In the Bolivian Andes, a group of Indigenous women known as the Warmi Kewinas are taking the lead in restoring the native forests surrounding their community. Their name combines "warmi," meaning woman, with "kewina," the local name for the native Polylepis trees they grow and protect. In Chiaraje, Cocapata, the women collect native seeds and cuttings, raise young trees, participate in restoration training, and help return Polylepis forests to degraded mountain landscapes.
In Chiaraje, high in Bolivia's Andes, native Polylepis forests have been degraded by fire, overgrazing, land-use pressures, and climate change. Their loss threatens wildlife habitat, soils, and the health of mountain ecosystems that local families depend on. Women in the community want to restore and protect these forests but need greater access to training, seeds, nursery resources, and tools.
The Warmi Kewinas, a local women-led group, are growing and restoring native Polylepis forests in their community. With support from Faunagua and Accion Andina, they collect seeds and cuttings, raise native trees, strengthen their restoration skills, and lead planting activities. Donations will provide training, seeds, nursery improvements, tools, and materials to expand their work.
This project invests in both forests and the women who care for them. As Polylepis forests recover, they can protect soils, provide habitat for native wildlife, and strengthen the resilience of high-Andean landscapes. Just as importantly, the Warmi Kewinas will gain skills, resources, and experience they can continue using to restore and protect their community's forests long after this project ends.
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