EcoLogic Development Fund (EcoLogic), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States, advances conservation of critical natural resources in rural Latin America by promoting sustainable livelihoods and strengthening community participation in environmental stewardship. EcoLogic was established to fulfill a mandate voiced by indigenous and environmental leaders at the 1992 Earth Summit to reduce the destruction of significant tropical ecosystems by advancing economic development and self-determination among communities living in and around threatened habitats. EcoLogic partners with local organizations to promote community-based management of forests and coastal ecosystems, often at the level of microwatersheds; direct water sources and the land cover that helps recharge and clean the water. Since 1993, EcoLogic has provided direct technical and financial assistance to over 5,000 rural communities and has helped to protect 2,000 water sources throughout Latin America.[1]
EcoLogic Development Fund is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower rural and indigenous people to restore and protect tropical ecosystems in Central America and Mexico.
The Impact of Poverty on Biodiversityedit
Latin America is home to some of the greatest biodiversity of plants and animals but also some of the poorest people in the western hemisphere. EcoLogic is motivated by the belief that resource use associated with conditions of poverty (slash and burn agriculture, clearcutting, overfishing) places tremendous pressure on fragile ecosystems. Similar threats are posed by ecologically unsustainable activities in mining, agribusiness, and oil exploration. It is the balance between human needs and environmental imperatives that EcoLogic finds most compelling in addressing the future of the planet.[2] In its 2007 State of the World's Forests report, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization found that in the last 15 years, Latin America has lost over 158,000,000 acres (640,000 km2) of forest. Central America alone has lost 19%, the largest percentage for the region. This habitat devastation accelerates the loss of species, endangers critical sources of safe water, and contributes the massive release of greenhouse gases that exacerbates global warming.[3]
Mitigating climate changeedit
One approach that EcoLogic uses to address the anticipated challenges of climate change is to plant and protect trees that store the carbon dioxide our society produces (CO2 sequestration). Tropical forests have been identified as especially effective areas to serve this function. EcoLogic's conservation efforts in the heavily forested areas of Latin America are leading the way in the introduction of sequestration as a solution to local conservation efforts and global environmental well-being.[4]
Community self-determinationedit
EcoLogic takes a people-centered approach to the conservation of tropical and semi-tropical habitats, holding that conservation efforts too often impose restrictions that fail to take into account the needs of people living in and around threatened areas. A goal of long-term, effective stewardship requires understanding and integrating local needs. Additionally, EcoLogic recognizes that local people are often excluded from important decisions regarding their land, resulting in resource extraction from which they see little benefit. Thus, EcoLogic employs a strategy of community-led resource management by encouraging those closest to the land to steward resources that meet their needs and in ways that are ecologically compatible.
Highlighted Results for Conservation and Communitiesedit
Between 1993 and 2013, EcoLogic worked with 627 rural and indigenous communities in Central America and Mexico, planted 1,319,500 trees for reforestation and watershed rehabilitation, and built 2,500 fuel-efficient stoves.[5]
EcoLogic's Belizean partner Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM), along with other indigenous groups in southern Belize, won a landmark legal victory in the Supreme Court of Belize that recognizes indigenous land rights around the Sarstoon Temash National Park.[6]
In Totonicapán, Guatemala, introducing a new tray-based system instead of plastic bags to raise seedlings increased planting rates from 30 seedlings per day to 360, and plant survival rates from 60% to a stunning 98%.
In 2013, EcoLogic was chosen as one of the top 10 finalists for the Solution Search: Adapting to a Changing Climate contest, sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and Rare for their work in watershed management in northern Honduras with their local partner in the area, the Association of Water Councils in the Southern Sector of Pico Bonito National Park (AJAASSPIB).[7]
Partnershipsedit
Association of Water Committees of the Southern Sector of Pico Bonito National Park (AJAASSPIB)
Regional Environmental Collaborative for the Chinantla Region of Oaxaca, Mexico (FARCO)
Mayan Association for Well-Being in the Sarstun Region (APROSARSTUN)
Municipalities of the Central Atlantida Department (MAMUCA) (Honduras)
Municipality of Olanchito (MACO)
Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM)
The Natural Resource Council of the Mayors of the 48 Cantons of Totonicapan
The Northern Border Municipalities Alliance (MFN)
UniversalGiving, an online nonprofit organization to raise fund for EcoLogic project.
Fundación Parque Nacíonal Pico Bonito 2009-02-08 at the Wayback Machine
Pronatura Veracruz
Ak'Tenamit
January 01, 1970
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources EcoLogic Development Fund news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message EcoLogic Development Fund EcoLogic a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization based in Cambridge Massachusetts in the United States advances conservation of critical natural resources in rural Latin America by promoting sustainable livelihoods and strengthening community participation in environmental stewardship EcoLogic was established to fulfill a mandate voiced by indigenous and environmental leaders at the 1992 Earth Summit to reduce the destruction of significant tropical ecosystems by advancing economic development and self determination among communities living in and around threatened habitats EcoLogic partners with local organizations to promote community based management of forests and coastal ecosystems often at the level of microwatersheds direct water sources and the land cover that helps recharge and clean the water Since 1993 EcoLogic has provided direct technical and financial assistance to over 5 000 rural communities and has helped to protect 2 000 water sources throughout Latin America 1 EcoLogic Development FundFormation1993 31 years ago 1993 TypeNonprofitTax ID no 25 1704582Legal status501 c 3 FocusConservation Reforestation Microwatershed management Community self determinationHeadquartersCambridge MassachusettsRegionLatin AmericaMethodPromoting sustainable livelihoods Payment for Ecosystem Services PES Linking environmental stewardship to economic developmentWebsitehttps www ecologic org Contents 1 Mission and Motivation 1 1 Mission 1 2 The Impact of Poverty on Biodiversity 1 3 Mitigating climate change 1 4 Community self determination 2 Highlighted Results for Conservation and Communities 3 Partnerships 4 References 5 External linksMission and Motivation editMission edit EcoLogic Development Fund is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower rural and indigenous people to restore and protect tropical ecosystems in Central America and Mexico The Impact of Poverty on Biodiversity edit Latin America is home to some of the greatest biodiversity of plants and animals but also some of the poorest people in the western hemisphere EcoLogic is motivated by the belief that resource use associated with conditions of poverty slash and burn agriculture clearcutting overfishing places tremendous pressure on fragile ecosystems Similar threats are posed by ecologically unsustainable activities in mining agribusiness and oil exploration It is the balance between human needs and environmental imperatives that EcoLogic finds most compelling in addressing the future of the planet 2 In its 2007 State of the World s Forests report the UN s Food and Agriculture Organization found that in the last 15 years Latin America has lost over 158 000 000 acres 640 000 km2 of forest Central America alone has lost 19 the largest percentage for the region This habitat devastation accelerates the loss of species endangers critical sources of safe water and contributes the massive release of greenhouse gases that exacerbates global warming 3 Mitigating climate change edit One approach that EcoLogic uses to address the anticipated challenges of climate change is to plant and protect trees that store the carbon dioxide our society produces CO2 sequestration Tropical forests have been identified as especially effective areas to serve this function EcoLogic s conservation efforts in the heavily forested areas of Latin America are leading the way in the introduction of sequestration as a solution to local conservation efforts and global environmental well being 4 Community self determination edit EcoLogic takes a people centered approach to the conservation of tropical and semi tropical habitats holding that conservation efforts too often impose restrictions that fail to take into account the needs of people living in and around threatened areas A goal of long term effective stewardship requires understanding and integrating local needs Additionally EcoLogic recognizes that local people are often excluded from important decisions regarding their land resulting in resource extraction from which they see little benefit Thus EcoLogic employs a strategy of community led resource management by encouraging those closest to the land to steward resources that meet their needs and in ways that are ecologically compatible Highlighted Results for Conservation and Communities editBetween 1993 and 2013 EcoLogic worked with 627 rural and indigenous communities in Central America and Mexico planted 1 319 500 trees for reforestation and watershed rehabilitation and built 2 500 fuel efficient stoves 5 EcoLogic s Belizean partner Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management SATIIM along with other indigenous groups in southern Belize won a landmark legal victory in the Supreme Court of Belize that recognizes indigenous land rights around the Sarstoon Temash National Park 6 In Totonicapan Guatemala introducing a new tray based system instead of plastic bags to raise seedlings increased planting rates from 30 seedlings per day to 360 and plant survival rates from 60 to a stunning 98 In 2013 EcoLogic was chosen as one of the top 10 finalists for the Solution Search Adapting to a Changing Climate contest sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and Rare for their work in watershed management in northern Honduras with their local partner in the area the Association of Water Councils in the Southern Sector of Pico Bonito National Park AJAASSPIB 7 Partnerships editAssociation of Water Committees of the Southern Sector of Pico Bonito National Park AJAASSPIB Regional Environmental Collaborative for the Chinantla Region of Oaxaca Mexico FARCO Mayan Association for Well Being in the Sarstun Region APROSARSTUN Municipalities of the Central Atlantida Department MAMUCA Honduras Municipality of Olanchito MACO Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management SATIIM The Natural Resource Council of the Mayors of the 48 Cantons of Totonicapan The Northern Border Municipalities Alliance MFN UniversalGiving an online nonprofit organization to raise fund for EcoLogic project 8 References edit Charity Navigator Ecologic Development Fund EcoLogic Development Fund About Us Archived from the original on 2008 09 08 UN Food and Agriculture Organization 2007 State of the World s Forests Report EcoLogic Development Fund Why We Do It Archived from the original on 2008 08 09 EcoLogic Development Fund Progress 7 News Belize Mayas of Southern Belize Win Momentous Victory Against GOB a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link EcoLogic Development Fund EcoLogic One of Ten Finalists in Contest EcoLogic Development Fund Local Partners External links editEcologic Development Fund Fundacion Parque Nacional Pico Bonito Archived 2009 02 08 at the Wayback Machine Pronatura Veracruz Ak Tenamit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title EcoLogic Development Fund amp oldid 1209656855, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
