The Plants That Sustain Biodiversity

Every plant species plays a role. Forest canopies provide shelter and regulate temperature. Roots stabilize soil and reduce erosion. Leaves support insects and other invertebrates, while flowers sustain pollinators. When plant diversity is lost, these interconnected processes are disrupted. The loss also affects culture, as many food systems, medicinal practices, and rituals depend on plant species that are specific to this biome. The Amazon is home to an estimated tens of thousands of plant species, many of which remain scientifically undocumented. Protecting this diversity is essential for maintaining ecosystem function, supporting human wellbeing, and strengthening resilience to environmental change.

Biologists have documented species and assessed their ecological roles within the forest. Meanwhile, the Sinchi Warmi records traditional knowledge related to plant use and management. Together, this work contributes to a shared, living database that links biodiversity data with locally held knowledge. Protecting plant diversity therefore supports both scientific understanding and the continuity of cultural practices and livelihood systems. Sponsors help fund:

• Botanical surveys to document plant diversity and distribution
• Documentation of Indigenous knowledge related to plant use and management
• Restoration of forest gardens using native species
• Recovery and propagation of native seeds for ecological restoration
• Protection of slow-growing hardwood species vulnerable to overexploitation
• Community education on replanting and managing native plant species

Every sponsored plot contains microhabitats:

• Shade trees that anchor soil
• Understory herbs used in healing
• Vines, fungi, mosses—entire tiny worlds
• Seed banks for future forest regrowth

When you sponsor land, you don’t just save what’s growing. You save what could grow next.