Preserving Diversity

Cordycep fungus growing out of beetle in amazon rainforest

Protecting imperiled forests

Tropical rainforests are disappearing at a rapid rate. These areas of the world are among the most diverse and biologically-rich regions, but we are losing them to industrial and small-scale extraction. Acaté seeks to preserve and protect large sections of these extraordinary forests through a combination of methods. Every day we are learning more about the benefits of protecting these lands, and seek to increase our knowledge of these imperiled places.

Indigenous Medicine

matse harvesting medicinal resin from rainforest tree photo

Maintaining self-sufficiency and preserving healing knowledge of the rainforest for future generations

Indigenous healing systems are a product of accumulated knowledge of past generations as well as deep ties—spiritual and physical—to the natural environment. Yet, in a world in which environmental and cultural change is profoundly transforming traditional societies, the healing knowledge of the shaman is rapidly disappearing.

Fostering Sustainability

Monkey frog phyllomedusa bicolor Acaté Amazon

Providing for sustainable existence and future

Indigenous communities and tribes in the Amazon rainforest are increasingly threatened by petroleum, timber and other resource extraction. People like the Matsés want to maintain their heritage and find sustainable means to help them thrive without selling out to corporations. We help these communities find means for improving their lives through sustainable food production, medicine cultivation, and community development.