Conservation & Outreach

Photo by Ethan Duvall

The Yasuní National Park, located in the northern Amazon of Ecuador, is recognized as the most biodiverse area on the planet. This extraordinary natural wealth includes, of course, the native peoples who, as guardians of this priceless treasure, play an essential role in its preservation. These communities, whose subsistence depends directly on the diversity that surrounds them, are fundamental actors in the creation and execution of sustainable projects that protect both their future and that of the Amazonian ecosystems.

At the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, we are committed to promoting a post-oil development model in the northern Amazon of Ecuador. Together with local communities, we work on projects focused on Health, Education and Bioeconomy.

Within this framework, we highlight two sustainable projects led by groups of women artisans of the Kichwa and Waorani nationalities. The main objective of these initiatives is to promote sustainable economic alternatives through the commercialization of non-timber forest products

Income Generation & Community Business Capability

Menka Önko

This project aims to promote sustainable sources of economic income for the families of four Waorani communities neighboring the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, through the development and strengthening of a community enterprise based on the production of handicrafts. The elaboration of Waorani handicrafts, from fibers, seeds and natural dyes, is an ancestral practice of great social importance that has persisted through these important social transitions and has served as a reliable, albeit small, source of cash for Waorani families. In the first phase of this project, 40 women artisans were trained, focusing on improving the different weaving and dyeing techniques for the production of products that can be marketed both within and outside their territory. The Menka Önko brand is the main result of this first phase, framing the principles and values of the group, creating the first steps towards a path of empowerment and sustainability.

Apari

The Association of Artisan Women of the El Edén Community (ASOPAME), in collaboration with the Tiputini Biodiversity Station (EBT) and Canopy Bridge, launched a bioeconomy project in 2021 with funding from PROAmazonia and USFQ. The initiative focuses on producing and marketing non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to provide alternative income for artisan members and the community. In its first year, a pilot plant was established to produce chonta flour, macambo nuts, and morete pulp. Over 30 members have been trained in production processes and community business planning. The Apari brand was the main result, bringing with it elements of empowerment for women artisans.

By 2024, a new product, Sacha Aliño, was developed. The next phase focuses on training in good harvesting practices for morete and chonta fruits, which grow on 25-meter-tall palms. The project aims to innovate annually, ensuring long-term enterprise sustainability.

Waponi Kewemopa

(“I am living well”) is a One Health project launched in 2024 in collaboration with four Waorani communities living near the Tiputini Biodiversity Station. Its main goal is to promote holistic well-being through integrated practices that address human, animal, and environmental health, strengthening both quality of life and sustainability in their territories.

The project’s activities include medical brigades providing basic care for humans and veterinary brigades to deworm domestic animals (cats and dogs), and sampling for zoonotic diseases. Additionally, methodologies were designed and implemented to collect data on dangerous animal bites, creating a validated, community-driven system for ongoing information management.

Community Illustrators

From September 30 to October 3, 2024, members of the Kichwa and Waorani communities near the Tiputini Biodiversity Station participated in a Community Illustration workshop. This intergenerational event emphasized field observation techniques and the basic principles of realistic drawing. Participants practiced illustrating plants, animals, and other living organisms, gaining skills they can apply to future community projects.

Looking ahead to 2025, the project aims to continue training community illustrators, further enhancing their abilities to depict local flora and fauna.

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