Keep the momentum going!

This giving season, we are raising $60,000 to support Indigenous Wounaan communities in Panama to protect their tropical forests, culture and sustainable livelihoods. Every dollar you donate, earns $1 more!

Invest in success. 

Globally, Indigenous communities protect a vast amount of critically important forest landscapes. These forests are not only some of the most biodiverse lands on the planet but they serve as a powerful tool to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. This is no different in Panama where Indigenous communities are the reason Panama's rainforests are standing today. Tragically, these traditional and culturally important forests are under constant threat from outsiders. 

Thankfully, Wounaan are making unprecedented progress in protecting and conserving 350,000 acres (160,000 hectares) intact tropical forests and territories. Facing rampant illegal logging, deforestation and land grabbing, Wounaan are pushing back. Using technology, and the law, they are helping bring  environmental violators to justice. The community of Aruza is legally reclaiming the land and forest that was stolen from them. Wounaan are restoring their forests with native trees important to their way of life, and Rio Hondo and Rio Platanares are prepared to receive ecotourists.  

Still, there is more progress to be made.  Most importantly,  Wounaan must secure full ownership of their lands, and continue to protect their territories from invasion and deforestation while their land rights claims are  processed. Constant vigilance is the hard learned lesson of Aruza, whose land  title application was corruptly annulled and their territory subsequently invaded. Now, thanks to this community of donors, Aruza has re-submitted their application to all 8,000 hectares of their tropical forest homeland. Wounaan can’t let up for a minute, and neither can we. 

Your donation to Native Future provides daily legal, technical, logistical, human and financial resources to the Wounaan National Congress who are leading this fight with their communities to protect and conserve their territories and way of life. Your gift  keeps the momentum going!

It costs at least $120,000 per year for the Wounaan to protect their territories and move the needle towards justice. This year, we’re asking you to help us raise half of that: $60,000. The International Conservation Fund of Canada, a steadfast partner committed to this cause, will fund the other half.  

Please help us match their support! Invest in success!  

Your donation doesn’t stop growing here. Since 2022, individual donations to Native Future have helped us to leverage an additional $900,000 in grants to support Wounaan land rights, cultural revitalization, biocultural restoration and sustainable livelihoods. We recently signed a new, 21 month, $475,000 grant to strengthen the environmental security of Indigenous territories. 

Thank you for supporting  Indigenous peoples to protect and secure their territories, and future!

Your support has a positive and exponential impact on Indigenous capacity to protect their biodiversity, cultural heritage and Indigenous rights. 

Thank you for giving generously today!

Prefer to donate by mail? 
Send a check to: Native Future, 34 Taylor Street, Portland  ME 04102

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Above: Wounaan guides lead annual bird counts that double as both cultural revitalization and ecotourism opportunities.  

 Photos by Scott Hecker.

Above: The community of Rio Platanares surrounded by lush, biodiverse ecosystems.

Below: Wounaan territories in eastern Panama