El Bosque Wildfire Relief Fund, for nature and people.

El Bosque reserve has been devastated by wildfires! This is a biodiversity paradise for wildlife and the only water source for the people of San Pedro de Vilcabamba, Ecuador!

Dear Friends,

We are Melinda Hofmann and Michaël Moens, two conservation biologists dedicated to supporting the conservation of the El Bosque reserve (https://elbosque.org.ec/en/about-us/) and the community of San Pedro de Vilcambamba in Southern Ecuador.

We are raising funds to support el Bosque reserve and the community of San Pedro de Vilcabamba, which has been devastated by massive wildfires. These fires have not only destroyed the local biodiversity of the entire el Bosque reserve, homes, and agricultural lands, but also severely damaged the water system that the entire community relies on. The fires already have consumed over 5000 hectares (12.350 acres) and are finally under control after 14 days of intense work with the San Pedro community, firemen, military support and rain.

Thanks to all your generous donations, we have reached our initial goal of 10k. We still welcome your support to start the reforestation and habitat restoration of El Bosque reserve after this huge ecological disaster.

Wildfire destroying el Bosque reserve.

El Bosque reserve, showing the extent of fire destruction.

A poor Clouded Tiger-cat (Leopardus pardinoides) that perished in the fires :(. This is a new species that was recently described in 2024.

Local people fighting the fires threatening their homes.

Community members fighting the fires day and night.

A small group of Firemen supporting the community to master the flames. Photo by Joel Bergeron.

After 7 days some helicopters came to support the San Pedro community to battle the fires at upper elevations.

The following video shows the impact of the wildfires in el Bosque reserve and the current situation on the ground. Video by Wilson Lapo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thwJj2UeD8k

The impact of these wildfires is profound. The rich biodiversity of El Bosque, home to countless species of flora and fauna, has been significantly affected. The water system, which is crucial for the daily needs of the community, has been destroyed, leaving families without access to clean water. Many homes of our neighbours are burned, including the sources of income (agricultural lands, beehives, coffee plantations). Additionally, the fires have created an urgent need for food and health supplies to support those affected by the fires.

We have launched this crowdfunding campaign to raise the necessary funds to:

• Restore the damaged water system, ensuring that el Bosque residents and the community have access to clean and safe water. This is a first critical step to support our neighbours with basic needs through this tragedy.

• Provide essential supplies (food, water, materials, transport) to the people still fighting the fires and neighbours who lost their homes and incomes (honey from beehives, coffee plantations, fruits).

• Establish feeding stations for the animals that survived (such as Spectacled Bears and Mountain Tapirs), providing them with food until their natural habitat is restored. In the meantime we will grow food until the natural vegetation recovers.

• Support long-term recovery efforts, including reforestation and habitat restoration in el Bosque reserve.

Your contribution, no matter how small, can make a significant difference. Together, we can help restore El Bosque's natural beauty and support the resilient community of San Pedro de Vilcabamba in their time of need.

Please donate and share this campaign with your friends and family. Let's come together to make a positive impact and help rebuild what has been lost.

Important! When you donate, you will be asked to donate a proportion to gofundme, you can change this value according to your will after setting your donation by sliding the bar to the left.

HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE SPENT.

We will ensure that every dollar raised goes directly to where it is needed. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how we plan to allocate the funds:

• Water System Restoration: 50% of the funds will be used to repair and restore the damaged water system in el Bosque reserve, ensuring access to clean and safe water for el Bosque residents and the community.

• Supplies for the community: 30% will go towards essential supplies (food, water, materials, transport) to the people still fighting the fires and neighbours who lost their homes and incomes.

• Animal Feeding Stations: 20% will be allocated to establish feeding stations for the animals that survived, providing them with food until their natural habitat is restored.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE EXCEED OUR GOAL?

Thanks to your incredible support we reached our initial goal, but the need doesn’t end there. The dry season is far from over, and fires can easily reactivate. Here is how we plan to use any extra donations:

• Support long-term recovery efforts, including reforestation and habitat restoration in el Bosque reserve. A total of 80% of el Bosque reserve has been destroyed by the fires, and we now will need to actively restore what has been lost. Tropical rainforests are not adapted to wildfires, and we will need a carefully planned restoration process.

• Enhance fire prevention measures to protect the reserve and community from future wildfires.

Thank you for your generosity and support!

El Bosque before the wildfires: our vision for the future.

Thank you! Muchas gracias!