Ecuador Sustainable Forests and Coasts

The Ecuador Sustainable Forests and Coasts project aims to improve income for local communities, the project helps increase their productivity and the sale of products that depend on conservation (such as organic cocoa, vegetable ivory nuts, and crabmeat). For example: helping communities meet requirements for accessing financial incentives for conservation, such as the Forest Partner Program of the Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador (MAE), which provides cash payments over 20 years for the conservation of natural forests. To access the Forest Partner Program, assistance is given for conservation area zoning and measurement, the participatory development of an investment plan for incentives, and land titling.