Due to this crisis brought on by Covid-19, Maquipucuna has seen at 90% loss in income over the last few months which represents a huge loss for the neighboring communities.

Maquipucuna has lifted up local communities by providing income through ecotourism. Our work also led to the creation of the community run ecotourism operations in the Yunguilla, Santa Lucia, and Playa de Oro communities, which attract thousands of tourists each year.

Maquipucuna directly employs 14 families in the nearby town of Santa Marianita but has impacted over 1,000 families in the last 32 years. As a non-profit, our ecolodges' revenue is directly funneled into research, conservation, environmental education and community development—of which over 50% is kept within Santa Marianita town itself.

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In addition to economic difficulties due to lack of tourism, the reserve and surrounding forests have seen an upsurge in threats such as poaching, land trafficking, logging, and even mining.

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 At the bottom of our pockets we struggle to find support for our team and our conservation efforts.. We know that one day tourists will come back but until then we have brainstormed to try and find a way to support the reserve, our team and their families, as well as members of the local community--many of whom also make their living through the bustle and flow of tourists.

From this Sustainability Redefined was born.

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