Equator Initiative

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Asociación Comunitaria "Bolívar Tello Cano" is reducing deforestation by providing a sustainable income-generation activity for local indigenous communities that does not require cutting down trees. The association has worked with researchers to pioneer a technique to extract the essential oils from the seeds of the Palo Santo tree. The oil has commercial value for use in perfumes and food flavoring, and is being harvested and marketed by a community-owned company.

Since 2001 Heiveld Co-operative has worked with small-scale rooibos tea farmers to provide organic and fair trade certification, as well as support with market access. In response to climate variability, farmers are cultivating drought-resistant varieties of rooibos. Collaborative work with research institutes has led to an industry-wide code of conduct on the sustainable harvesting and production of rooibos. The cooperative invests revenues back into community water access, education and health projects.

The Community Kampung is dedicated to highlighting the importance of local community action to biodiversity conservation and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Poverty-environment linkages will be a central theme, as will be the topics of social inclusion, participation and gender equity. Other themes to be explored in the Kampung include the nexus of people and protected areas, community leadership in conservation area planning and management, the role of Indigenous and Mobile Peoples in conservation, poverty eradication and eco-agriculture.

An indigenous community conserved area, Comunidad Indígena de Manquemapu works on sustainable forest management and marine resource conservation as a way of meeting the economic needs of resident indigenous communities. Born of external threats from extractive industries, this community-based group is effectively managing a large area of larch wood forest by focusing on sustainable production practices and the marketing of local products.

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