Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

Our project applies a combination of four interrelated strategies that address the intersection of natural resource needs and livelihood needs for rural and indigenous communities in Central America and Mexico: 1) community-led forest conservation and restoration; 2) establishment of agroforestry plots, 3) building fuel-efficient stoves to replace traditional open cookstoves in family homes, and 4) economic alternatives, such as beekeeping and women-led enterprises. In this holistic set of ecosystem restoration services, agroforestry plots help restore degraded land while providing greater food and economic security, fuel-efficient stove models reduce demand for firewood gathered from forests, and beekeeping for honey production provides a forest-friendly way of generating income. Our project provides sustainable alternatives to shift communities‚ reliance away from the extraction of forest resources, thereby preserving standing forests that serve as carbon sinks. EcoLogic has been implementing these participatory activities that address both climate and livelihood needs since its inception in 1993.

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How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption), Removes/stores GHGs (e.g., projects that capture, sequester, or otherwise enhance the "sinks" that accumulate and store GHGs)

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Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

EcoLogic empowers rural and indigenous peoples to restore and protect tropical ecosystems in Central America and Mexico. Our model of conservation work emphasizes centers on the engagement and empowerment of the local residents, participatory planning, contextually-appropriate strategies, and listening to the priorities expressed by the communities with which we work. We believe that the rural and indigenous communities situated in or near these threatened ecosystems are in the best position to protect them and to serve as guardians of the natural resources. To build trust with these communities, we prioritize building relationships and collaborating with local organizations and stakeholders, as well as working with local and regional staff members.

Our toolkit of strategies addresses the intersection of natural resources and livelihood needs, recognizing that in rural and indigenous communities where poverty is disproportionately high, having limited economic means often leaves families with little choice but to engage in unsustainable practices such as slash-and-burn agriculture, illegal logging, and extraction of forest resources to supplement income. These activities have a short-term payoff but harmful environmental effects over time, and these marginalized communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and natural resource depletion. 

Capacity building is one of our core principles to empower the underrepresented rural and indigenous communities with whom we work. We facilitate trainings, workshops, and learning exchanges with neighboring communities to provide beneficiary communities and families with the skills to conserve and restore their local ecosystems, and to achieve greater economic stability sustainably.

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Mission Statement:

EcoLogic Development Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to empower rural and indigenous peoples to restore and protect tropical ecosystems in Central America and Mexico. We work in partnership with local organizations and communities in some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world to provide access to: 1) tools and training to build awareness, skills, and capacity within communities; 2) incentives that catalyze the adoption of sustainable practices; and 3) networks with local, regional, and international actors and initiatives. Our approach fosters holistic and sustainable development in which conservation, human well-being, and community development are mutually reinforced. Local leadership and participation are guiding principles for EcoLogic‚ work. 

EcoLogic‚ main headquarters are located in Cambridge, MA, USA. Our multi-site project takes place in rural and indigenous communities in Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.