MISSION & VISION

Fundación Jocotoco is an Ecuadorian conservation NGO founded in 1998.

Jocotoco's mission is to protect 10% of Earths biodiversity, focusing on threatened species and  ecosystems, guided by science and local leadership.

Our Vision  is permanently protected, connected, and resilient ecosystems in the most diverse and  threatened places in Latin America, for the benefit of future generations.

 

VALUES

  • Jocotoco strongly believes that nature has an intrinsic value, that wildlife has a right to exist  with us. We act on our belief by creating protected areas and by supporting the conservation  efforts of communities.  
  • We believe in people. It is our incredible community of people who inspire us and who  achieve conservation successes. We strive to provide opportunities for personal growth for everyone who works with us, and  for the next generation of conservation leaders. 
  • Our work is guided by treating others honestly, transparently, and fairly. We always strive for  effectiveness and excellence.

OPERATIONAL STATEMENTS

  • We protect carefully chosen key places to ensure the long-term protection of endangered  biodiversity and ecosystems. 
  • We are the steward for land we own or manage to enhance and protect ecological integrity.
  • We restore degraded ecosystems, connecting the tops of mountains to offshore reefs,  connecting islands together across the open ocean and habitat fragments across productive land.  
  •  We rely on rigorous, external science to review our work, creating the most effective  conservation programs possible relying on local, national, and international partners. 
  • Our success is built on local leadership, beginning on the ground by empowering park guards, investing in  their professional growth, and enabling them to advance into ever more influential roles. 
  •  We then use advanced technology to monitor and evaluate our impact, allowing us to scale up  our work across vast regional landscapes.

 

SISTER ORGANIZATIONS

By joining forces, we can make a bigger impact and make our efforts even more valuable.

Jocoambiente: Expertise that protects the future

Jocoambiente provides unique conservation services to our partners, helping them create, manage, and restore their protected areas. Jocoambiente draws on Jocotoco's decades of experience, its staff, and its infrastructure. Jocoambiente will help us achieve regional conservation strategies, even beyond Ecuador's borders, and its revenues support Jocotocos work.

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Jocotours: Tourism with Purpose, for Conservation

For more than a decade, Jocotours has been providing all-inclusive travel experiences in Ecuador. Jocotours tailors services to suit your needs and interests. Our reserves are open to visitors, and five of our reserves have beautiful lodges with everything you need for your stay. When you travel with Jocotours, all proceeds go back to Jocotoco's conservation work.

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Jocotoco Conservation Foundation

Jocotoco Conservation Foundation is a tax-exempt non-profit organization in the U.S. Like Fundacion Jocotoco, the mission of Jocotoco Conservation Foundation is to conserve biodiversity, especially threatened species and ecosystems, guided by scientific evidence and local leadership.

 

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OUR COMMUNITY

OUR STORY

Many years ago, a small group of people were exploring a mountain slope in southern Ecuador. Few from outside the community had ever visited this stretch of cloud forest. They heard a song in the distance, an unknown song. They walked closer, and the song grew louder. Suddenly, a bird jumped from the forest floor onto a branch, and stood in front of them. It was a bird unknown to science, never before seen by the outside world. It would soon be called the Jocotoco Antpitta. To protect this new species, they acted quickly to purchase that forest. It became the Tapichalaca Reserve. Over the years, Jocotoco expanded. We saved rare species and habitats on new reserves across Ecuador. We restored forests that were lost. We started conserving wildlife in the oceans. Now, years later, we protect ecosystems across entire regions. Jocotoco is now a model for the rest of the world, showing how a small, local organization can grow to have an impact across an entire country.

 OUR STORY