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The Issues

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The Issues

Environmental damage. Deforestation and logging. Aerial photo of forest cut down causing climate change

Losing the Forest

Gold panning on the River Anzu, Ecuador

Gold Mining

Jaguar

Vanishing Species

Sinchi Warmi

Heritage Under Threat

Our Guardians

Sinchi Warmi Forest Inauguration

Sinchi Warmi Guardians

Forest Guardian Staff

Sinchi Warmi Lodge

The Travelers Who Protect

Our Forest

Amazon Forest Risks 3

Location Matters

White-throated Toucan

The Fauna

The Flora

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Meet the Sinchi Warmi

Indigenous women defending forest, culture & life

To truly safeguard biodiversity, we must support the people deeply connected to the land, the Forest Guardians who carry ancient knowledge and commitment to protect it.

In the first Forest Guardians Project, the indigenous community organization Sinchi Warmi holds authority over land decisions, lead forest monitoring expeditions, and designs visitor programs.

Meet Sinchi Warmi

The Sinchi Warmi are more than guardians. They are the living bridge between forest, culture, and future. Their ancestral cosmovision reminds us that living in harmony with nature means recognizing that we are nature, inseparable parts of one living system. For generations, these Kichwa women and men have walked the forest trails that surround them, known the songs of the birds, and the healing power of its plants.

Sinchi Warmi is a pioneer organization among Indigenous communities in Ecuador. Almost all its members are female, including its entire board of directors. By putting women front and center, and giving them ample experience in tourism entrepreneurship and leadership, they have set an example of just what is possible. The Sinchi Warmi operate a lodge for more than a decade, offering an array of activities that allow visitors to get to know Amazonian culture. Run by 24 members of the community, the impact of Sinchi Warmi’s work reverberates through each of their families, and beyond.

Through Forest Guardians, these men and women now lead the conservation of a forest, manage patrols, teach travelers, and reclaim the forest in their name. Their work preserves species, ancestry, and language, proving that forest defense is not a job, but a way of securing the future.

“Sinchi Warmi” means “strong woman” in Kichwa

Project run by 24 community members

Women create improved livelihoods through tourism entrepreneurship

Preserves culture and ancestral Amazonian cosmovision

Their knowledge guides conservation measures

Sponsorships directly fund their patrols, training, and community initiatives

Their story, their role

Discussion Round Sinchi Warmi

Since 2002, the Kichwa women of Sinchi Warmi have led a movement to preserve their culture, support their families, and protect their forest. Through sustainable tourism, they’ve created economic stability while keeping ancestral knowledge alive.

When they witnessed the destruction of their territory through deforestation, they stepped forward and shared their concerns with us. We started to create a plan together. Today, these women and men are stepping up as guardians of 350.000m² of vulnerable Amazon rainforest, establishing an indigenous-owned nature reserve with us, ensuring the forest’s protection for generations to come.

Science, Strategy & Stewardship

Rina during Biologists Study

Working with scientists, we complement the knowledge of the Sinchi Warmi. We introduce GPS mapping, camera traps, ecological indices: modern tools but always rooted in ancestral logic. Combining forest cycles, animal behaviors, and ancestral markers, we can detect threats early and develop effective conservation measurements.

Complemented by scientific expertise, local Sinchi Warmi Guardians determine which forest areas are most critical, guide ecological surveys, and teach visitors how to walk silently in the forest, observe, value. Their consent is the foundation of every protected hectare.

Culture & Leadership in Motion

Indigenous Forest Patrol

The Sinchi Warmi are leaders of peaceful resistance. Through twice-weekly patrols, rotating among members, they send a clear message to extractive interests and hunters: this forest is protected and cared for by its people. These patrols ensure early detection of threats and demonstrate that the territory has dedicated defenders committed to life and conservation.

Regional Ripple Effect

Sinchi Warmi create opportunities for growth in the region. Activities like the Birdwatching Club for children, internships for young adults, and exchanges with neighbouring communities strengthen local leadership. By mentoring younger women and sharing ancestral knowledge, they secure livelihood for the next generation.

Shaping Travellers

The Sinchi Warmi extend their educational mission to all who visit. When international travelers arrive, they share stories, teach language, weaving, and handicrafts, and invite guests to see themselves as part of nature, not just visitors. Through these exchanges, they inspire respect for heritage and a deeper connection to the forest and its people.

Guardians of Seeds & Future Generations

- Meliza, president of Sinchi Warmi

"Untouched nature means life, for plants, animals, and for us as human beings. The forest is an essential part of our community. We must understand and protect it. For us Kichwa, this is fundamental from childhood through old age. Our children grow up with a deep connection to nature, so that this knowledge can be preserved and passed on. Without a healthy environment, we cannot survive. What will we leave for our children? The Amazon is our future. The Sinchi Warmis are natural guardians of the forest, of its seeds and of future generations. We transmit traditional knowledge for the management of an inclusive and equitable forest.”

How You Support Them

  • Sponsor specific m² they guard. Your name is fixed to that land forever
  • Join guided visits led by them; walk trails, listen, learn
  • Purchase crafts they produce, each sale uplifts tradition
  • Amplify their voices. Share their stories and support grants for women’s leadership
  • Demand that governments and companies honor indigenous rights and consent
Jaime Sinchi Warmi
Jaime Alvarado

Leader of the Indigenous Guard

VSF_BLOG_08.25_OWN_Portait of a Sinchi Warmi Lady, Ecuador
Betty Chimbo

Tree nursery and reforestation coordinator

Sinchi Warmi Community member
Nely Chimbo

Bioentrepreunership coordinator

Sinchi Warmi Community member Meliza
Meliza Andy

Leader and Administrator

Image without description
Nathalie Grefa

Forest Treasurer