USAID Grant Boosts ACA’s Work in SW Amazonia

April 22, 2007

Red line indicates core program areas; yellow line indicates areas of influence

Last October a consortium of leading conservation organizations comprised of ACA, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law, Fundación Puma, and the Fondo de las Americas, was awarded nearly eight million dollars by USAID as part of the Amazon Basin Conservation Initiative.

The funds will support an ambitious binational initiative across the Río Madre de Dios watershed, home to two national parks of global importance: Manu in Peru and Madidi in Bolivia.  The five-year initiative is designed to help mitigate imminent threats related to large-scale infrastructure projects like highway construction and oil and gas exploration, by strengthening local organizations that promote protected areas and the sustainable use of natural resources.  ACA’s long-term support of Brazil nut collectors along SE Peru’s soon-to-be-paved Interoceanic Highway is one of many projects that will receive a helping hand from ABCI.

The project will be getting up to speed in 2007, so stay tuned for more news in the next newsletter!