Global Forest Generation

06/05/2026

This World Environment Day, we're reminded that the climate cannot wait and neither can the Andes.

Across South America, thousands of local guardians are restoring native forests through Acción Andina , protecting water sources and strengthening biodiversity, all while supporting the communities that call these mountains home.

Community-led restoration is more than an investment in nature. It's a living response to the climate crisis, one that is already creating a more resilient future for both people and planet.

From the high mountains to the valleys, the movement is growing. The network is in motion. And every tree planted is a step toward a healthier future.

https://environmentday.accion-andina.org/

06/01/2026

Across the Andes, native forests and high-altitude wetlands help regulate the flow of water that millions of people and wildlife depend on downstream.

As scientists warn of a possible Super El Niño event in 2026, these mountain ecosystems face growing pressure from extreme rainfall, drought, water shortages, crop loss, and wildfire risk. Healthy ecosystems can help communities better withstand these impacts by stabilizing soils, retaining moisture, slowing runoff, and supporting steadier watershed flow.

Our latest blog explores how Acción Andina's community-led restoration work is helping restore native Polylepis forests and strengthen long-term climate resilience across the Andes.

Read the full story here: https://www.globalforestgeneration.org/2026/05/29/weathering-a-super-el-nino-how-andean-restoration-builds-climate-resilience/

Watch these new shorts to learn more about the communities making protection and restoration possible.

05/29/2026

May Donor Spotlight: Planeterra Foundation

Since 2022, Planeterra has supported Acción Andina’s community-led restoration efforts across the high Andes, helping strengthen ecosystems and local livelihoods.

At the heart of our partnership is a shared belief that restoration becomes most meaningful when communities are at the heart of the work. Together, we’re helping forests and communities thrive for generations to come.

Thank you, Planeterra, for growing this impact alongside us.

05/28/2026

High-Andean forests play an important role in supporting healthy ecosystems in the Andes.

Recent research highlighted in Nature Portfolio explored the carbon storage potential of high-Andean forest ecosystems and reinforces the importance of protecting and restoring these landscapes.

These ecosystems support biodiversity and help regulate water systems, all while providing important environmental benefits for the communities that live in the Andes.

Through community-led restoration efforts, Acción Andina and regional partners are working to restore and protect native high-Andean forests across the region. Their work helps recover ecosystems that have experienced degradation and supports the long-term health of these unique mountain landscapes.

Read more here:
https://inforegion.pe/bosques-andinos-superan-a-la-amazonia-en-captura-de-carbono/

Un estudio reciente publicado en Nature Communications reveló que los bosques andinos absorben entre 0,67 y 0,8 toneladas de carbono por hectárea al año. (Foto: Difusión)

05/26/2026

Water security in the Andes is strongly tied to the health of mountain ecosystems.

A report written by the Inter-American Development Bank explains how climate change is affecting glaciers and water availability in the tropical Andes, creating increasing challenges for the region’s ecosystems and communities.

The restoration of Andean forests is an important part of supporting long-term forest health and the water systems people depend on. This connection is at the heart of the restoration work being advanced by Andina in the Andes.

Read the report here:
http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0009090

This paper describes the challenges surrounding current and future water use in the tropical Andes by first reviewing the modern and future projected hydrological cycle and anticipated impacts on environmental services provided by glaciers and wetland vegetation. The discussion then elaborates on th...

05/22/2026

Today, on the International Day for Biological Diversity, we celebrate the incredible diversity of life that healthy forests sustain.

In the high Andes, native Polylepis forests provide habitat for countless species, from hummingbirds and spectacled bears to rare high-elevation wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. These ecosystems help regulate water systems, support biodiversity, and strengthen resilience for both people and nature.

Through community-led restoration initiatives like Acción Andina, local communities are helping restore and protect these vital forests for future generations - acting locally for global impact. 🌿

Protecting biodiversity starts with protecting forests.



Photos:
1- Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant (Ochthoeca fumicolor)
credit: Francisco Tobar (Aves y Conservación)

2- Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)
credit: István Kadar

3- Conifer Forest Landscape

4- Achala green lizard (Pristidactylus achalensis)
credit: Fundación de Actividades Biosfericas

5- White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
credit: Cecilia Castañeda (Aves y Conservación)

6- Sapito de colores de Achala (Melanophryniscus stelzneri stelzneri)
credit: Fundación de Actividades Biosfericas

05/22/2026

Across the Bolivian Andes, Indigenous Quechua women are helping restore native kewiña (polylepis) forests to support water security and healthy ecosystems.

This recent Mongabay.com feature highlights the importance of community-led restoration efforts working to protect high-Andean forests and the communities connected to them.

We’re honored to see Global Forest Generation featured alongside Acción Andina, ECOAN - Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos, Faunagua, and Asociación Armonía in this story about environmental stewardship in the Andes.

Read the article here:
https://es.mongabay.com/2026/05/mujeres-kewina-indigenas-quechua-restauran-bosques-andinos-proteger-agua-bolivia/

You can also explore additional restoration stories and videos from Bolivia on our website:
https://www.globalforestgeneration.org/2026/04/10/stories-from-bolivia/

Mongabay seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wild lands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging trends in climate, technology, economics,and finance on conservation and development.

05/20/2026

This World Bee Day, we’re highlighting how pollinators and native forest restoration connect to community livelihoods.

In Bolivia, Acción Andina partner Prometa is supporting community-led beekeeping initiatives as part of forest conservation agreements in high-Andean communities. Through this work, 23 beehives were distributed to 20 families in Papachacra, Sala Huayco, and La Tranca, creating a source of income directly linked to the health of their native forests and surrounding vegetation.

Families also participated in nine apiculture workshops across five communities in Tupiza and Cotagaita, gaining hands-on training in hive management and queen placement as well as honey harvesting.

Healthy forests help support healthy pollinators. In turn, beekeeping offers families a sustainable livelihood that reinforces long-term forest stewardship.

04/27/2026

Huge thanks to the ShineMaker Foundation for their unwavering general support since 2019! Having their backing so early in our journey, just one year after our founding in 2018, has been instrumental in helping Global Forest Generation grow and thrive from the very start.

04/24/2026

The best time to plant a forest was decades ago. The second best time is today. At GFG and Acción Andina, is every day. One example? The Warmi Kewiñas:

In the high Andes of Bolivia, the Warmi Kewiñas are choosing resilience over loss. Together with Acción Andina partner Faunagua, they are transforming the landscape one native tree at a time to secure a thriving ecosystem for generations to come.

Plant the seeds. Support the guardians. Join the movement.