Jungle Conservation Eco-Lodge
Donation protected
Hi! We are Jude and Andrés, an English-Ecuadorian wife and husband, with a dream to support conservation and research in the rainforest of Ecuador, and we need your help to make our dream come true! We have the opportunity to buy a piece of land just outside the borders of the Cuyabeno Reserve, a protected national park offering one of the most bio-diverse habitats in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador. Currently this land could be sold as grazing land for cattle, growing crops, or for development, but we have a better plan for it! As well as conserving almost 70 hectares of rainforest and protecting the wildlife and plants that inhabit the area, we would like to build a small eco-friendly lodge.
One focus of our lodge will be to accommodate and support people studying and researching the biodiversity that Cuyabeno has to offer, specifically working with those involved in herbalism, studying the incredible range of plants that can be used for medicine, health and wellbeing. To help fund the lodge we will also open it to small groups of eco-conscious tourists who want to experience this extraordinary environment, while educating them in the importance of the conservation of the rainforest and its inhabitants.
Due to the short time-frame we have to get this project up and running, we need to raise money quickly, which is one of the reasons crowdfunding is a good option for us.
There are two phases to our fundraising. Phase one, the most urgent, is to acquire the land for its conservation - saving it from becoming something else. We estimate we will need to raise $25,000 USD (just under £19,000) to purchase the land, including completion of the necessary paperwork. Phase two will be to raise money to build the eco-lodge. But our initial focus is on the first phase.
The second reason we like the idea of crowdfunding is the idea of making this a more inclusive, communal project, so we are offering incentives to people willing to donate. We would like to invite donors to visit the site to see the progress we are making, as well as perhaps getting involved in the construction process, if you would like to. During your stay we will take you on excursions to get to know Cuyabeno, to show you why we love the area so much and why it is important to preserve it! For anyone unable to visit the site we will make regular photo and video updates so you can keep track of our progress and see exactly how your money is helping.
The jungle is a special place for both of us. Andrés grew up just outside Cuyabeno National Park, where he spent his childhood exploring the jungle and developing a passion for the wildlife and plantlife. This magical upbringing eventually led him to study biology and become a Herpetologist, and Jungle Guide. Through his stories, experience and obvious passion for the jungle and the animals, birds, plants, and people it inhabits, Andrés enticed Jude into his world, and when he took her to Cuyabeno for the first time, she instantly fell in love with it, as she fell in love with him.
Research
Part of our mission is to help improve the quality of life for people. We aim to support the recognition of the ancestral knowledge of the inhabitants of the Ecuadorian Amazon by helping to promote research in the field of traditional medicine. For generations the indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon have relied on their shamans to treat all kinds of diseases, using the natural resources (plants, flowers and fruits) available in the rainforest. The shamans are, in fact, doctors who have been curing countless physical diseases and spiritual evils for hundreds of years, yet their ways are often dismissed in the name of modern medicine. The mix of science and mysticism in shamanic practices has fuelled doubt of the effectiveness in the past, but a growth in the study of herbalism and natural medicines, is leading more people to explore the successful practices of the past in the name of finding cures and remedies for the future. We want to support that research by accommodating people studying plants and their healing properties in the Ecuadorian jungle, and become part of the change in mentality towards the way the world of shamanic medicine is seen, helping to find a balance point through the scientific research of traditional knowledge.
Conservation
Cuyabeno has eight major ecosystems, and is rich with wildlife, which is one of the reasons we want to protect a larger area of the jungle. Here are just some of the animals that inhabit Cuyabeno, which we plan to support the conservation of:
Monkeys (10 species)
Sloths
Big Cats (including: Jaguars, Pumas, Ocelots)
Cayman (2 species)
River Dolphins
Manatees
Snakes (including Boas and Anacondas)
Frogs and Toads
Spiders (including Tarantulas, Wolf Spiders and Scorpion Spiders)
Butterflies
Iguanas
Turtles
Capibaras
Deer
Tapirs
Otters (the giant otter and the neotropical otter)
Bats
There are more than 580 species of birds (including blue and yellow macaws, hummingbirds and kingfishers) and around 350 species of fish (including piranhas and catfish over 2.5 metres long).
Thousands of species of trees and plants inhabit the area including Orchids, Macrolobyum, and Palms to name just a few.
We would like to host students and herbalists who need to spend longer periods of time in the jungle to carry out their research. By offering them just accommodation with a guide available (rather than a typical guided tour package of 4-5 days), we will enable their biodiversity studies to continue more affordably. We can also provide additional support, thanks to the skills and knowledge Andrés has acquired through his own research in Cuyabeno, when studying to become a biologist, and his life growing up in the area.
We will need an income to help support our conservation project and the Amazonian rain forest is a popular tourist destination. We will therefore also open the ecolodge to small groups of visitors looking to enjoy a memorable jungle experience, while being environmentally conscious. With almost 20 years guiding experience and a lifetime of jungle experience, Andrés, with his team of experienced guides, can introduce people to the incredible flora and fauna, while educating them about the importance of conservation and responsible travel.
In the name of conservation, most of the land we buy (almost 70 hectares) will remain untouched, acting as an expansion of the protected area of the Cuyabeno Reserve. The lodge itself will be built using natural materials and will incorporate solar panels and biodigesters to generate natural energy. We will limit the number of visitors to minimise impact on the land. We also plan to use electric powered canoes in the future, to minimise emissions.
We are confident that as a valuable conservation project, we can make this a success and something we can all be proud of. If you'd like to talk to us or to find out more information about this before you donate, please feel free to contact us! http://jungleconservationecolodge.webs.com/ Thank you!
One focus of our lodge will be to accommodate and support people studying and researching the biodiversity that Cuyabeno has to offer, specifically working with those involved in herbalism, studying the incredible range of plants that can be used for medicine, health and wellbeing. To help fund the lodge we will also open it to small groups of eco-conscious tourists who want to experience this extraordinary environment, while educating them in the importance of the conservation of the rainforest and its inhabitants.
Due to the short time-frame we have to get this project up and running, we need to raise money quickly, which is one of the reasons crowdfunding is a good option for us. There are two phases to our fundraising. Phase one, the most urgent, is to acquire the land for its conservation - saving it from becoming something else. We estimate we will need to raise $25,000 USD (just under £19,000) to purchase the land, including completion of the necessary paperwork. Phase two will be to raise money to build the eco-lodge. But our initial focus is on the first phase.
The second reason we like the idea of crowdfunding is the idea of making this a more inclusive, communal project, so we are offering incentives to people willing to donate. We would like to invite donors to visit the site to see the progress we are making, as well as perhaps getting involved in the construction process, if you would like to. During your stay we will take you on excursions to get to know Cuyabeno, to show you why we love the area so much and why it is important to preserve it! For anyone unable to visit the site we will make regular photo and video updates so you can keep track of our progress and see exactly how your money is helping.
The jungle is a special place for both of us. Andrés grew up just outside Cuyabeno National Park, where he spent his childhood exploring the jungle and developing a passion for the wildlife and plantlife. This magical upbringing eventually led him to study biology and become a Herpetologist, and Jungle Guide. Through his stories, experience and obvious passion for the jungle and the animals, birds, plants, and people it inhabits, Andrés enticed Jude into his world, and when he took her to Cuyabeno for the first time, she instantly fell in love with it, as she fell in love with him.
Research
Part of our mission is to help improve the quality of life for people. We aim to support the recognition of the ancestral knowledge of the inhabitants of the Ecuadorian Amazon by helping to promote research in the field of traditional medicine. For generations the indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon have relied on their shamans to treat all kinds of diseases, using the natural resources (plants, flowers and fruits) available in the rainforest. The shamans are, in fact, doctors who have been curing countless physical diseases and spiritual evils for hundreds of years, yet their ways are often dismissed in the name of modern medicine. The mix of science and mysticism in shamanic practices has fuelled doubt of the effectiveness in the past, but a growth in the study of herbalism and natural medicines, is leading more people to explore the successful practices of the past in the name of finding cures and remedies for the future. We want to support that research by accommodating people studying plants and their healing properties in the Ecuadorian jungle, and become part of the change in mentality towards the way the world of shamanic medicine is seen, helping to find a balance point through the scientific research of traditional knowledge.
Conservation
Cuyabeno has eight major ecosystems, and is rich with wildlife, which is one of the reasons we want to protect a larger area of the jungle. Here are just some of the animals that inhabit Cuyabeno, which we plan to support the conservation of:
Monkeys (10 species)
Sloths
Big Cats (including: Jaguars, Pumas, Ocelots)
Cayman (2 species)
River Dolphins
Manatees
Snakes (including Boas and Anacondas)
Frogs and Toads
Spiders (including Tarantulas, Wolf Spiders and Scorpion Spiders)
Butterflies
Iguanas
Turtles
Capibaras
Deer
Tapirs
Otters (the giant otter and the neotropical otter)
Bats
There are more than 580 species of birds (including blue and yellow macaws, hummingbirds and kingfishers) and around 350 species of fish (including piranhas and catfish over 2.5 metres long).
Thousands of species of trees and plants inhabit the area including Orchids, Macrolobyum, and Palms to name just a few.
We would like to host students and herbalists who need to spend longer periods of time in the jungle to carry out their research. By offering them just accommodation with a guide available (rather than a typical guided tour package of 4-5 days), we will enable their biodiversity studies to continue more affordably. We can also provide additional support, thanks to the skills and knowledge Andrés has acquired through his own research in Cuyabeno, when studying to become a biologist, and his life growing up in the area.
We will need an income to help support our conservation project and the Amazonian rain forest is a popular tourist destination. We will therefore also open the ecolodge to small groups of visitors looking to enjoy a memorable jungle experience, while being environmentally conscious. With almost 20 years guiding experience and a lifetime of jungle experience, Andrés, with his team of experienced guides, can introduce people to the incredible flora and fauna, while educating them about the importance of conservation and responsible travel.
In the name of conservation, most of the land we buy (almost 70 hectares) will remain untouched, acting as an expansion of the protected area of the Cuyabeno Reserve. The lodge itself will be built using natural materials and will incorporate solar panels and biodigesters to generate natural energy. We will limit the number of visitors to minimise impact on the land. We also plan to use electric powered canoes in the future, to minimise emissions.
We are confident that as a valuable conservation project, we can make this a success and something we can all be proud of. If you'd like to talk to us or to find out more information about this before you donate, please feel free to contact us! http://jungleconservationecolodge.webs.com/ Thank you!
Organizer
Judith Mitcham
Organizer
England
