Amazon Conservation Association

I am not able to do anything but will keep it all in my prayers I believe the people deserves the best and to experience life at its fullest.

Interning for Amazon Conservation was one of the most fulfilling experiences I have had in my professional career. As I worked with the organization, I felt a profound sense of fulfillment and purpose, knowing that my efforts were contributing to a cause I deeply cared about. Not only did I find my passions perfectly aligned during my internship with Amazon Conservation, but I also had the privilege of working with an incredible team and experiencing an amazingly supportive organizational culture.

My internship supervisor, Ana Folhadella, played a crucial role in making my experience exceptional. Her genuine appreciation and recognition of my diligent efforts, both in group settings and around the office, reassured me that I had found the right place and was working alongside the right people. Her constant words of affirmation served as a motivating force and further validated the uniqueness of the experience I was gaining.

Moreover, every member of the D.C. office that I interacted with created a sense of belonging and inclusivity as they invited me to join meetings, conferences, etc., and sought my feedback. This inclusivity allowed me to see what a nonprofit does behind the scenes and how it accomplishes every step of its amazing mission. Overall, working with Amazon Conservation enabled me to see how this dedicated mission happens through the constant collaboration, teamwork, and determination of each member of its team.

FANTASTIC organization with a reach across the entire Amazon. Their work speaks for itself. Unlike other nonprofits that just do advocacy or lobbying, they actually get their hands dirty and DO conservation and protect forests.

I'm so grateful for Amazon Conservation Association and all the work they do. They are on the ground helping and empowering the very groups of people and communities that can do a lot of the protections. Thank you ACA!

As a conservation scientist and researcher, I highly respect and appreciate ACA's work to bring unite to our sector around Amazon conservation. They have delivered extremely useful maps and relay valuable approaches for engaging local stakeholders in conservation approaches. Excellent organization that sets a prime example of ethical conservation work with powerful outcomes.

Amazon Conservation Association is an incredible organization that is contributing to critical work in the Amazon region. Their approach of using science and technology, protecting nature, and empowering local people has led to important developments in the conservation of the region. As a small organization with large projects, every dollar is spent wisely to ensure the greatest impact. ACA's values are rooted in the community and the staff's passion for nature, collaborative relationships, and meaningful research is easily visible in their everyday work. I am lucky to be an intern with ACA and am enjoying working with this dedicated team, while also learning so much about the challenges and opportunities in the Amazon region.

to me, the best part of Amazon Conservation Association is their work in creating new protected areas, because insteaf of buying land they actually work with local people to protect their own land. in a world where money dictates everything, i find that very inspiring to see: conservation for the sake of conservation.

It's such a worthwhile cause to protect the Amazon Rainforest from the MANY threats against it. And Amazon Conservation does it beautifully, involving local people, using technology, and applying traditional conservation methods. It's one of the big reasons why I give to this organization and few others. And every time I have reached out to the organization they have been amazing in having A REAL PERSON respond to me. Keep up the great work!

One of the best NGOs out there. Impactful, to-the-point, solid conservation work. Small in size and big in impact.

Amazon Conservation is worth the money. I'm a monthly donor and there is no other nonprofit that is this nimble and yet has a huge impact. Very happy with how they are supporting the nature and people of the Amazon. I'd give them 10 stars if I could.

The Amazon Conservation Association is the only charity that I regularly contribute to. I am passionate about preserving the beauty and vitality of the Amazon jungle. ACA is an exceptional organization because I do not have to ask where my money is going, and I do not wonder what they are doing to protect the rainforest. Their work is tangible and meaningful. Their mission is vital. I could not recommend them enough for someone looking for a way to contribute to preserving one of God's life-sustaining creations.

I'm a sustaining contributor to Amazon Conservation because their work is critical. They understand how to leverage the resources they have and how to effect change in the most enduring way. Their MAAP data are probably unique, and sobering. And timely. If we don't understand how quickly forest is being lost, we’re at risk of blowing through ‘the tipping point’ of runaway conversion of forest to savannah – with global implications. I’ve spent years visiting the Brazilian Amazon, and for me the prospect of that loss is deeply emotional.

Amazing organization protecting the most important rainforest in the world. This is my primary charity I donate to because I wholeheartedly believe in their mission.

By far one of my favorite organizations in the environmental protection realm. I first gave to them in 2018 and had several questions about their work - sent an email to their general account, got a response within hours and spoke with a REAL person that actually knew what they were talking about. I love seeing what they are doing and actually seeing that my annual donations are making a difference. Highly recommend.

Amazon Conservation Association has a top rating from both Guidestar and Charity Navigator. I donate to them because they keep their overhead low and their impact high. I've sent emails into their info@amazonconservation.org account asking how my contributions were being used and I always get quick and informative answers. They are staffed by good people and they do good work.

Fantastic organization helping put out the fires in the Amazon as well as prevent new ones. Not only are they taking action in the countries affected but they are also providing scientific reports of what's happening down there. So no more fake news about what's happening! I really like what they do.

My favourite thing about Amazon Conservation Association is that it does not take a one-size-fits-all approach. They do EVERYTHING related to conservation: plant trees, protect uncontacted indigenous people, create areas for conservation, work with governments, help local communities with their sustainable businesses, use satelites to stop deforestation, and so much more. The breadth of their work is incredible and that is why I donate every year.

Fantastic org right here! I wrote to them to get information on a school paper about the rain forest and they were incredibly friendly and well-informed. I wrote to 3 other organizations who didn't respond at all, so I was thankful and impressed that Amazon Conservation Association actually cares about helping individuals learn about the rain forest!

I've been supporting ACA for many years now, because I know my dollar goes further with them than with other environmental nonprofits. They are small and impactful, and the staff is wonderful.

Wonderful NGO with a great mission and vision. Their work with local people is amazing and they protect millions of acres of rainforest. Keep supporting them while they fight the good fight.

Amazing organization protecting the most important rainforest in the world, even when it's not the most popular thing to do right now. We NEED organizations like Amazon Conservation Association around.

This organization is the definition of working from the ground up. They work with local communities to identify their needs for conservation and help them live sustainably while protecting the rainforest. Crazy good work.

The work ACA does is so needed. Climate change is real and they are the boots on the ground helping mitigate it. We **all** need to do our part in supporting this worthy cause.

ACA not only is fighting climate change by protecting the world's lungs, but also helps families and local communities mitigate poverty by giving them alternative ways of life that help the environment and their own local economies. I know that when I make a donation to ACA, my money is being well-spent.

ACA is an exceptional organization helping indigenous people and all animal and plant species that live in the Amazon. They work closely with the locals to make sure their concerns are heard and to teach them how to care and sustainably live off their land, while still keeping it conserved for their offspring. I feel comfortable knowing that ACA is out there fighting for environmental conservation.

THE BEST CONSERVATION NONPROFIT OUT THERE! Amazon Conservation Assc. sets the standard for excellence for supporting local communities and protecting the environment.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I went to ACA's biostation in Peru, but it FAR exceeded any expectation I could have ever imagined. Exploring the Amazon rainforest and learning about all the incredible conservation work that is done there by the ACA team is truly inspiring. The forest is gorgeous, the facility and grounds are spectacular and the staff is so kind. It is a truly peaceful, wonderful place and I was so honored to be able to visit. I hope ACA can continue to protect the Amazon rainforest for many years to come.

You won't find a more dedicated group of individuals working to protect the Amazon than the folks at Amazon Conservation Association. I love seeing their passion in action protecting millions upon millions of acres of rainforest. I know that when I donate to ACA, my contribution is always going to the right cause.

ACA is a leader in the field of environmental conservation and forest protection. Working with them means that I'm collaborating with experienced scientists, researchers, cultural specialists, biologists, and more. They are truly dedicated to the cause of conservation.

They are doing an amazing job at providing a center for researchers and inspiring visitors along the elevational gradient from Wayqecha to Los Amigos. The staff are incredibly helpful and accommodating. The research station facilities are fabulous and gorgeous. The amount of trails and intact nature are truly breathtaking. ACCA's dedication is contagious!

There may be bigger conservation organizations than ACA, but the impact ACA has had in Peru and Bolivia has been comparable with many of the so-called "bigger" organizations out there. They bring in technical expertise and years of building trust with local communities to the plate and always deliver results. As a biologist, I truly appreciate all their hard work and the impact they have had in keeping the Amazon green.

I love the work that Amazon Conservation Association does to protect the Amazon basin. Been a long time follower of the organization and they work hard in protecting habitat, working with local peoples (most of which are indigenous to the forest) and governments, and also educating the public about the Amazon rainforest.

ACA is a wonderful organization that is really focused on elevating the people of the Amazon by empowering them to learn more about their environment and giving them the tools to live in a forest-friendly way. Really great work, I support them every year and will continue to support them in the future.

ACA is a game changer organization. They are often putting out great content about conservation of the Amazon rainforest through their newsletter and social media channels, and it's easy to see why they are consistently rated as a top charity. With ACA, I know my dollars will go to the right cause.

I trust ACA to be experts in environmental conservation without a political bias. They work for the benefit of the environment and the scientific community, not for some political or for-profit agenda.

ACA's team of experts in DC, Peru and Bolivia are crucial to protecting the Amazon. They work with local communities and indigenous populations to empower them in conserving their lands. They bring in the technical expertise necessary to take conservation to the next level. The staff is also incredibly thoughtful and friendly, which also helps build rapport with the locals.

Amazing organization, staff, and mission. They are on the forefront of conservation in the Andes-Amazon, having a real impact in the region. They don't need bells and whistles, they just go in and do good work with the local people. Will continue donating to them as a way to do my part in protecting our planet for my children.

You don't get a better organization than ACA. Top notch staff in three different countries working together to protect and preserve the Andes-Amazon. Great synergy. Very impact driven and focused on not only protecting the environment, but also on the livelihoods of local indigenous populations. I always donate to them because I know my money is well invested.

The projects that ACA has done and continues to do on the ground in Peru and Bolivia are top-notch, and well worth funding. They are implementing conservation measures no one else is and helping local communities. Incredibly worthy organization.

Probably one of the best conservation organizations out there. Dedicated (small) staff based in DC manages (big) projects in Peru and Bolivia. I donate every year and always receive their updates. Their programs are comprehensive and actually use feedback from local communities on what the project priorities should be, so they aren't a bunch of Americans trying to push a conservation agenda in Latin America, but rather they care about the local communities on a personal level. Better than donating to large scale conservation organizations (where most of the time you don't know where your donation ends up), I rather donate to Amazon Conservation Association and be able to see their impact.

Community empowerment, environmental protection, and scientific research. Amazon Conservation does it all. I interned at ACA a few summers ago, and it was an eye-opening experience. I got the opportunity to see and partake in the incredible work of a growing nonprofit that goes above and beyond to protect the Amazon while supporting livelihoods in impoverished regions of South America. Through their many scientific research projects, publications, and educational field visits to the region ACA shines light at the many issues affecting the amazon, while at the same time encourages the world to think and act to protect one of the world's most biodiversed regions. Most importantly, ACA works in Bolivia and Peru to educate, empower, and provide economic intensives for local and indigenous communities to protect their majestic natural environment truly embodies ACA's leading conservation practices. The uniqueness and holistic approach to conservation from a community-based practice, in combination to strong scientific research, makes ACA's conservation efforts exemplary for others to follow. ACA's community-based environmental conservation practices inspired me to continue my path in the field of environmental science, knowing I could one day apply it to give back to my community in Latin America. Surprisingly enough, ACA manages to do all of this and more with very limited human and economic capital in the U.S., Bolivia, and Peru. GO AMAZON, GO ACA!

I am an active donor to ACA and have attended several of their programs in Washington, DC. I believe in the work that ACA does to empower local communities in Peru and Bolivia to make a difference and protect their own environment and culture (both of which are threatened by illegal and devastating rain forest destruction). I have also found the MAAP data to be an excellent and impeachable resource in tracking the destruction and continued threats to the rain forest, and urge local authorities to use this MAAP data to prosecute current violators and deter future violators. It's truly incredible and inspiring how the staff of ACA are able to do so much good with so few resources! I would love to see ACA expand with more funding and more programs in Peru, Bolivia and elsewhere in threatened environments.

ACA is a great organization, they do such an amazing work in Peru and Bolivia. As a volunteer and Peruvian I am glad to see the passion and hard-work that they all put to preserve the biodiversity and species in the protected areas and much more. All the staff is very helpful and willing to share all their knowledge and experience with me.

The Amazon Conservation Association is an incredible non-profit that I have had the pleasure and good fortune of working for. The staff members are extremely enthusiastic, hard-working, and passionate individuals whom take pride in their various projects throughout Peru and Bolivia. ACA serves to protect the Amazon as well as the indigenous communities within the region through sustainable living. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such a dedicated staff, whose goals and objectives demonstrated exemplary humanitarian efforts towards the local communities. The ecological endeavors undergone by ACA are centered and focused on benefitting the local community. I experienced firsthand the supervision carried out by the ACA offices located in Washington D.C., Peru, and Bolivia. The Amazon Conservation Association goes to great lengths to ensure effective execution of its programs. An extraordinary organization to say the least.

I interned with ACA this summer and was able to see first-hand the passion and dedication with which the staff members approach every aspect of the organization. They are all extremely invested in amazonian conservation, and the programs ACA has in place in Peru and Bolivia truly do make a difference. I am extremely thankful to have worked with them and can't wait to see what they do next.

ACA is an incredible investment for a donor. The staff work hard with few resources and are passionate about saving some of the most important forests on Earth while benefiting the local communities that live there. Unlike many conservation organizations that do projects in multiple countries for short periods, ACA has been rooted to their focal area for more than 15 years. They also have excellent biological stations and invest in training Peruvian students to be future conservationists.

I was the leader for senior high school students from the school I teach with in Canada and contacted ACA for a March Break trip to include community and environmental volunteer efforts and a trek; walking the old Inca road to Machu Picchu. ACA was simply incredible setting up this trip where we stayed at the Wayquecha Bio Station in the cloud forest for 5 days and then transported to the trail head of the old Inca road. The extra effort made to accommodate 15 of us for our ecotourism stay was terrific and the quality and authenticity of the people whom we met through our stay was heartwarming. Students helped by planting trees and learning from Peruvian scientists and villagers. The unique and varied flora and fauna was stunning, especially the orchid research being done in this remote and beautiful region of the lower Andes. The exposure for 16-18 year olds was truly unique. Our contact and guide once in Peru, was a wonderful and passionately knowledgeable scientist and trekking guide. He accompanied us everywhere, making connections, translating when necessary and delivering us to the time of the Inca's through his detailed knowledge of history. It is one thing to assist in rural sustainability like planting trees, but ACA went further than that by introducing us to the people at the heart of this region. Meeting them for lunch which they cooked for us with local quinoa and Tarwi (Lupin family) and indigenous vegetables and herbs meant that the students encountered language, cultural knowledge and habits and exchanged on a human level their lives with fellow Quechuans. The trip was immensely successful and I will bring more students another time to provide exposure to the terrific work being done by ACA.

My wife and I volunteered at ACA’s Los Amigos field station for five weeks in 2015, where we contributed to a scientific study of fauna habitats as part of ACA’s ongoing biological monitoring at the station. The station is a remarkable place – without the infrastructure and resources it provides, it would be incredibly difficult for the kind of research that it supports (all of which is very impressive) to take place at all. The trail network that ACA maintains, radiating outward from the station, is particularly important. This spans multiple types of terrain and habitat, and allows researchers and volunteers to access areas, and therefore ecosystems, plants and animals, that would otherwise be very time consuming and expensive to get to.

Great work, highly focused mission, unlike many other conservation NGOs.

ACA is an organization full of staff members who are fully committed to the work that they do. They are always eager to support one another and truly enjoy what they do, eagerly discussing new projects and any recent developments in both Peru and Bolivia. I was the Programs and Support intern these past few months and it has truly been a pleasure getting to know more about the work that ACA does.

Most of my work focused on compiling and synthesizing information on ACA's work in Bolivia. Since it's founding, ACA uses a model that combines a highly-participatory, culturally appropriate process with technical rigor. Currently, through their partnership with the Tacana, an indigenous community north of La Paz, ACA has a number of projects which include but are not limited to providing Brazil Nut harvesting support- a sustainable practice, financial budgeting and management for the Tacana, and piloting a multi-stakeholder approach in order to strengthen a Bolivian municipality's water management.

The ACA office in DC is small which means that every staff member's work is vital to furthering the organization's mission. Each member's commitment to protecting the biological diversity of the Amazon is clearly evident, and I highly recommend volunteering or providing financial support to this worthy cause.

I worked at CICRA biological station, run by ACA, for my Master's Degree. It was an amazing place to work and I am happy that my station fees went to such a great organization. I have also spent time at Wayquecha station and it's really unique that ACA runs a number of biological stations in diverse areas, over elevational gradients. ACA has been working hard to promote environmental education and conservation in southwestern Peru and have a done a great job.

In 2011 and 2012 I led "birdathons" to southeast Peru to raise funds for ACA. Both events were a smashing success. We raised much needed funds for the organization while gaining first hand knowledge of the critically important work ACA is doing to protect the world's most biodiverse forests. It was a life-changing experience for everyone.

It has been a privilege to work with ACA staff. They are smart, dedicated and highly effective. Their level of conservation accomplishment in southeast Peru is nothing short of remarkable.

I worked as a research assistant at one of ACA's biological stations for several months in 2012. The biological station is kept in very good condition and the location was convenient for accessing our data collection locations. Additionally, the station is located in one of the most beautiful places in the world. It would have been very difficult for us to accomplish our objectives if we had not been able to access the facilities provided by ACA. Really, this place is a researcher's paradise: excellent location and an excellent biological station.

Volunteering and interning in the DC office in fall 2013, I experienced the dedication of the organization as a whole to the many different projects promoting conservation in the headwaters of the Amazon basin. The impact of ACA crosses national borders and supports research, protects habitats, and advocates sustainable resource management for communities in Peru and Bolivia. ACA's efforts are ensuring that crucial biodiversity is preserved, and that the species of the Amazon have protected areas to migrate toward as climate and human impacts change the environment. This honorable vision and ambitious undertaking makes volunteering for ACA a valuable experience while the passion of the staff and board demonstrates a deep commitment to this mission. ACA constitutes a great nonprofit supported by a driven group of individuals who understand the invaluable resource of the Amazon and work daily to protect it.

I worked as an intern for ACA in the summer of 2013. Their amazing dedication and passion for conserving the Amazon is apparent in every one of their endeavors. The ACA staff shows a commitment to excellence that is unparalleled. As an intern I learned a great deal about nonprofit communications and marketing, and the staff were incredibly helpful and willing to share their vast knowledge and experience with me. ACA's support helped me to build confidence in my own skills and inspired in me a passion for conservation.

I worked for the Amazon Conservation Association in their DC office from 2011-2013, in addition to volunteering in 2010. I can wholeheartedly endorse the work that ACA does, the lives that ACA affects, and the experts that ACA employs. A truly holistic approach to addressing environmental concerns in the most critical landscape on Earth - the Andes/Amazon - with a reliable, continuous field presence through their biological stations. ACA is a lean, efficient organization doing real fieldwork with tangible results, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they will accomplish in the future.

ACCA does amazing work at so many levels, from scientific research to education, sustainable agriculture, ecotourism and advocacy for the conservation of Amazon biodiversity. I have been at Wayqecha and Villa Carmen and they are great field stations that offer unmatched opportunities for field research.

I have worked with ACCA in their office in Puerto Maldonado, Peru on research since 2011 as part of an academic research team. The staff in that office are friendly, knowledgeable and always go out of their way to be helpful. I have interacted with the DC staff on a number of occasions - I continue to be impressed by their ability to do so much great work being such a small group. Our research team has visited their beautiful research stations in the Amazon with students - the infrastructure and staff at the stations has always exceeded our expectations and made our stays there extremely enjoyable and comfortable. ACA/ACCA has been integral in my work in Peru, and I would highly recommend working with them if you are a conservation or environmental health researcher seeking collaboration with an NGO. They are professional, organized, extremely passionate about their work, and are simply wonderful people to work with!

Amazon Conservation Association (ACA) has been invaluable in my work in the Peruvian Amazon. Having worked with ACA on several conservation science projects in the last three years, I can say without question the work they are doing in Peru is incredibly important. I personally have benefited from their deep knowledge of the region, as well as their interest in collaboration and their support of my scientific research. There is no question in my mind that without the help of ACA, the quality of my research and its impacts would be much lower. In summary, I strongly recommend people support ACA's efforts in the Amazon on behalf of people and nature.

This is an amazing research station in the Amazon rainforest. Researchers and students benefit greatly.

ACCA has dedicated and passionate volunteers, staff and leaders working on providing long-term conservation zones in the Amazon region. They are currently working in Peru and Bolivia, creating a strong presence in the southern Amazon region based on mutual respect and openness. My research team visited the ACCA biological stations in Madre de Dios during our research collection period and we found the facilities and staff to be excellent. We are currently moving forward with more formal collaborations with ACCA and I would not hesitate to recommend them as collaborators for any institution working in the Amazon.

Amazon Conservation Association is one of the best groups of its kind out there. I had the opportunity to visit their research stations in the Amazon basin of Peru, and I've also met their Washington, DC staff. They are a super professional group of people dedicated to getting great results on the ground where it counts. I work in the conservation and environmental fields, and many nonprofits have become too self-serving. Not ACA. They keep their eyes focused on the mission. The vast majority of funds are used to develop research programs, ecotourism, and sustainable economic alternatives for local communities in the Amazon, where there is tremendous pressure from unregulated and illegal logging and mining.

I have had the opportunity to collaborate with ACA in their DC office as well as in the field in Peru. The small, but efficient group in DC felt like a family. They have excellent communication in their teamwork and have created a warm, welcoming environment.
In Peru, I was able to work on the projects I had been translating proposals for in DC. These projects, in addition to accomplishing ACA’s objective of preserving the biodiversity in the Amazon basin, have a very big educational component. This is really important in the process of critical consciousness for local and native communities, from kids to adults. The generation of close ties between ACA and communities shows that not only is the work of researchers, interns and volunteers important for nature preservation, but so is the work of these people.
This has been one of the most enriching experiences I have had, not only because of the quality of work but also the quality of people. ACA is an organization where each individual worker, from labors to executives, has a commitment to nature conservation. I’m a Peruvian biologist, and having ACA working in my country gives me great expectations to have the Amazon basin that we want, well preserved!

I have worked with ACA both in the field as a volunteer and in the office as an intern. This has given me a good perspective on their work and allows me to say without reservation that ACA is an exceptional organization. Both the staff in the office and on the ground are extremely capable and committed to their work, often putting in long hours to make sure all their various projects are running smoothly. Though small, ACA is extremely efficient and makes better use of their resources than other, larger organizations can. I hope to work with them again soon and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

I attended some of the events that the Amazon Conservation Association held while I was living in Washington, DC and got to know some of the staff as well. As I learned more about their programs in the Amazon region, I was more and more impressed that a relatively small organization could do so much. I appreciate the hard-working staff and the thought and intention they put into all their work. I don't have a ton of money to give, but I give a little something to ACA every month because I know they'll take it and make every buck go toward the great work that they do.

I have worked with and for ACA in multiple contexts since 2003 as a volunteer field researcher, employee, advisor, and donor. My work and experience with ACA has changed my life and has allowed me to help efforts to create significant and long-lasting conservation initiatives in the Peruvian Amazon. Sleek, efficient, and intricately involved in conservation at all scales and levels in the Southwestern Amazon, ACA is, in my professional opinion, the most effective conservation organization operating in the region today.

I chose to volunteer for ACA because it works at the ground level with local organizations that can move quickly and effectively. ACA is the best organization that I have worked with in my 40 years in conservation including my time as Secretary of the Interior.

I worked for a semester with Amazon Conservation Association on expanding their ecotourism outreach efforts. This project and the other work ACA does to protect vital areas of land in the Peruvian Amazon should be supported fully!

I am a 4th year PhD student pursuing a degree examining the bamboo forests of SW Amazonia, and ACA has been an integral part of my research from the very beginning. Their infrastructural support in the lowland forests of Peru has been home to many months of my research. Additionally, their constant pursuit of knowledge not only keeps them on the forefront of ecological understanding, but offers students such as myself funding opportunities and the ability to contribute to the preservation of one of the most precious resources on our planet. I owe them a great debt of gratitude and hope that I can continue to work closely with them throughout my future endeavors.

I volunteered with ACA in their Washington DC office during my sophomore year of college. It was my first personal experience with a non-profit organization and man did they set the bar high! I was constantly impressed by the dedication, passion and talent of everyone in the office. ACA does not have an easy task, but they never faltered. WONDERFUL organization that will always have my full support. Fantastic goals and wonderful people. Such an important organization. GO ACA!

I have been volunteering with ACCA Cusco for 2 months now, and am thrilled to be able to be part of this remarkable organization. The goals of the organization are admirable, and I have witnessed how the team’s expertise and dedication has achieved excellent results that are far-reaching on the ground. The trust and camaraderie that is tangible between the team and the communities with which it works is testament to the sincerity the team brings and to the commitment to sustainability in reaching it’s conservation goals.

I interned with Amazon Conservation Association in their Cusco, Peru office (ACCA). I am a graduate student at the Yale School of Forestry and I served my internship with ACCA in the summer of 2012. One of the most difficult things to achieve in community-based conservation is the building of a relationship based on trust between the project members and the community. ACCA has done just this. ACCA has gained and maintained the trust and respect of the communities with which it works. The dedication of the project staff is also impeccable. They are encouraging and supportive. They take your work seriously and will provide you (even as an intern) the opportunity to learn from their work. They will empower you with responsibilities that will push you to discover and hone your skills to grow professionally and personally. You will learn tremendously by working with ACCA.

I volunteered with ACA for 4 months in 2012 and was incredibly impressed with both the technical expertise of the staff and the organizations ability to engage and serve stakeholders on the ground. ACA does an exceptional job of designing and implementing programming that maximizes gains in both biodiversity conservation and livelihoods development and support. I have worked with many NGOs over the years, however ACA stands out for consistently maintaining an explicit organizational focus on implementing effective and adaptive conservation programming.

I've worked in the Peruvian Amazon and Andes on biodiversity conservation for the last 20 years. I've seen lots of NGOs turn their attention to the area and then lose focus. What impresses me about ACA is its innovation and its dedication to place. The organization is centered on conserving the last great tropical wilderness on the planet, the area of exceptionally high biodiversity where the Amazon grades into the Andes. More than that, they're generating the tools--enterprise, policy, and scientific--needed to conserve land in the region. When I got the chance to be on the board of such an innovative and creative conservation organization I jumped at the chance. It is a privilege to work with them.

In 2007, I started out as a volunteer with ACA. Seeing the incredible and critical work that the organization does to conserve the Amazon and train the next generation of Amazonian conservationists, I got hooked. I worked hard and wrote a grant to help the organization grow and found myself with a job! Over a few years, I was able to work with a variety of dedicated gifted scientists and community specialists to help create new protected areas and support traditional communities in Peru and Bolivia. As I designed projects with staff and partners in the southwestern Amazon, I learned a huge amount about the region, the people, and the needs for conservation and development. After several years designing projects for ACA, I made a move to another organization, but I missed the dynamism and innovation of the Board and staff at ACA. I was fortunate to be invited to join the board and have since served as its secretary, surrounded by some of the smartest, most inventive and driven people I've met. ACA is an amazing organization that grows professionals, champions communities, and trains students and researchers in Peru, Bolivia, and the US who continue their conservation work no matter where they go next!

I interned with ACA at Wayqecha Biological Station for one year. It was an amazing experience to work with such a progressive group of people committed to approaching conservation from every angle possible.

I interned with the Amazon Conservation Association for four months in the the spring of 2011. It was very nice to be a part of an organization that was well-run and efficient. The staff is wonderful, all very passionate about the work they're doing. While I was only able to intern three days a week, I was still glad to assist the organization in a small way and their overall mission in protecting the Amazon Basin in Peru and Bolivia.

I have volunteered at ACA for about two months and I only have positive things to say about the staff and their mission to protect the Amazon rainforest. They are passionate and dedicated to the projects they undertake and the contribute tremendously to ACA. I am glad I have had the chance to aid this association with their IT needs.

A year and a half ago, my wife and I had the extreme pleasure of accompanying the president Adrian Forsyth and several staff members on a trip down the eastern slope of the Peruvian Andes to visit ACA's research facilities and meet an indigenous community that has benefited from ACA's work. The entire experience was profound. ACA's research stations were filled with students studying various aspects of the cloud forest and rain forest. The staff managing the facilities were smart, personable and very friendly. Each evening students gave presentations on their work. The whole atmosphere was exciting and filled with creativity. But the most powerful experience was visiting a local community that ACA helped to establish the world's first conservation concession managed by the community itself. We sat amongst the community, hearing stories and their traditional songs. They expressed the importance of the concession which has allowed them to maintain their livelihood in the face of developmental pressures. We returned from the trip inspired to help ACA further their work. Now I'm fortunate to serve on the board. The issues are huge but the organization has talented hard working committed people who have a track record of achieving results.

I volunteered with ACA in the DC office for most of 2010 and got to know the staff and their projects well over the course of that time. ACA is an organization dedicated to the protection of the biodiversity of the Amazon Basin. They understand that there are people whose livelihoods depend on the Amazon and that it is important to work with those local communities and stakeholders to develop sustainable practices that protect not just the Amazon but also the welfare of the communities. The staff are all incredibly hard working and dedicated to the mission.

I volunteered for ACA for 2-3 months during summer of 2010. I spent most of my time in the Washington, DC headquarters, but traveled to Peru for a week to visit the offices in Cusco and Puerto Maldonado. My time with ACA was extremely positive. I was especially intrigued by the organization's willingness to try innovative and daring new strategies to promote conservation in the region, such as their Brazil nut project and conservation corridors. Because they are able to combine scientific expertise with passion for the environment, they are very effective in Peru and Bolivia.

I volunteered for ACA at their Los Amigos and Wayqecha Biological Stations in the summer of 2009. After seven weeks on the ground, I was determined to come back. I have collaborated with many NGOs over the years and ACA was the first organization that I have worked with that lives up to each facet of its mission. In 2010, I received a U.S. Fulbright Scholarship to Peru to collaborate with ACA on a photojournalism project about their work in the Manu - Tambopata Corridor.

Amazon conservation is an increasingly complex problem and ACA understands that to make great change you have to give support to and invest in local communities. I have personally visited seven of their projects in the region between Cusco and Puerto Maldonado, Peru.

In the Andean region, I visited three local communities ACA has worked with to create communal forest reserves. With ACA's help these communities have set aside large tracts of land for conservation and have also started reforestation projects near their communities. I stayed with the family of one community President and was astounded by his enthusiasm for conservation - he spoke to me about the pride the community takes in reforesting the surrounding mountains. In a candid interview, his attitude toward ACA was nothing but positive. Unlike many NGOs, ACA has a good relationship with local communities because they have found a way to balance conservation and community support. In my opinion, this investment in local relationships is the only way to ensure long-term conservation in the Andes to Amazon region.

I have also been impressed with how deeply connected ACA is in the places they work. The staff at ACA collaborate with other NGOs and organizations to get things done. When I worked with the Brazil Nut concessions in Puerto Maldonado, I had great access to interviewees because of ACA's connection to local Brazil Nut councils and associations.

I will continue to support ACA because of its forward thinking vision - the staff at ACA understand that conservation in this region will become more and more challenging as roads are built and climate changes. They are taking a proactive approach to conservation in the region by putting projects and reserves in place before its too late.

One of the few conservation non-profits actually committed to on the ground conservation. ACA has been pioneering conservation and research in the Amazon

ACA is a remarkable organization with a staff that includes some of the most intelligent, dedicated people I have met. I plan to further my education and experience in environmental conservation because of this organization and its team. They strive to protect the Amazon's biodiversity, support local communities, and provide amazing educational opportunities in the region. I have truly felt that every bit of my time spent volunteering for ACA has supported an extraordinary cause.

ACA is an excellent non-profit organization working towards preserving the biodiversity of the Amazon. What is best about ACA is that it goes about this in a way that educates locals to help them best use their forest resources sustainably. Their website is also extremely helpful.

Amazon Conservation Association does what every conservation organization should be doing, not only preserving and protecting the environment but also supporting local communities. One of their newest projects the Manu Cloud Forest Canopy Walkway, the work that ACA has done to help protect the Manu forest can be seen from a rare vantage view point, at the canopy level. This allows local students, researchers, and visitors to get a unique prospective in the Manu Cloud Forest. In addition, it provides another economic alternative to local people and another reason for them to want to protect the cloud forest. ACA simply put does some extraordinary work.