October 15, 2025by Abby Metzger

The Path of Water: Investing in the Andes to Secure South America’s Economic Future

By Florent Kaiser, CEO, Global Forest GenerationCo-founder, Acción Andina Water Security Is Economic Security South America’s water crisis is no longer an environmental problem. It’s an economic one. The Andes — the continent’s hydrological spine — sustain 140 million people and 236 cities across both the Amazon and Pacific basins. Each year, these mountain ecosystems […]

15 October 2025 The Path of Water: Investing in the Andes to Secure South America’s Economic Future
Mature Polylepis tree in the Andes.
August 13, 2025by Abby Metzger

Why Forest Protection Matters

Only about 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres) of high-Andean Polylepis forests remain — just 2–5% of their historical range. These ancient, slow-growing, and water-storing forests are both majestic and fragile. Protecting them has always been a top priority for our restoration initiative, Acción Andina. Thanks to new funding, we’ve been able to expand this work, […]

13 August 2025 Why Forest Protection Matters
Laura Punina_Community Leader in Ecuador_Photo by Todd Brown / UNEP
June 9, 2025by Abby Metzger

Grit and Gumption: Bringing Back Ecuador’s Forests

Global Forest Generation’s Communications Director, Abby Metzger, reflects on community-led conservation and what it really takes to bring back nature. The piece was originally published in Traverse magazine. Read an excerpt here: I’m not going to make it to the top. Ninety minutes into the hike, we’ve just passed the old-growth clearing with 45 minutes […]

09 June 2025 Grit and Gumption: Bringing Back Ecuador’s Forests
November 13, 2024by elevationweb

Five Lessons In Building a Continent-wide Restoration Movement

Just over five years ago, Acción Andina began as an ambitious idea—a vision to restore the native forests of the Andes and protect vital ecosystems by empowering local communities. Today, we proudly work in six countries. Thanks to the international recognition we’ve received, we’ve been able to make tangible progress toward restoring the Andes. The […]

13 November 2024 Five Lessons In Building a Continent-wide Restoration Movement