Yorenka Tassorentsi

YORENKA TASSORENTSILAND CONVERSATION PROJECT https://www.theboafoundation.org

Project OutlineThe Boa Foundation has been working closely with the indigenouspeople of the Amazon since May 2015 to advocate for the conservationof land, native species and for the rights of the indigenous population.We have partnered with world renowned Ashaninka leader, BenkiPyako, to create the Yorenka Tassorentsi Institute. This initiative andpartnership will allow us to continue protecting the indigenous landand people of the Amazon. It is through this program that we hope toraise funds to purchase 2606.92 acres of land that has been deforestedfor cattle grazing, in Arce, an area part of the Brazilian Amazon. Throughsustainable ecological restoration we aim to create a world model forreforestation on cattle grazed land. We aim to replant the rainforest,reintroduce wildlife and assist in the continued process of restorationof this ecosystem. 2

Why?Spanning across 670 million hectares the Amazon is the world’s largestRainforest and often referred to as the lungs of our planet; storing 90-140 billion metric tons of carbon each year and producing more than20% of the world’s oxygen.The region is believed to be home to 10% of the species on earth. 40,000plant species, 1,300 bird species, 3,000 types of fish, 430 different kindsof mammals and 2.4 million insects. The amazon is also home to 400-500indigenous Amerindian tribe’s and an estimated 20 million people whoall depend on its resources.Today, the Amazon is facing a multitude of threats as a result ofunsustainable economic development; 20% of the Amazon biomehas already been lost. Forest losses in the Amazon biome averaged1.4 million hectares per year between 2001 and 2012, resulting in atotal loss of 17.7 million hectares, mostly in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.It is estimated that 27 per cent, more than a quarter, of the Amazonbiome will be without trees by 2030 if the current rate of deforestationcontinues.Our aim is to create reforestation projects through the YorenkaTassorentsi Institute to help reserve the damage caused to this sacredplace. 3

Benki Pyako’s Fight for the AmazonIn 1992, Benki left his land for the first time to go to Eco92 in Rio, wherehe spoke on behalf of indigenous peoples. Shocked by the state ofdestruction of nature out of his land, he engages in an unprecedentedfight to ensure the protection of his people, his territory and theeducation of the surrounding populations.Brazil’s National Human Rights Award winner Benki has strengthenedthe capacity of the Ashaninka people to defend their territory andrestore their ecosystem by returning to traditional knowledge. Basedon this experience, Benki has implemented a new land managementmodel in Acre State, now recognized at the government level, thatempowers traditional indigenous and non-indigenous populations inBrazil and Peru.In 2007 Benki created the Yorenka ATAME Center, the “knowledge ofthe Forest” in the municipality of Maréchal Thaumaturgo, a center ofexchange of knowledge and education of the neighbouring populations,to produce, record and disseminate practices of sustainable managementof natural resources based on indigenous traditional experiences.With the support of the Pro-Indio Commission, Yorenka Atame Centerhas developed a training of agroforestry agents to develop and put intopractice methods of conservation and sustainable development basedon traditional knowledge.This role of agroforestry agent is based on participatory and communitymethodologies and allows to understand the whole ecosystem chain:• seed recognition and collection• learning about different species from a physical, cultural, nutritional, spiritual, medicinal perspective• land and water protection• criteria for selecting species (150 species studied)Once trained, community-based agroforestry officers educateindigenous peoples on forest management practices that enable themto benefit from the sustainable use of their natural resources. They canalso represent them and defend them against outside interests. Becausethey work with communities on an individual basis, officers promoteappropriate strategies that are culturally and ecologically appropriate 4

to each community.In addition, the extensive network of agro-forestry agents allows them toshare techniques and knowledge specific to each people, and providesa common platform for influencing public policies in the managementof indigenous lands.Ashaninka teachers transmit their knowledge in different fields(agroforestry, economy, sciences, ceramics, history, ...) to thecommunities on the basis of a community functioning: free educationagainst participation in the activities of the communityIn recent years, Yorenka Atamé has trained some 40 communities inits agroforestry systems, benefiting a hundred communities, tensof thousands of people. The school managed the planting of almost1,000,000 large trees of 160 species, for which hundreds of young peoplecontributed to the reforestation work.They harvested nearly a ton of seed on their land to offer to other nativecommunities.The agents are recognized by the State of Acre as governmentemployees, and Benki is now working to replicate this approach withnon-indigenous communities (see Beija Flor) and other Amazonianstates.Recognized by all the tribes of the cross-border region, the YorenkaATAME School is now promoting a vast environmental managementplan for the Upper Juruá Basin. The Centre 5

Benki Educating the indigenous populationYorenka Atamé before reforestation Yorenka Atamé after reforestation 6

Yorenka Tassorentsi Land Conversation ProjectUsing his experience and the skills he has learnt through past projectsBenki Pyako will lead this project to achieve the following:SEEDLING NURSERYOur aim is to rejuvenate the land through sustainable ecologicalrestoration. We will use the same model created by Benki for the land atYorenka Atamé to restore the forest to how it was prior to cattle grazing.An example of cost:The Surui people from Rondonia, one of the most deforested places inthe Amazon, planted over 200k trees with the help of FUNBIO (Brazilianfund for biodiversity) Through their research they estimate the cost tobe $40 per sapling per year to buy and operate the necessary machines,equipment and pay families who will be solely dedicated to collectingseeds.Our aim is to start the project by planting 200,000 Saplings. Benki hasalready donated 40,000 Saplings to the project, therefor another 160,000saplings are needing to be purchased.As the project grows we will be looking for further funding to increasethe number of saplings planted and invested in larger machines withappropriate seedling collection systems. Our aim is to be able to supportthe planting of 2 million trees per year in the Amazon.Without financial support, we have estimated that we can plant between40,000 to 100,000 trees per year. 7

ENDANGERED SPECIES REPOPULATIONBenki is the only person in the region who is licensed to breed speciesfacing extinction in this area such as:• Arara Azul (Hyacinth Macaw) - almost extinct in the area• Macaws and Parrots - Eggs once a year, the only place breeding them in Brazil is located in Manaus, they will donate 100 birds, in one year 50 birds can be born• Black monkeys and black-bellied monkeys - near extinction, only exist in indigenous territories in the region• Arara Azul (Hyacinth Macaw) - almost extinct in the area• Macaws and Parrots - Eggs once a year, the only place breeding them in Brazil is located in Manaus, they will donate 100 birds, in one year 50 birds can be born• Black monkeys and black-bellied monkeys - near extinction, only exist in indigenous territories in the region• Turtles - Extinct, will be brought from Peru• Tortoise - almost extinct in the area• White-lipped peccary – Extinct in this area - Chico Mendes Park in Rio Branco has offered to donate a few• Tapir - Only exist in Ashaninka territory, Benki has 2• Tracaja - a small type of turtle had completely disappeared from the region, in 2001 Benki started a project with 30 turtles, today he has bred over 15.000 and keeps releasing them back into the river. His community currently have 5000 eggs, he will put 200 of those in this project.• Beekeeping - Benki has 40 hives and has taught beekeeping in various communities helping to set up 500 hives in the upper Jurua and Amonia rivers regions.We have the support of Jairo Lima, director of FUNAI, who will bringBiologists to study the land and agreed to help us set up the Amazon’sfirst conservation project of this level. 8

THE LAND2606.92 ACRESThe land we wish to purchase contains over 1000 acres of deforestedland. It contains two rivers and comes with 360 heads of cattle.Using the model of Yorenka Atamé, through sustainable ecologicalrestoration we aim to create a world model for reforestation on cattlegrazed land.map of land: https://goo.gl/NEmqwp 9

CATTLEThe land currently has 360 head of cattle. We plan to sell the cattleand invest 100% of the funds raised into the Yorenka Tassorentsi LandConversation Project.Each head of cattle weighs between 180-300 kg. 1kg of meat sells forR$18,00, roughly $4.84 usd, in Marechal Thaumaturgo.360 x 180 = 64,800 x 4.84 = $313,632 usd360 x 300 = 108,000 x 4.84 = $522,720 usdWe estimate to make between $310,000 - $520,000 usd from the sale ofcattle.COSTTOTAL Cost of Project Item Price in Brazilian Price in USD Phase 1 Real $553,000 Project Cost Land $615,150 USD R$2,110,000 em Services to R$131,819 regulate the em R$105,500 land 5% of Land Valueprocessing fee 10

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Contact UsVivien VilelaCofounder - The Boa [email protected] RandaCofounder – The Boa [email protected]