All Photos Our mission is to advance the conservation of threatened ecosystems in rural areas where poverty is extreme by promoting sustainable livelihoods that affirm local cultures and by strengthening community participation in natural resource management.

Focus Areas:	Economic Development, Environment, Poverty
Countries Served:	Belize Guatemala Honduras Mexico Panama

Description of Services:
EcoLogic takes a people-centered approach to the conservation of tropical habitats. Our approach provides local communities with tools and expertise to generate additional income without harming the environment or over-exploiting natural resources. Overall EcoLogic partnerships serve three broad objectives: 1. Community Organizing for Conservation: promote local stewardship in the management and protection of priority conservation areas. 2. Sustainable Livelihoods: assist in the development of sustainable livelihood alternatives in those areas. 3. Capacity Building: increase the institutional capacity of EcoLogic's partner organizations and the communities served.
History:
EcoLogic was established in 1993 to counter the conventional ?top down? approaches to protecting the planet?s rapidly diminishing biodiversity. EcoLogic was founded on the belief that local participation is not only socially just, it is essential for the effective long-term conservation of globally significant natural resources. This approach has proven to establish the conditions necessary to sustain conservation and development benefits well beyond EcoLogic?s initial support. EcoLogic began by providing small, one-year grants to local groups; it has evolved to building longer-term partnerships, which includes significant technical assistance and multi-year financial commitments to these groups.
Accomplishments & Progress:
EcoLogic-supported projects have preserved and protected more than 5 million acres of biodiverse habitats in Latin America. Our programs have provided natural resource management training to more than 5,000 people in over 1,000 rural villages, preparing local residents to be responsible stewards of their own lands. We have provided support alongside 43 NGO partners and producer groups in 11 countries to build community stewardship and promote environmentally friendly livelihoods for the poor. Our efforts have protected 31 vital watersheds in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. By establishing 38 tree nurseries, EcoLogic is working with rural communities to restore forest areas using native species of trees.