One of the world’s largest Indigenous-led conservation initiatives, The Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance (ASHA) has unified 30 Indigenous nations of Ecuador and Peru, collectively advocating for the protection of 86 million acres of highly bioculturally diverse tropical rainforests – an area the size of Italy.

Indigenous peoples have demonstrated a profound ability to live harmoniously with nature. They have maintained the Earth's most pristine regions containing an astounding 80 percent of the planet's terrestrial biodiversity, and half of its remaining intact forests. ASHA’s solutions, derived through communal and territorial processes, are firmly rooted in traditional ecological knowledge. While Indigenous stewardship has been shown to be key to the success of forest protection efforts, very little conservation and climate mitigation funding reaches Indigenous territories. Through this Alliance, we are joining our efforts to mobilize significant financial and technical resources to amplify our voices, reforest lands, secure the recognition of our rights, and safeguard our territories. 