Project Summary:

The indigenous Ashaninka communities of Cutivireni, Parijaro and Camantavishi are guardians of 54,000 hectares of Peruvian Amazon rainforest. While most of the neighbouring communities have entered into contracts with logging companies, these Ashaninka have taken another route whereby they earn an income for protecting their forest on behalf of all of us. These payments for ecosystem services (PES) are already funded, supporting the community to protect 54,000 hectares of rainforest and improve education and business opportunities especially for women and young people.

The Ashaninka  communities  have established Tsimi – the Ashaninka Bioclimatic Association – to provide transparency and accountability for the income they are earning from avoided deforestation.  Tsimi prioritises community fund investment and sustainable forest management and is constructing an office and demonstration centre for sustainable forest management in Cutivireni, which will be used to share lessons learned over the last 4 years.  Online research and part of this dissemination with be via a solar powered satellite link from their office. It is this satellite internet system that the community are seeking support from Size of Wales for. It will enable the Ashaninka to share their story with the outside world and to learn from how other indigenous communities are protecting their forests without losing out.