A new project led by Fundacion Great Leaf, supported by the Council on Australia–Latin America Relations (COALAR) places gender equity and inclusive participation at the heart of conservation work in Ecuador’s Chocó region.

A key component of the program is ensuring that women, youth, and diverse community members have meaningful opportunities to participate and lead within conservation initiatives. Workshops and activities will also address gender-based violence, workplace discrimination, and the creation of safe and respectful working environments—issues that are often overlooked in conservation projects but are essential for building inclusive and resilient environmental movements.

The project, “Binational Conservation and Restoration: Connecting Experiences between Australia and Ecuador,” will be implemented by Fundación Great Leaf in collaboration with restoration scientists from Flinders University’s Frontiers of Restoration Ecology (FORE) team, the University of Melbourne, and other Australian experts. Running from June 2026 to May 2027, it will create a platform for collaboration between Ecuadorian conservation organizations and Australian research institutions.

Activities will also include virtual seminars on restoration ecology and citizen science, training exchanges where Ecuadorian participants travel to Australia for hands-on learning, and field workshops in the Chocó region focused on forest restoration, biodiversity monitoring, agroforestry, and community engagement. These exchanges will connect scientists, NGOs, students, and communities to share knowledge and strengthen restoration practices.

For members of the Chocó Alliance, this initiative offers an important opportunity to strengthen skills, collaborate with international researchers, and bring new perspectives to conservation work. It also highlights one of the advantages of being part of the Alliance: access to international partnerships and funding opportunities that individual organizations might not be able to secure on their own.