations we are working to grow native high quality timber, medicinal and fruit trees for reforestation of degraded areas, and to promote community-level reforestation activities. These trees sequester carbon, protect and create wildlife habitat, support biodiversity, and serve as living bank accounts for rural communities. A small investment now can result in a lifetime of benefits for the Amazon.

Challenge

Climate change and deforestation by logging, ranching, agriculture and mining are creating a double whammy in the Amazon. Lifelong residents comment that the river levels are no longer predictable, and that they have a hard time judging when to plant on the river floodplains now. Extreme dry (with extensive fires) or wet (widespread flooding) years have become noticeably more common over the past 20 years. Meanwhile climate scientists worldwide are calling for urgent and immediate action.

Long-Term Impact

George Washington's mahogany desk, purchased in 1789, is an excellent example of how tropical timber trees can lock away carbon for long periods of time. Such trees are also so valuable that they are not cut without good purpose. These are legacy trees, and planting one can provide climate and habitat benefits well beyond our individual lifetimes. Our goal is to change local perceptions that the rainforest frontier is endless, and that good forest stewardship pays big dividends over time.