This article is originally by The Earthshot Prize.
ACCIÓN ANDINA IS A GRASSROOTS, COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVE WORKING ACROSS SOUTH AMERICA TO PROTECT NATIVE HIGH ANDEAN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS FOR THEIR INVALUABLE BENEFITS TO NATURE AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE REGION.
Making up just 1% of the earth’s land surface, the 7000km long (4500 miles) Andes Mountain Range is home to a rich and diverse ecosystem. Indeed, 15% of all plant and wildlife species are located here, including over 50 endangered species like the spectacled bear and the Andean condor.
Over the years, deforestation, animal grazing and mining have depleted high Andean forests, leaving behind less than 10% of the region’s native forests. As a result, much of the farmland below has grown infertile and water supplies, heavily affected by shrinking glaciers, have dwindled. This severely impacts local and indigenous communities who rely on the land for their livelihoods, as well as the water security of millions of people across the continent.
ACCIÓN ANDINA'S SOLUTION
Acción Andina, co-founded by non-profit organisations Global Forest Generation and Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos, revives the ancient Inca principles of “Ayni and Minka”, a deep commitment to working together for the common good. Their approach unites tens of thousands of people in local and indigenous communities to protect and restore the native forests and ecosystems. Work that is vital for the region’s climate resilience, water security, biodiversity, community livelihoods and indigenous culture.
The initiative provides critical resources including salary support, project and financial management, as well as technical training for local conservation leaders, organizations and communities to grow long-term land protection and restoration activities. Acción Andina works closely with local communities in the high Andes to carry out conservation activities, building powerful partnerships for future land and resource management.
“The native forests of the Andes region are not only one of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems but are also a critical tool in our fight against climate change. The knowledge and expertise of indigenous communities closest to the problem of deforestation are also the closest to the solution. We believe we must harness their knowledge and abilities for a collective and large restoration effort that puts hundreds of thousands of local people first. We are grateful to The Earthshot Prize for recognizing this work, and we share this honour with all the communities and our local partners in the Andes as well as the international community who are supporting our common goal of protecting the land we call home.” Florent Kaiser, CEO of Global Forest Generation and Constantino Aucca Chutas, President of Acción Andina
THEIR IMPACT
Acción Andina’s activities are already helping thousands of people by increasing food and water security, providing new income opportunities, and contributing to more sustainable management of natural resources. Since 2018, almost 10 million native trees have been planted by Acción Andina across five countries – restoring over 4,000 hectares of Andean forests and protecting more than 11,000 hectares of native forest.
While their impact to date is significant, Acción Andina is just getting started. By 2045, they aim to protect and restore one million hectares of high Andean, native forest ecosystems across Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
Such is their success so far, Global Forest Generation, which develops large-scale ecosystem restoration initiatives, has plans to replicate the Acción Andina model around the world to restore our most critically endangered and neglected ecosystems.
Learn more about the winner here.
Learn more about the 2023 Earthshot Prize here.
Learn more about Acción Andina here.
Learn more about Global Forest Generation here.
About the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, led by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and its partners, covers terrestrial as well as coastal and marine ecosystems. As a global call to action, it will draw together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration. Find out how you can contribute to the UN Decade. Follow #GenerationRestoration.