By Robin Van Loon | Executive Director
Dear friends,
Each year Camino Verde grows a little more thanks to you. That growth means trees planted, rainforests protected, and native communities strengthened. While many organizations carry out elaborate fundraising activities at this time of year, we’re hoping that you’ll agree that in some things, less is more.
Rather than bombard your inbox with obnoxious repeated reminders, I want to take a brief moment of your time to state the obvious: as a donor-funded non-profit organization, we rely on the support of our network to keep us strong. There’s no doubt about it: this year has been unusual in many regards and economically challenging for many of us, including our organization.
I’m particularly grateful for your support when times are uncertain and lean. As the year wraps up and we plan for 2018, this is an especially welcome time to make your tax-deductible contribution through GlobalGiving.
This message isn’t only about raising support though. Let me share one piece of news that has been a long time coming. The brand new and beautiful CaminoVerde.org is here at last! We’re excited to share the new look! Make sure to drop me a line and let me know how it looks.
Now on to some other updates and a quick glance at 2018.
Updates 2017
-Camino Verde Baltimori reforestation center was transformed in 2017. With new infrastructure in place including staff and visitor quarters and solar panels installed, the unique example of this living seed bank for over 400 species of trees is now more accessible than ever to visit. Oh yeah, and we planted over 5,000 of trees there this year.
-Camino Verde La Joya nursery is now producing over 20,000 seedlings a year! – over 100 species of trees. Our alliance with CINCIA (Wake Forest University’s Amazon research institute) has allowed us to find homes for over half of these seedlings in areas that were clear cut and severely degraded by gold mining. Next year we plan to produce more seedlings and impact more once and future rainforest.
-In addition to seedling sales from our nurseries, we’re diversifying our funding in other ways. That means your donation will go 100% to program work – none to admin. In 2017 we made our biggest export of essential oils to date. And our consultations and work with partner companies has grown in significance. We’re proud to be able to offer our donors the assurance that all funds will go directly to rainforest restoration work.
Plans for 2018
-Our work with Amazonian Farmer Innovators is growing. In 2017 we worked with a select group of farmer leaders in our area to establish economically-productive restoration areas on their farms. In 2018 we plan to grow the farmer group, connecting conscious supply chains to rainforest farmers who are doing it right.
-We envision the Camino Verde La Joya nursery to expand in impact next year. As we crank up the numbers for seedlings produced and species represented, we’re also planting more at the nursery site, building it into a reforestation center in its own right. Close to the regional capital of Puerto Maldonado, the La Joya center will help spread our regenerative models (and seedlings themselves) to more would-be tree planters in the Peruvian Amazon.
-Our close collaboration with the Center for Amazon Community Ecology (CACE) is just getting closer. With a network of native communities in Northern Peru’s Loreto region, working with CACE has made Camino Verde into a truly regional organization with impact throughout the Peruvian Amazon. Expect to hear more about our partnership this year.
-While it’s too soon to unveil the details, we’re in conversations with one of our partner companies about undertaking an ambitious reforestation effort to bring trees back to an area of 200 acres (80 ha) of degraded ranch land. This will be our largest scale reforestation so far – and the best part is that it won’t require a cent of donor funds.
There’s no future without forests. So thank you – for your support, for your passion, and for your wisdom in wanting to help protect and restore one of the greatest treasures of our planet, the Amazon rainforest. We couldn’t do it without you, nor would we want to. Together, let’s make 2018 a year of transformation. Make a donation today and leave your mark on the rainforest!
Best regards from Tambopata, Peru. In gratitude,
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