Restoring native Polylepis forests in the high Andes

Across the various project regions, these initiatives have directly engaged a total of 1,113 participants in specialised workshops and educational events during the 2025 season.

In Urrao, Colombia, communities are "weaving" living corridors of native trees to reconnect fragmented water springs and combat the drying effects of invasive exotic pines.

In El Aguilar, Puna Region, Argentina, restoration is taking place in landscapes deeply scarred by more than a century of mining activity. Roads, extraction sites, and degraded soils left many residents doubtful that forests could ever return, especially at such extreme altitudes.

That scepticism began to shift during a single, powerful moment: a community planting event that brought together residents across generations. In just eight hours, community members planted 17,443 native trees, proving, visibly and collectively, that recovery was possible.

A young student later reflected on seeing the trees survive: “They did grow. It was possible.”

Another community elder, Doña María, who had initially doubted the project, shared: “Now I see that it can be done. You are an example.”

Women play a central role in this transformation. Led by Débora Sajama, the women of El Aguilar manage nursery production, including the identification and cultivation of Polylepis tarapacana, a species previously unrecognised in the territory.

Reforestation is being used to combat severe drought in high-altitude regions like Cajamarca, Peru, and to restore water-retaining "sponge" ecosystems in the Argentine Pampa.

During the rainy season, peak rainfall causes disasters precisely because there is no native vegetation to absorb the water and maintain the natural cycle. The watershed has lost forests and therefore its capacity to accumulate water.

It was in this context that the Quechua women of Tunari Park decided to organise themselves and lead conservation programs to guarantee the region's water security through reforestation.

This spurred the development of the Faunagua and Armonía projects, both supported by the international program Acción Andina.

“I am motivated to take care of the water, not only for myself, but for the entire community. This area is a water recharge zone and we are the ones who benefit directly, but thousands of neighbors also benefit indirectly,” says Judith Gonzales, a Quechua indigenous leader and head of community management in the Tunari Program.

The reforestation program began with three components: restoration and conservation of native forests, sustainable development, and monitoring of reforested areas. In addition, over the past six years, they have restored more than seven water reservoirs —natural deposits within the forest that serve to store water—and have over 140 monitoring plots where they evaluate the approximately 1.7 million kewiña

Workshops in Jujuy, Argentina, successfully engaged 60 participants, with a majority of women (33) taking lead roles in discussing climate resilience and nursery management. In Imbabura, Ecuador, 401 people were reached through a mix of reforestation training and environmental education sessions.

These projects are revitalising high-Andean biodiversity by re-establishing essential biological cycles and protecting rare species across the mountain range. A significant milestone was observed in the Japu community (Peru), where Polylepis cuttings planted just a few years ago have begun to fruit and attract pollinators, signalling the successful return of natural life cycles. Extensive baseline surveys in regions like Yanahurco (Ecuador) have documented the presence of extraordinary and unique species, such as the marsupial mouse and the Antisana frog, fostering a renewed sense of pride and stewardship among local populations.

Across the various project regions, these initiatives have directly engaged a total of 1,113 participants in specialised workshops and educational events during the 2025 season. This collective effort focuses on shifting local perspectives from passive observation to active stewardship of their natural resources. For example, in Aquia, Peru, the project achieved 100% participation from the local school, with 124 students engaging in environmental art and mural workshops to visualise the future of their forests.

Acción Andina partners are securing water resources through a variety of means for local communities. 10 Acción Andina projects are implemented water resource management activities throughout 2025. The team are also currently developing ways to better measure and demonstrate our water impact. A case study of the Tunari National Park, Bolivia: Acción Andina partner Asociación Armonía constructed a 100,000-litre water reservoir in the community of La Aguada, a critical intervention that benefits 50 families in a region vulnerable to water scarcity.

Impact in 2025:

• 2.3 million New native trees planted during this season

• 35 Local conservation leaders are receiving salary support and training

• 160 Local and Indigenous communities are actively participating 

• 102 Nurseries producing native species

In Fundación Bosquizar’s Jujuy project in Argentina, rustic nurseries in communities like Cangrejos demonstrate ingenious adaptation to local conditions. The Cangrejos nursery includes a "dark chamber" that naturally cools the main production area, effectively acting as an air conditioning system This ensures optimal conditions for Polylepis seedling growth.

In August 2025, the project teams engaged the entire local school (100% participation from 124 students) in a comprehensive environmental education campaign and art contest.

A significant milestone was observed in the Japu community (Peru), where Polylepis cuttings planted just a few years ago have begun to fruit and attract pollinators, signalling the successful return of natural life cycles.

A nursery technician in Tucumán, Argentina, prepares substrates for plant production in May 2025.

• Photo credit: Bosquizar

In December 2024, ECOAN’s Aquia project in Peru made Acción Andina history by reforesting over 150,000 native trees in a single day.

Some of the Ecologi team were invited to join the Acción Andina team in Peru to see the work they're doing for themselves. An excellent week in the Andes showed our team how impactful this project is for local communities and nature.

ECOAN - GFG's lead implementing partner - worked with 40 community members in the Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve to build a semi-permeable dam to conserve water in the dry season.

In ECOAN’s Vilcanota project in Peru, 400 clean cookstoves were distributed in two communities. ECOAN buys artisanal clay cookstoves from indigenous communities in another region, Puna, and distributes them to Acción Andina communities.

In Ccorca, Peru, where ECOAN is leading Acción Andina’s work, a study identified 3 bird species found only in southern Peru, including the Bearded Mountaineer Hummingbird. This is crucial evidence for creating a new Private Conservation Area.

In Challabamba, ACCA finished collecting cuttings with community members in the Manu National Park for this year - the first group ever allowed to do this by the park authorities!