This project seeks to expand the Pitalala Reserve, a protected area inside the “biodiversity vertex,” a 100 km2 quadrant holding the ABSOLUTE greatest number of animal and plant species per unit area anywhere on Earth, hoping to secure its designation as the first-ever Kichwa Biosphere Reserve. The expansion of the reserve will stop a network of colossal open-pit gold mining operations through the direct purchase of various rainforest land lots totaling 2,200 hectares. Khamai Foundation has the opportunity to acquire these plots of land before the miners do, but only if we act quickly. We seek to achieve the following goals between 2026 and 2027:
1. Secure 2,200 hectares of rainforest via the expansion of Pitalala Reserve.
2. Help keep ~2.2–2.6 million tCO₂e from being dumped into the atmosphere.
3. Create a community-led Kichwa eco-tourism project to maintain the reserve.
4. Provide an alternative income source to gold mining in the Río Anzu area.
5. Promote the research and conservation of Amazonian biodiversity.
Goal: This project seeks to raise awareness about, and create a protected area inside, the “biodiversity vertex,” a rainforest hotspot holding the ABSOLUTE greatest number of animal and plant species per unit area anywhere on Earth.
Proposed area: 2,200 hectares (5,436 acres)
Altitudinal range: 400–600 m.
Carbon stored: ~2.2–2.6 million tCO₂e.
247 hectares of 2,200 goal protected.
295 backers. 203 days to go.
Forest you’ll savePitalala Reserve |
The fundraiser for the Pitalala Reserve is officially launched. This allowed the team of Khamai Foundation to begin the fieldwork and the buy-sell negotiations.
Khamai Foundation protects the first 72 hectares, thus bringing Pitalala Reserve into existence.
A new population of the Endangered Spotted Rocket Frog (Hyloxalus maculosus) has been detected near the reserve, presenting a rare opportunity to protect it.
Thanks to 185 backers and our institutional partners, the Khamai Foundation stopped the emergence a new gold mining front and halted the advance of a road that threatened to cut through one of the last large continuous blocks of unspoiled rainforest in the area.
The Khamai Foundation has officially finalized the purchase and permanent protection of a 94-hectare tract of Amazon rainforest near the Pitalala Reserve. Just months ago, this land—about one-quarter the size of New York’s Central Park—had a 100% chance of being fragmented and destroyed by developers who had already begun bulldozing pristine rainforest for roads.
Deadline for completing the purchase of an additional three land lots currently up for sale around the reserve, totalling 46 hectares.
