Posts by Barbara Illana
Every Restoration Begins with a Seed
Discover the Agrobiodiversity in Tocantins project, an initiative that brings together productive landscape restoration, Indigenous knowledge, and territorial protection. Restoring a territory requires more than recovering degraded land. It means protecting water sources, helping biodiversity thrive, strengthening food production, and ensuring that future generations inherit territories rich in life, biodiversity, culture, and memory. For Indigenous…
Read MoreThe Nadëb and Kanamary Peoples Launch Territorial and Environmental Management Plans (PGTAs), Reinforcing a Collective Commitment to Protecting Their Territories and Upholding Their Rights
On July 7, 2026, Indigenous leaders, representatives of civil society organizations, public agencies, and partner institutions gathered in Manaus in the Brazilian state of Amazonas to celebrate the launch of the Territorial and Environmental Management Plans (PGTAs) for the Paraná do Boá-Boá and Uneiuxi Indigenous Territories. Developed by the Indigenous Peoples themselves over years of dialogue and collective planning, the documents represent more than management…
Read MoreHow Technology Is Empowering Indigenous-Led Coastal Conservation
Insights from Juan Carlos Cruz, Manager, Science & Conservation, ACT’s Ancestral Tides Program When people think about conservation technology, they often picture satellite transmitters, GPS devices, drones, or digital mapping. But for the Amazon Conservation Team’s (ACT’s) Ancestral Tides program, technology is only part of the story. Across the coasts of Latin America, Indigenous Peoples and local communities are , with…
Read MoreHow Indigenous Communities Are Shaping the Future of Coastal Conservation
Insights from Juan Carlos Cruz, Manager, Science & Conservation, ACT Ancestral Tides Program For nearly 30 years, the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) has partnered with Indigenous peoples to protect tropical forests and strengthen biocultural conservation across the Amazon. Today, that same collaborative approach extends beyond the rainforest and into some of Latin America’s most important coastal ecosystems. Through Ancestral Tides,…
Read MoreGrowing the Next Generation of Indigenous Leaders in Colombia
When Indigenous students leave their communities to pursue higher education, they often face a difficult question: How can they gain new knowledge and opportunities without losing connection to the territories, cultures, and communities that shaped them? For us, the answer lies in investing in Indigenous youth while strengthening their ties to home. Through ACT’s Fellowship Program, Indigenous students from…
Read MoreSea Turtle Week: 7 Species, One Ocean, One Shared Future
Sea turtles have traveled the world’s oceans for millions of years. They connect marine ecosystems across vast distances, helping maintain the health of coral reefs, seagrass meadows, coastal habitats, and open oceans. Today, all seven species of sea turtle face growing threats, including habitat loss, plastic pollution, fisheries bycatch, climate change, and coastal development. Yet each species…
Read MoreThe Invisible Pollinators of the Amazon
How stingless bees are helping communities protect forests, preserve knowledge, and build sustainable futures When people think of bees, they usually imagine the common honeybee. But across the Amazon, hundreds of native stingless bee species quietly sustain forests, food systems, and cultural traditions, often without being noticed at all. Hidden inside hollow trees and deep…
Read MoreFrom Territory to Global Dialogue: “One Health” Connects Indigenous Knowledge and Public Policy
Global discussions on climate, health, and development have increasingly pointed to the need to recognize knowledge systems that already exist within territories and communities. International spaces such as the Skoll World Forum, held from April 21–24, 2026, in England, brought together leaders, organizations, and initiatives from around the world to share solutions to complex social and environmental challenges. Today, the…
Read MoreÃwa People Strengthen Environmental Restoration on Bananal Island
More than 800 seedlings are currently being planted across the territory through the collective work of the entire community. On Bananal Island (Tocantins, Brazil), the Ãwa people are taking new steps toward environmental restoration in their territory. Planting and forest management activities are gaining momentum through the Kawú Nursery, an initiative supported by ACT-Brasil and funded by the Overbrook Foundation and the Scheidel Foundation. Planting Advances in Flooded Areas, with Preparations for Forest…
Read MoreThe Annulment of Decree 1500: What is at Stake for the Indigenous Peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
February 20, 2026 The original article published in Spanish by La Silla Vacia can be found here. Written by Juana Hofman – Director of Technical Territorial Integration at the Amazon Conservation Team Colombia and professor at the Universidad del Rosario. Yesterday’s decision by Colombia’s Council of State (Consejo de Estado) to annul, for formal and…
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