From the mist-draped Yungas cloud forests to the Altiplano puna grasslands, from gnarled Polylepis woodlands and moss-draped elfin forests, to the surreal páramo with its Dr. Seuss-like plants and high-altitude valleys where endemic palm forests rise unexpectedly at 10,000 feet—Latin America holds ecological treasures the world cannot afford to lose. For locals these are the places that culturally define them from which they draw resources and inspiration.

These essential ecosystems generate and regulate water, store carbon, and shelter species found nowhere else on Earth. They include iconic national parks and critically important areas managed at the private, municipal, departmental, or provincial level—like the state parks of the United States. 

What all these places have in common, however,  is an extreme shortage of funding and manpower to protect the ecosystem services they provide. Without local stewardship and necessary resources, “protected areas” are extremely vulnerable from fire, exploitation and colonization. This isn’t just a Latin American problem, it’s global. For example, Denali National Park in the U.S. and Kruger National Park in South Africa have both faced major budget shortfalls which affected their ability to respond to wildfires and poaching. Managed correctly, these places offer more than natural resources and a place to walk, they also offer jobs.