ACT_2016_Annual_Report_Low_Res

2016Annual Report

Our Mission Contents 03 04 The Amazon Conservation Team Letter from the President 06 partners with indigenous and other local Scope of Work 15 communities to protect tropical forests Program Overview 18 and strengthen traditional cultures. Financial Overview 19 ACT Anniversary Gathering 22ACT President Mark Plotkin consults with reserve governor José de los Santos Sauna and Kogi traditional Our Teamauthorities Mama Shibulata and Mama Jacinto in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In MemoriamCover photo: Kogi villagers use GPS to map a sacred site, Moraka, in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

ACT Annual Report LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT | 03President’s Letter We formally adopted the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation, a rigorous and systematic approach to adaptiveThe year 2016 will mostly be remembered for a bewildering management. Learning the process was similar in some wayspresidential election, but it was also the year in which indigenous to learning ethnographic map-making, and just as arduous. Incommunities in North Dakota made headlines across the world. this method, we begin by defining the field [objectives,They peacefully protested the oil pipelines—the “black snakes” that strategies, tactics, actions, threats] and then plot out the paththreatened to poison their rivers—and called upon governments that we believe will get us to our goals. These results chains ofto recognize the right of all living beings to clean, free, and both small projects and large visions help us monitor ourabundant water. They were met with force, but persisted. The progress, evaluate results, and reevaluate our methods andpeople named themselves Water Protectors. approaches where necessary. Like our maps, they are communication devices that enable others to understand theThese are the actions of tribal people. They are not the sectarian complex moving parts of our programs.and violence-prone tribes of the popular imagination. These arecommunities who act out of profound concern for the future of We engaged Foundations of Success to mentor us through thistheir children, and for all children, wherever they may live. organizational shift. With their help, we re-articulated our vision and our theory of change. We redefined our action plans: theWe work with many tribal people. Their tribal identity teaches three essential legs of our new strategic approach arethem that their personal well-being is wholly intertwined with the governance, land [protect forests and headwaters] andhealth of their forests, fields, and rivers. When strong, they are livelihood [ensure the economic, physical, and cultural healthtenacious guardians of their territories. Across the gaping divide of the people who protect the land]. To support these legs, wethat separates our cultures, they welcome us as partners, and we also realized that we need to improve communications,are incredibly grateful to be allowed into their world. development, and our own governance.In return, we help our partner communities build capacity so they Meanwhile, our work in the field continues at its own fiercecan meet the challenges that arrive daily in their forests. This pace. Though political winds and climate change continuallymeans we encourage them to form organizations that strengthen roil the landscape, we now have new skills we can wield intraditional community bonds; to build alliances; and to articulate pursuit of our conservation goals. The resources and supporttheir plans for their future. We facilitate their e orts to acquire you have so generously contributed to ACT over the years havelegal rights to their ancestral territories. We help them transmit helped us build a network of unflinching tribal protectors thattheir traditional knowledge and culture to the next generation. will fight for their land and water—and our children’s future—These tactics are part of a strategy we call governance. with their lives. They tell us to take heart, because we are all in this together.In 2016, we turned twenty. As we celebrated our successes, weconsidered our twenty-first birthday, ACT’s coming-of-age. We Please read on.realized that expansion is the only way to truly and passionatelylive our vision, but in order to grow e ectively, we too had to build Mark J. Plotkincapacity. Amazon Conservation Team President

ACT Annual Report SCOPE OF WORK | 04Scope of Work GUYANA ACT Work Area SURINAME Protected Area VENEZUELA Indigenous Reserve COLOMBIA FRENCH GUIANAECUADOR BRAZILPERU BOLIVIA

ACT Annual Report SCOPE OF WORK | 05COLOMBIA SURINAMEExisting Work Area Existing Work Area Work Area Expansion 2017Work Area Expansion 2017 Sierra Nevada Protected Area de Santa Marta South Suriname Conservation Corridor Legally Recognized Indigenous ReserveNational ParkIndigenous Reserve Caribbean Sea Barranquilla Valledupar Cartagena Nickerie Paramaribo Totness Lelydorp Moengo Paranam GUYANA Zanderij Albina Montería Río M agdalena VENEZUELA Kwakugron M arowijn e Ri Paramillo ver Apura Lower Saramacca FRENCH GUIANA Río Atrato e Ri ver Nw. Jacobkondre Langatabiki Brownsweg Antioquia Bucaramanaga Coppena m Sa ra m El Cocuy Central cca R i v er BrownsbergPacific Ocean Medellin a Brokopondo reservoir Pereira Ibagué Río M eta Cor a nti j n Ri ver Pusugrunu Surina me River Atjoni Vichada Upper Saramacca Gonini Mofo Bogotá Suriname Dritabiki Villavicencio Rí o Gua viar e iverTapanahony Ri ver Puinawai Law COLOMBIA SURINAME aR Coer oen i Ri ver Cali La San José Amotopo Nature Apetina Kawemhakan Neiva Macarena del Guaviare Curuni Apetina Popayán Nukak Río Inirida Curuni Palumeu Reserve Tepu Kawemhakan Tepu Pelelu Tepu Pasto Mitú Kwamalasamutu Oelem a ri R i ver Litani River Río Vaupés M arowini River Andes-Amazon Alalapadu Transition Area ChiribiqueteECUADOR La Paya B oven Cor a n t ijn River Río Put Yaigoje BRAZIL Middle á Caquetá uma yo Apaporis Kwamalasamutu R í o Ca quet Cahuinarí Sipaliwini Sipaliwini Sipaliwini Puré River Urunai PERU BRAZIL Leticia 0 km 100 200 300 400 0 km 30 60 90 120 100 150 200 0 miles 20 40 60 0 miles 50

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 06New Strategic DirectionsThrough our newly developed three-pronged strategicapproach to conservation, focusing on land, livelihoods,and governance, ACT is working with our partners to attainthese aspirations while strengthening their traditions.Promote Sustainable Land Strengthen Communities’ Promote Communities’and Resource Management Internal Governance and Secure and SustainableEnsures the protection, stewardship and Traditions Livelihoodsrecovery of prioritized landscapes, includingthe biodiversity and natural resources they Increases the self-determination of our partner Improves the local economy and livelihoodencompass. communities. conditions within our partner communities through environmentally and socially sustainable means.

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 07Strategic Focus: LANDCOLOMBIAMulti-Tier Agreement to Benefit Indigenous ReservesIn the department (state) of Antioquia, there are currently of the 36 reserves. Additionally, complementary food36 unresolved expansion and establishment processes security and sustainable livelihood activities will befor indigenous reserves, some of them with applications implemented, linking and validating ACT methodologiesdating back 20 years. Through the signing in 2016 of a used in other areas of the country. Stemming from thiscollaboration agreement between the Indigenous A airs partnership, ACT accepted the formal request of theO ce of Antioquia and the National Lands Agency, ACT Agency to support its Pacts for the Earth strategy, a nationalis currently supporting the requests of Zenú and Emberá post-conflict initiative to spur wide-scale formal recognitioncommunities for the titling, expansion and establishment of land tenure for Colombia’s rural inhabitants.36 reserve expansion and establishment processes supportedIndigenous dwelling in the department of Antioquia, Colombia

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 08 Strategic Focus: LAND 27 Indigenous RangersSURINAME trainedCollaborative Biodiversity Wayana ranger Hendrik Neni sets a camera trap in Apetina, Suriname to assist biodiversity monitoring.Monitoring in RainforestsOver the past two years, with partners, ACT has trained27 Amazon Conservation Rangers of the Trio and Wayanaindigenous communities of Suriname in sustainablemanagement of the forest as a natural resource. Therangers are local monitors appointed by theircommunities to prevent the entry of outsiders, promotefood security and income generation, and protectessential local forest species.Simultaneously, with ACT’s input, a research teamconsisting of Rangers and students from the University ofUtrecht has collected data on the status of the forest,wildlife and other biodiversity elements. In the process,ACT has sought to increase the interest of local youth instudying forest, nature and biodiversity conservation.ACT’s other project partners have been Suriname’snational agricultural research center, national herbarium,national forest management agency and forest servicestudents. Kwamalasamutu - In Pursuit of Human Wellbeing*,a short documentary film, highlights the almost two-yearparticipatory research project.*http://www.amazonteam.org/sweet-future-southern-suriname

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 09Strategic Focus: GOVERNANCECOLOMBIAAdvancing the Management and AdministrativeCapacity of Indigenous CommunitiesWith funding from the Skoll Foundation, ACT has been supporting grassroots government and to develop and implement projects that significantlyprocesses to strengthen the governance capacity of tribal communities enhance their autonomy. This also will enable the amplifying and scalingin four indigenous reserves located in the middle Caquetá River region of of ACT’s governance support processes in other regions of the Amazon.Colombia: Puerto Sábalo-Los Monos, Monochoa, Anduche, and Nonuyade Villazul. Further, through the development of culturally sensitive training modules on a wide range of themes prioritized by local stakeholdersTo this end, ACT formalized a partnership with Colombia’s National including financial management and healthcare administration, allPlanning Department—the agency responsible for regulatory reform and building on earlier government work, ACT has enabled more e ectiveallocation of public investments—to strengthen the capacity of local transmission of knowledge and greater intercultural understandingcommunities to receive and administer funding streams from the between the national government and indigenous communities. 4 Colombian Indigenous Reserves strengthened Puerto Sábalo-Los Monos, Monochoa, Anduche, and Nonuya de Villazul ACT sta visits indigenous community in Colombia’s middle Caquetá River region to support self-governance processes.

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 10ACT is helping the community plan Strategic Focus:and demarcate their territory in a GOVERNANCEresponsible and organized fashion. SURINAMEACT’s Niradj Hanoeman facilitates the Matawai community’s mapping of their traditional lands. Designing a Developed Future for Suriname’s Matawai Forest Community Following ACT’s collaborative land use and zonal mapping fieldwork with the Matawai Maroons in 2015, our sta traveled numerous times to the upper Saramacca River region to conduct zonal mapping exercises focused on the community forest east of the river, recently acquired by the Matawai. The community forest is a government-designated zone nearly 100,000 hectares (247,100 acres) in size, over which the local community now has the right to determine development and possible concessions. With this acquisition and given the rapid expansion of a road leading to the region, ACT is helping the community plan and demarcate their territory in a responsible and organized fashion. ACT has also conducted life plan research workshops as well as non-timber forest product and traditional medicine trainings with the Upper Saramacca community.

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 11 Strategic Focus: LIVELIHOODS Indigenous women trained through ACT’s partnership with Barefoot College lead installation of solar panels in their home village of Tepu, Suriname.COLOMBIA & SURINAMESolar Energy, Sustainable Livelihoods,and Cultural Survival in the AmazonMany of the indigenous peoples of the Amazon region are rapidlyout-migrating from their traditional homelands due to increasingenvironmental degradation, pressure from land-grabbing interests,and lack of greatly needed public services, creating a context ofloss of cultural diversity and traditional ecological knowledge thatdiminishes prospects for forest conservation in one of the planet’smost ecologically important regions. The region’s indigenouspeoples also live in conditions of widespread malnutrition, pooreducational results, health problems, increasing poverty, andunderemployment. Further, close to half of the Amazon’spopulation—some 15 million people—live in energy poverty andlack access to regular electricity service.Since 2014, Barefoot College and ACT have joined hands toempower indigenous women of the Amazon to apply sustainableenergy technology to help strengthen and preserve theircommunities’ traditional ecological knowledge, meet basic humanneeds, and promote the permanence of their peoples in theirtraditional lands. The ACT-Barefoot collaboration has enabled fourindigenous women—two from southern Suriname and two fromthe middle Caquetá River region in Colombia—to complete asix-month solar engineering training program in Rajasthan, India.There, these women learned to operate and install solar homeunits, solar lamps, and charge controllers. In 2016, the womenreturned to their communities to electrify up to 500 householdswith solar energy units, while at the same time assuming unit repairand upkeep work for at least five years in regions where renewableenergy systems are greatly needed.

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 12 ACT’s support in drawing Strategic Focus: clean water drawn from LIVELIHOODS an open deep well BRAZILThe Ulupuene villagenow has a safe source Clean Water for aof drinking water. Model Amazon VillageIn Brazil, Waurá villagers of the Ulupuene village carry Potable water is the greatest benefit that anyequipment purchased by ACT to ensure their water supply. community can have. Safe, clean water free of disease and pollution is a human necessity, but it is not always readily available to the indigenous communities of the Amazon. Since 2011, ACT has been working with the Waurá people of the Ulupuene village located in the southwest corner of Brazil’s Xingu Indigenous Park. The Waurá came to ACT with a problem: soybean crop pesticides had contaminated their water supply. They requested ACT’s support in drawing clean water drawn from an open deep well. The major di culty was transporting the necessary equipment from the city to their village. In 2016, the water levels of regional rivers were extremely low, exposing hazards such as waterfalls and large rocks. With the support and local expertise of the indigenous people, ACT was able to navigate these obstacles, and the Ulupuene village now has a safe source of drinking water.

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 13ACT Advances in 2016 Two sacred site properties acquired for indigenous Strategy: Land communities in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia)43 indigenous reserve expansion or establishment processes under Two municipal landscape plans development or submitted to the under implementation in the upper government of Colombia for approval Caquetá, improving sustainable (Colombia) management for 12,000 hectares or 29,700 acres (Colombia) Illegal goldmining practically eliminated from the Puré River 175 kms (109 miles) of river mapped, National Park (Colombia) completing cartographic documentation of the ancestral Working with Amazon Conservation and current territory of the Rangers of four indigenous villages to Matawai Maroons (Suriname) train them in a full suite of monitoring practices, including the use of Open Data Kit and camera traps (Suriname)

ACT Annual Report PROGRAM OVERVIEW | 14Strategy: Livelihoods 70 indigenous and Maroon women actively participating in initiatives to produce 415 indigenous and rural people and sell locally produced ground benefiting economically from sustainable pepper and handicrafts (Suriname) natural resource management alternatives projects in the upper Putumayo River region (Colombia)5 Waurá women of the village of Ulupuene receiving training in management and maintenance of solar energy systems (Brazil) Strategy: Governance 12 indigenous schools planning, managing, and administering their16 local and regional organizations own self-determined education able to improve implementation of systems (Colombia) o cial sustainable land use plans in the upper Caquetá River region Successful completion of the (Colombia) upgrading and installation of solar power for all four ACT-sponsored Two additional indigenous reserves traditional indigenous medicine neighboring the Puré River National clinics (Suriname) Park now participating in agreements to protect isolated indigenous groups (Colombia)

ACT Annual Report FINANCIAL OVERVIEW | 15Financial OverviewIn our two decades of existence, ACT’s investments tranches to be disbursed in future years. Wehave largely centered on field operations toward attribute this increase both to ACT’s cementedconsolidating our conservation e orts on the reputation as a highly valued partnerground and benefiting our partner communities. institutionally and in the field and to longstanding  funders observing our strong opportunity to scaleToday, with more tightly defined on-the-ground our work.conservation strategies and aspirations to expand  beyond our current work areas, we are making EXPENSESinvestments to ensure organizational long-term While overall expenses increased only 14% oversustainability by bolstering areas deemed critical 2015 levels, the general and administrative asfor the organization’s growth and e ective well as the fundraising categories increased bymanagement across the entire institution. 29% and 60% respectively, due primarily to  investments in capacity building and the upgradingACT closed 2016 at record annual revenue of technical and information systems required(US$9.3 million). This increase in funding will enable for organizational growth. However, ACT’sACT to expand field operations and continue programmatic e ciency remained solid at 80%,investments in sta capacity building, the indicative of continued prudent management ofdevelopment of a robust monitoring, evaluation expenses.and reporting system, and other internal areas to  support a strong and explicit emphasis on In conclusion, as the global economic outlookaccountability and results. remains unpredictable and environmental  challenges increase worldwide, ACT willREVENUE continue to focus on the generation ofIn 2016, overall revenue increased by almost documentable results while leveraging financialUS$5.7 million over prior year. A large portion of resources to maximize conservation return.this growth was a result of multiyear ACT’s sta and partner communities are deeplycontributions and foundation grants, with large grateful for the support of so many generous donors who believe in our team and the importance of our work.Karla Lara-OteroDirector of Operations and Finance

ACT Annual Report FINANCIAL OVERVIEW | 16Financial StatementsCombined Statement of Financial Position Combined Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets(For the Year Ended December 31) (For the Year Ended December 31)Cash and equivalents 2016 In USD 2015 In USD Contributions 2016 In USD 2015 In USDGrants and pledges receivable GrantsProperty and equipment, net 5,763,874 2,025,062 In-kind contributions 5,243,452 1,914,326Other assets 1,101,262 414,324 Investment income 3,923,843 1,608,665 78,709 OtherTotal Assets 77,890 70,709 Foreign currency valuation gain (loss) 48,977 164,802 51,060 7,368 3,026 2,588,731 Total Revenue and Support 15,574 6,994,086 48,320 Program Services 30,197 (92,586)Accounts payable & accrued expenses 142,950 126,764 BiodiversityDeferred revenue 60,159 0 Health 9,302,157 3,613,807Deferred rent 3,063 0 CultureOther liabilities 450 2,259,408 2,300,313 2,150 Program Services 505,408 793,558Total Liabilities 206,622 55,645 128,914 Supporting Services 1,234,186Unrestricted 4,118,642 General and administration 3,646,516Temporarity restricted 2,668,822 1,583,274 Fundraising 3,999,002 876,543 542,979Total Net Assets 6,787,464 Supporting Services 698,069 172,909Total Liabilities and Net Assets 6,994,086 2,459,817 Total Expenses 277,439 2,588,731 715,888 Change in Net Assets 975,508 4,362,404Funds are presented according to the 4,974,510accrual method of accounting. Net Assets, Beginning of year (748,597) 4,327,647ACT's audited financial statements which Net Assets, End of Year 3,208,414reflect an unqualified opinion, can be 2,459,817obtained online at amazonteam.org or by 2,459,817calling (703) 522-4684. 6,787,464

ACT Annual Report FINANCIAL OVERVIEW | 17Finances at a GlanceSupport FY 2016 FY 2015 Corporations Other Foreign currency validation gain (loss)Individuals 0.2% 1%In-country grants 0.3%Foundations In US$ Percentage In US$ Percentage In-kindIn-kind contributions 1,900,952 20.0% 1,789,803 50.0% contributions IndividualsCorporations 7.0% 27.0%Other 640,069 71.0% 937,588 19.0% 0.5% 20%Foreign currency 6,603,274 0.5% 758,000 5.0%valuation gain (loss) 0.2% 164,802 1.0% Foundations In-country grants 48,977 1.0% 1.0%Total Revenue 23,000 37,600 71% 7% 55,688 18,600 30,197 0.3% (92,586) -3.0% 9,302,157 100.0% 3,613,807 100.0% Fundraising General and 6% AdministrationOrganizational E ciency 14% FY 2016 FY 2015 Program Services In US$ Percentage In US$ Percentage 80% 3,999,002 80.0% 3,646,516 85.0%Program services 14.0% 6.0%General and administration 698,069 542,979 11.0% 100.0%Fundraising 277,439 172,909 4.0%Total Expenses 4,974,510 4,362,404 100.0%Revenue and Expenses Trends 10,000,000 8,000,000Renevue * 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 6,000,000Expenses 4,000,000 2,996,730 3,143,020 4,927,682 3,613,807 9,302,156 2,000,000 3,461,373 3,058,407 3,660,113 4,362,404 4,974,510 0* Significant annual fluctuations in revenue are attributable to receipt of multiyear grants, the full value of which isrecorded as revenue in the year awarded. 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

ACT Annual Report ACT ANNIVERSARY GATHERING | 18 ACT Anniversary Gathering Across a full week in July 2016, in Costa Rica’s Osa peninsula, ACT sta , community partners and longtime friends commemorated the organization’s twentieth year of existence. Beyond celebrating how far we have come and strengthening bonds between distant colleagues, we discussed ACT’s current situation and action plan for the coming years, and shared and validated progress in our institutional integration of the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation. In brief, this landmark gathering gave our extended family a very rare opportunity to reflect as one—to consider, as a Team, our future direction in view of a remarkable two decades.

ACT Annual Report OUR TEAM | 19Board / LeadershipBoard of Directors Elizabeth Murrell Advisory Board Todd Oldham Murrell Tensile Works, LLC Todd Oldham StudioWilliam M. Cameron Je BridgesAmerican Fidelity Assurance Mark Plotkin Actor and musician May PangChairman Amazon Conservation Team Author and producer Janell CannonStephen Altschul Nora Pouillon Author and illustrator Susan SarandonComputational Biologist Restaurant Nora ActressSecretary Stephanie Dodson David Stoup Project Healthy Children Miranda SmithBernard Aronson Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC Miranda ProductionsACON Investments, LLC Treasurer Jane Goodall Jane Goodall Institute Karen AllenLaurie Benenson Tico Torres Actress and teacherWriter and Producer T. Torres Children Foundation Walter Isaacson Aspen Institute Heather Thomas-BrittenhamKen Cook Robert W. Boykin Actress and authorEnvironmental Working Group Emeritus Bill Kurtis Journalist and producer Bruce BabbittThomas Lovejoy Margaret Clark EnvironmentalistUnited Nations Foundation Emeritus Julian Lennon Musician and philanthropist Andrew TobiasLiliana Madrigal Ward Paine Author and journalistAmazon Conservation Team Emeritus Gary Nabhan University of Arizona Ed Begley, Jr.Melinda Maxfield Actor and environmentalistPhotojournalist Michel Nischan Wholesome Waves, LLCJuan Mayr MaldonadoEnvironmentalist

ACT Annual Report OUR TEAM | 20ACT TeamBrazil Rafael Calderón Alvaro Gil Carmen Moreno Field Technician, Fragua Graphic Designer Administrative & HR SupportJoão Nunes Churumbelos ProgramACT-SynBioBrasil Coordinator Yojan Gutiérrez María P. Navarrete Alcira Cao de Guerrero Field Technician, Medio Rio Fragua Churumbelos ProgramColombia General Support, Bogotá O ce Caquetá Program CoordinatorCarolina Gil Lina Castro Yanelis Julio Edgar NúñezProgram Director Environmental Administrative Assistant Field Technician, Fragua Education Specialist Churumbelos ProgramMaria C. Prada Germán LasernaAdministrative & Financial Luis A. Escobedo Stakeholder Engagement María I. PalaciosSubdirector Fundraising Specialist, Fragua Churumbelos Land Program Coordinator ProgramCamilo Andrade Guillermo Fernandez Santiago PalaciosAnthropologist Land Program Coordinator Juanita Londoño GIS Coordinator Sierra Nevada de Santa MartaLady Angarita María F. Franco Program Coordinator Juan P. ParraField Technician, Fragua Forestry Engineer, Biologist, Medio Rio CaquetáChurumbelos Program Putumayo Program Eliana López Program Administrative & FinancialDaniel Aristizabal Paula Galeano Support Marcela RamosIsolated Peoples Putumayo Program Coordinator Administrative & FinancialProgram Coordinator Germán Mejía Support, Florencia O ce Edier Garavito Biologist & GIS SpecialistWilmar Bahamón Field Technician, Fragua Ricardo ReyMedio Rio Caquetá Churumbelos Program Ayda Melo Sierra NevadaProgram Coordinator Attorney, Land Program Coordination Support Linda GarcíaLidia Bastidas Surveyor Engineer, Andrea Montoya Mauricio RomeroGeneral Support, Land Program Monitoring & Evaluation Anthropologist,Florencia O ce Specialist Putumayo Program

ACT Annual Report OUR TEAM | 21Felipe Samper Mirjam Gommers Lucio Wajacabo Isidoro HazbunMonitoring & Evaluation Communications Coordinator Field Station Coordinator, Grants & Development CoordinatorSpecialist Kwamalasamutu Niradj Hanoeman Jessica HardyHector Silva Field Station Coordinator, Matawai Europe Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning &Field Technician, Medio Rio Reporting CoordinatorCaquetá Program Bruce Ho man Dominiek Plouvier Research & Resource Manager ACT-Europe Director Brian HettlerWilmer Silva GIS & New Technologies ManagerField Technician, Fragua Maikie Jaachpi United StatesChurumbelos Program O ce Assistant (Indigenous Peoples) Rudo Kemper Mark Plotkin GIS & WebClaudia Suárez Hemwattie Jagroop President Development CoordinatorAccountant Accounting Coordinator Liliana Madrigal Francelys PecheSuriname Sergio Kong A San Senior Director of Program O ce Coordinator Field Station Coordinator, Tepu OperationsMinu Parahoe David StoneProgram Director Carlo Koorndijk Karla Lara Information & Content Management Assistant and Director of Operations & Finance Management SpecialistPeggy Baisie Monitoring & Evaluation CoordinatorGeneral Services Crisbellt Alvarado Sarah Voelkl Rayan Madhar Finance & Human Coordinator of Corporate PartnershipsRoché Bhola Field Station Coordinator, Apetina Resources ManagerField Station Coordinator, Roxy CarbonellSipaliwini & Urunai Donicia Molly Arianna Basto Research Intern Administrative Coordinator Program AssistantMichel DebidinLogistics O cer Poernima Monilall Liliana Chacon-Menay Finance & Administrative Assistant Communications CoordinatorKatia DelvoyeInternal Governance O cer

ACT Annual Report IN MEMORIAM | 22In MemoriamACT strives to emulate our indigenous community partners in theircohesion and commitment to their own. Long-term relationships underpinthe trust needed to achieve big dreams. And so, when guiding spiritsdepart this world, we feel that we have lost close relatives.The dynamic Paula Cook Sculley, a passionate conservationist andhorticulturist, shared our desire to protect indigenous botanicalknowledge throughout the world. In our organizational infancy, she wasa strong and experienced Board mentor, and her wise andcompassionate counsel shaped our development.The austere and deliberate high priests, or mamos, of the traditionalKogui indigenous people of Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Martaexemplify human life in harmony with the natural world. While leadingtheir people, they have provided strong models to other ACT partnergroups in their unyielding e orts to maintain their traditional ways andprotect their traditional lands.Mama Marcelo of the ancient village of Seijua was a kind and gentle manwhose devotion to sacred traditions was reflected in his bearing. MamaPedro Juan Noevita, a visionary of great wisdom, humor, and joy,spearheaded the Kogui’s e ort to recover and protect a great network ofsacred sites. Their passing leaves a great void in the Sierra Nevada, and inour hearts.We will miss these three trailblazers greatly, and constantly endeavor tohonor their memory.

ACT Annual Report IN MEMORIAM | 23 “ We will miss these three trailblazers greatly, and ”constantly endeavor to honor their memory.

If you’d like to learn more about ACT, please visit www.amazonteam.org 4211 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203P. (+1) 703.522.4684 // [email protected]