MISSION AND VISION

The Jocotoco Foundation is an Ecuadorian NGO dedicated to conservation, founded in 1998. Jocotoco's mission is to protect 10% of Earth's biodiversity, focusing on threatened species and ecosystems, guided by science and local leadership. Our vision is to achieve permanently protected, connected, and resilient ecosystems in the most diverse and threatened places in Latin America, for the benefit of future generations.

 

 

VALUES

  • Jocotoco firmly believes that nature has intrinsic value and that wildlife has the right to exist alongside us. We act on this conviction by creating protected areas and supporting community conservation efforts.
  • We believe in people. It is our extraordinary community of people that inspires us and achieves conservation successes. We strive to provide opportunities for personal growth to everyone who works with us and to the next generation of conservation leaders.
  • Our work is governed by honest, transparent, and fair treatment of others. We always strive for efficiency and excellence.

Operational statements

  • We carefully protect selected key locations to ensure the long-term protection of biodiversity and endangered ecosystems.
  • We act as custodians of the lands we own or manage to strengthen and protect ecological integrity.
  • We restore degraded ecosystems, connecting mountain peaks with marine reefs, uniting islands across the ocean, and habitat fragments throughout productive landscapes.
  • We rely on rigorous, independent science to review our work, creating the most effective conservation programs possible, in collaboration with local, national, and international partners.
  • Our success is based on local leadership, starting in the field by strengthening park rangers, investing in their professional growth, and encouraging them to advance into increasingly influential roles.
  • Subsequently, we use advanced technology to monitor and evaluate our impact, allowing us to expand our work across vast regional landscapes.

 

SISTER ORGANIZATIONS

By joining forces, we increase our impact and make our efforts even more effective.

Jocoambiente

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

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Jocotours

For over a decade, Jocotours has offered all-inclusive ecotourism experiences in Ecuador. Jocotours tailors its services to your needs and interests. Our reservations are open, and five of them feature beautiful lodges with everything you need for your stay. When you travel with Jocotours, all proceeds go towards conservation efforts in Jocotoco.

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Jocotoco US

Jocotoco Conservation Foundation is a tax-exempt non-profit organization in the U.S. Jocotoco US connects Jocotoco with new partners and donors each year.

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JOCOTOCO COMMUNITY

OUR HISTORY

Many years ago, a small group of researchers was exploring a mountainside in southern Ecuador. Very few people outside the local community had ever visited this stretch of cloud forest. They heard a song in the distance, an unfamiliar song. They approached, and the song grew louder. Suddenly, a bird moved from the ground to a branch and perched right in front of them. It was a bird unknown to science, never before seen. Later, it would be named the Jocotoco Antpitta (Gralaria jocotoco). To protect this new species, they acted quickly and acquired the forest, which became the Tapichalaca Reserve. Over the years, Jocotoco has continued to expand. We save unique species and habitats in new reserves throughout Ecuador. We restore lost forests. We began conserving wildlife in the oceans. Now, years later, we protect ecosystems in entire regions. Today, Jocotoco is a model for the rest of the world, showing how a small, local organization can grow to have an impact on an entire country.

 OUR HISTORY