Programs

The Friends of the Cofáns also support ongoing Cofán programs:

The important programs below are extensions of many years of hard work and recognition of a solid vision for the future of sustainability and strength. The Cofán are not asking for handouts but for partners in a future of a viable Amazon Rainforest. They are looking for partners to save over one million acres of biodiversities and maintain the rainforests that offer hope for the future of the world that we share.

Ranger Program

One important program is creating a management and protection group for Cofán lands. The Rangers guard the borders from illegal colonization, lumbering, mining, and other menaces.

In previous years we looked at about $400k for a program that employed over 60 Cofán men and women, including equipment, training, supplies, logistics, and a small living allowance. Realistically, we can make do with less, but if we had more, we could cover more area more effectively.

This vital program needs at least $200k per year to make it a truly effective mechanism.

Turtle Rescue and Reproduction Center

This is a village-level conservation initiative that has been working since 1991 to rescue the Amazon Turtle. It is one of the most important animals for maintaining the ecology of not just our local rivers but for the entire Amazon basin.

Cofán success in rebuilding the local population has led to multiple programs throughout Amazonia, but the Zabalo program is a long-term management strategy, and, as such, needs approximately $40,000 to operate.

Results include over 16,000 turtle babies released each year, with survival rates of up to 40 percent as opposed to “natural” rates of less than 2 percent. Unfortunately, much of our project is filling in the gaps in neighboring regions, as climate change-related flooding, over-harvesting, oil and mining pollution, and other factors combine to destroy natural nesting sites. With a larger budget, we would be able to extend our program to neighboring regions as well.

Lifeboat Garden project

This project seeks to “head off” at least a few climate change problems as we seek to preserve the Current donation situation:
So much of accessing donations is about appealing to what the donor thinks is important rather than an immediate necessity identified by local inhabitants. While not directly “program-related,” the Cofán certainly would welcome an opportunity to access specific items such as medicinal and useful plants as we face out-of-season flooding, changing rainfall patterns, higher ambient temperatures, and the proliferation of plant diseases from commercial activities.

With a property already acquired at Loreto, in the province of Orellana (higher and cooler than most of the Cofán locations) and with over 80 useful plants and 60 medicinal plants already growing, this project is well underway.

However, we are looking at 3 “costs” which are as of yet not covered.

1. The first is to try to expand the “reserve.” At present, we have approximately 65 hectares (160 acres) of land. We have the option to buy two neighboring farms, for a total cost of approximately $120,000, which would then take us close to a friend’s farm. The combination of four farms would give us a working area of over 300 hectares (750 acres), which would not only be a reserve for plants but also endangered wildlife. High-priority wildlife includes both the mountain and lowland tapirs, several primates, and the rare Wattled Guan.
2. The second cost is the infrastructure we are presently working on. This includes the need for a dedicated computer that would allow us to map and create a database for each plant, including location, when it was planted, what its uses, and any notes on progress. Many of the more important medicinal plants, for example, have never been grown in a domestic setting, so determining whether it is realistic to plant them for potential commercial use is important. We are also building and equipping simple cabins and camping platforms for both staff and visitors. This infrastructure cost phase needs about $15,000, including the buildings and the computer equipment.
3. The third cost is the permanent maintenance team. The idea is to have a mixed group: young people who are learning Cofán planting techniques and Cofán plant specialists who are steeped in traditional knowledge of plant usage. The project will cover food, transportation, and a small stipend for the plant specialists, so the overall expense is minimal. This is an integral part of our cultural transmission program, with hands-on experience for a younger generation in learning the Cofán traditional lore of medicinal and other useful plants. We are looking at an overall expense of about $12,000 per year for this long-term commitment to the survival of Cofán’s knowledge of rainforest plants and agriculture.

The Zabalo Triangle

The Cofán community of Zabalo is a small village amid the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. A treaty recognizing Zabalo’s possession and legal rights to 80,000 hectares was signed with the agreement that the Cofán would protect and manage this territory in keeping with the conservation guidelines. The tribe has done such a good job that the Ministry of Environment extended the territory to include a titular 137,000 hectares (350,000 acres).

To define and accurately clarify and mark the borders of this territory, the Cofán will need to create accurate measurements of the trails and the borders. Specific equipment and project needs would include:

• High-quality GPS equipment
• Competent GPS surveyors
• Group of Cofan Rangers

Education Program

This program will fund college-educated leadership for the Cofán people into the future. Current costs are about $50,000 per year; with a larger fund, we could include more students. The Cofán can use any amount from $25k or greater, but $50k is the immediate target.

Cultural Transmission Program

We will be combining many aspects of this $25k per year program with our Lifeboat Garden program, but this project is still a priority as we seek to ensure the transmission of cultural values to future generations.

Once again, if a full-time staff member position could be dedicated to this project, things would happen much faster and with a lot more ease. Presently, it is a more-or-less volunteer program being handled by three women who are all involved in other things.