ENDANGERED RAINFOREST RESCUE
Restoring Biodiversity Through Planting Endangered Tropical Tree Species and Protecting Indigenous Land
WHAT WE DO - BRINGING BACK BIODIVERSITY IN DEPLETED LAND
In 2022, Endangered Rainforest Rescue was founded by Alexandra Climent to directly aide in the restoration of tropical endangered tree species located in the Darién Gap of Panamá. For the past seven years Alexandra has headed several expeditions deep into the Darién region to collect the seeds of native hardwoods for reforestation. Through the communal aid of several indigenous communities and determined individuals, ERR has successfully reforested thousands of endangered trees on an organic protected farm in Central Panamá.
WHY THE DARIEN GAP?
“The Darién Gap,” located in the Southeastern most part of Panamá, stands out as one of the most biodiverse tropical rainforest habitats in the world. This relatively young land-bridge connects Central America and South America resulting in an astonishing number of endemic species unique to this ecosystem. Throughout Panamá, many of its native tropical hardwood tree species have completely disappeared, only to be found within The Darien Gap. This rapid deforestation is due to the proliferation of agricultural clearing and Teak plantations brought on by global economic interests. The blowback of this geo-political struggle has decimated areas that were vibrant and lush just a few years prior.
THE FUTURE
The work of ERR has developed contacts at The Smithsonian Research Institute and Yale Environmental Institute in a combined effort to track the precarity of species in this incredibly remote region. Endangered Rainforest Rescue aims to continue to collect endangered native seeds, map their location for seasonal cultivation, and plant them on protected lands throughout Panama. The enthusiasm this project has received from local people in Panamá has been the main reason for its success. It has been incredibly rewarding to formulate close friendships with many of the people we work with on the ground. Seeing how this project can impact their lives by reclaiming their land and putting money taken from them back in their hands is another reason we seek to grow this project.
