Planting now · Challabamba, Peru
Working with local communities along the length of the high Andes to restore important Polylepis forests.
The tree planting projects we will be supporting through GFG are part of an initiative spanning 5 countries in South America (Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina) called Acción Andina.
On average, between 65 and 90% of the trees planted will be locally prevalent species of Polylepis, such as Polylepis australis and Polylepis tomentella in Argentina, or Polylepis pauta and Polylepis incana in Peru. The remaining trees will be made up of other native species, such as Alnus acuminata, Schinus molle, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Acacia visco, Tipuana Tipu, Erythrina falcata, and Buddleja coriácea in Bolivia.
Planting takes place in Acción Andina during the high Andean rainy season, mostly from October through March or April. Local Acción Andina partners plant only native species at strategically chosen sites based on proximity to existing high Andean forests, land management plans made with governing authorities and local communities.
Explore the sites we’re supporting in Argentina on Restor: Córdoba, Norte de Jujuy, and Sur de Jujuy.
Explore the sites we’re supporting in Bolivia on Restor: Norte de Tunari, and Sur de Tunari.
Explore the sites that we’re supporting in Ecuador on Restor: Chimborazo, Imbabura, Noroccidente de Pichincha, Nororiente de Pichincha, Tungurahua 1, and Tungurahua 2.
Explore the sites we’re supporting in Peru on Restor: Aquia, Ccorca, Challabamba, Nor Yauyos Cochas, Q’eros, and Vilcanota.
Project Locations in 2025:
● Argentina - Árbol y Vida Puna & Yala Projects
● Argentina - Fundación Actividades Biosféricas Córdoba Project
● Ecuador - Aves y Conservación Imbabura & Yanahurco Projects
● Peru - Conservación Amazónica Challabamba Project
● Peru - ECOAN Vilcanota Project
Acción Andina projects are also implementing water resource management activities.
ungurahua, Ecuador: Fundación Incana delivered a significant upgrade to the drinking water system in the Cunugyacu community by providing 500 pressure tubes for drinking water systems. There, 50 community members participated in a massive minga (collective work day) to excavate ditches, remove old piping, and successfully install the new system. This collaboration resulted in improved and higher-quality water flow, eliminating frequent interruptions to enhance the daily lives of residents directly.
The Andes Mountains are home to one of the most important habitats in the world in terms of the biodiversity and people it supports – Polylepis forests. Polylepis trees can grow at altitudes of up to 5,000m above sea level, meaning they often form the treeline just below Andean glaciers.
Unfortunately, Polylepis forests in the Andes have been threatened for some time now by deforestation. Indigenous people who live close to the remaining forests are working with local tree-planting organisations to protect the remaining native forests and restore areas that have been deforested, planting a range of native species, including Polylepis.
Project notes from Ecologi, our planting partner for this site.
Restoring native Polylepis forests in the high Andes, Peru
Challabamba, Peru
The Polylepis forests are vital for protecting the water security of millions of people. The trees and their root systems slow the movement of glacial meltwater, ensuring its slow release into rivers and streams throughout the year. Their branches also effectively comb and harvest mists and precipitation from the clouds. As a result, permanent streams are created. This is vital for agriculture in mountainous areas, but also in lowland towns and villages where glacial meltwater is a key source of water. The trees also prevent soil erosion and flooding, protecting homes and livelihoods.
The forests also help to buffer the local climate from the impacts of climate change, through evapotranspiration – keeping the local climate cooler and wetter than it would be without the trees.
In Nor Yauyos Cochas, Peru, ECOAN developed a training program with government park ranger personnel and expert firefighters who operate in Machu Picchu. ACCA, also in Peru, supplied protective uniforms and equipment to two community firefighter brigades.
And in Vilcanota, 400 clean cookstoves were distributed in two communities by ECOAN. ECOAN buys artisanal clay cookstoves from indigenous communities in another region, Puna, and distributes them to Acción Andina communities.
An abundance of wildlife lives within these forests, including Andean Condors, Spectacled Bears, and Pumas. The forests are expected to become a habitat of increasing value due to the migration of species to cooler areas to escape the impact of climate change and the associated warming temperatures.
In Ccorca, Peru, a study of flora and fauna was carried out to evaluate the potential for establishing another Private Conservation Area. 126 different species of flora and 69 bird species were found, including three birds endemic only to southern Peru – Bearded Mountaineer Hummingbird (Oreonympha nobilis), Rusty-fronted Canastero (Asthenes ottonis) and Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch (Poospizopsis caesar). These studies provide crucial supporting evidence for creating a legally recognised conservation area for biodiversity conservation.
The trees and the healthy soils associated with the trees are an important carbon store, playing a crucial role in the global fight against climate change.
Updates from the people planting it, newest first.
Across the various project regions, these initiatives have directly engaged a total of 1,113 participants in specialised workshops and educational events during the 2025 season.
In Urrao, Colombia, communities are "weaving" living corridors of native trees to reconnect fragmented water springs and combat the drying effects of invasive exotic pines.
In El Aguilar, Puna Region, Argentina, restoration is taking place in landscapes deeply scarred by more than a century of mining activity. Roads, extraction sites, and degraded soils left many residents doubtful that forests could ever return, especially at such extreme altitudes.
That scepticism began to shift during a single, powerful moment: a community planting event that brought together residents across generations. In just eight hours, community members planted 17,443 native trees, proving, visibly and collectively, that recovery was possible.
A young student later reflected on seeing the trees survive: “They did grow. It was possible.”
Another community elder, Doña María, who had initially doubted the project, shared: “Now I see that it can be done. You are an example.”
Women play a central role in this transformation. Led by Débora Sajama, the women of El Aguilar manage nursery production, including the identification and cultivation of Polylepis tarapacana, a species previously unrecognised in the territory.
The most recent of the 295 trees planted here for somebody's pet.
Trees planted with us this week go to sites like this one, with your pet's name on it.
