Nature and Culture International (NCI) and the city of Solana Beach, California have joined forces to preserve a pristine area of tropical forest in southern Ecuador, focusing on areas of official biodiversity priority and watersheds important to municipalities. After unanimous approval by the City Council on February 11, 2009 the Solana Beach program allows residents and businesses to contribute to this program to conserve endangered forest – which will also sequester and reduce greenhouse gases. One of the causes of the pressure on these forests is the US policy on biofuels, which has dramatically raised the price of corn with consequent deforestation and negative consequences for both climate and biodiversity.

Believed to be the first of its kind in the United States, this municipal program will support NCI’s work to conserve the vanishing tropical deciduous forest in southwestern Ecuador. Logging and corn-based ethanol continue to threaten what little remains of this type of forest in Ecuador, and Ivan Gayler, Founder of NCI, stressed that, "If we don't act to save this forest, within a few years it will be gone.” Currently, less than five percent of this critically threatened ecosystem remains. The forest to be purchased is in the Tumbesian ecoregion, one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots, with a wealth of endangered and endemic species. NCI will also work with local communities to develop sustainable alternatives for their development aspirations.

Solana Beach residents and businesses can our Carbon Emissions Calculator to determine their climate impact and the number of acres of forest to conserve in order to offset this impact. Or go directly to our Donation page to conserve acres today. For only $50 an acre, the people of Solana Beach can help preserve this exceptional yet vulnerable area, home to a great variety of unique and threatened plant and animal life. All donations are US Tax Deductable.

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