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Since 1989 Ancient Forest International has been instrumental in the protection and acquisition of nearly a million acres of primary temperate rainforests in Chile, Tasmania and Ecuador. Our strength is in building coalitions and networking in both North and South America. We are now working in Mexico and California helping to inform, coordinate, and implement the acquisition phase of the Wildlands Campaign. The Ancient Forest Initiative for the Americas (AFIA) is our contribution to the vision of the Wildlands Campaign. After years of almost exclusive dedication to establishing firm footing for our ongoing projects in Chile and Ecuador, we are prepared to represent specific acquisitions and their development plans to funders. With a fresh, committed team of experienced bilingual forest activists, modest support for communication, travel, administration and field work, will leverage great gains in habitat conservation. AFI is positioned to advocate for some of the most diverse, endangered and extensive primary forests in the temperate and tropical worlds, to facilitate their protection, and to help implement their stewardship. AFI's role in any given forest project is to convene the three principle elements (forest, funder, and steward) and to remain involved, helping the projects succeed over time. Each forest protected requires an accompanying education and permaculture programs in order to achieve sustainability and socio economic relevance. The ecological criteria for our preservation targets are scientifically determined. Along with high biodiversity, rare and endangered ecosystems, and strategic geographic position, other priorities are sizable acreage, low price, cooperative government agencies and policies, proven stewards and managers, familiarity with key NGO's, associated groups and forest activist leaders, and the health and integrity of the forest itself. Our involvement with these forests proceeds from investigation, outreach, and negotiation, from identifying stewards and title-holders, to developing acquisition strategies and management plans, contributing to national and local education efforts, and working on the self-support plans. We are guided by two well-learned lessons: 1) title must pass to a reputable, official(legally recognized), and qualified in-country steward; and 2) protection requires funding both the purchase price and a minimally sustaining endowment to assure essential management, infrastructure, and educational outreach. |
