IAM SELVA
Selva Vida sin Fronteras
25 years on the frontlines of the Amazon Rainforest
WHO WE ARE
IAM SELVA (Amazon Institute for Forest Management and Conservation) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, conservation, and restoration of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Since our foundation, we have worked to preserve one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth by promoting a balance between environmental conservation and the well-being of the communities that depend on it.
Our work integrates tropical forest conservation, ecosystem restoration, reforestation with native species, scientific research, biodiversity monitoring, and environmental education. We believe that protecting nature is only possible through close collaboration with local and Indigenous communities, whose ancestral knowledge and stewardship play a fundamental role in safeguarding their territories.
At IAM SELVA, we develop projects aimed at protecting Amazonian flora and fauna, restoring areas affected by deforestation and other human activities, strengthening ecosystem resilience, and creating sustainable solutions that benefit both people and the environment.
In addition to our conservation efforts, we promote community development initiatives by supporting environmental education, healthcare, food security, access to clean water, and local capacity-building programs. These initiatives help improve the quality of life of Amazonian communities while encouraging the responsible and sustainable use of natural resources.
Our commitment also extends to the generation and dissemination of scientific knowledge. We support research that enhances our understanding of the Amazon’s extraordinary biodiversity and contributes to the development of innovative conservation strategies.
Through partnerships with national and international organizations, academic institutions, companies, and volunteers, we work together to build a future where nature and people can thrive in harmony.
At IAM SELVA, we believe that conserving the Amazon is a shared responsibility. Every tree restored, every species protected, and every community empowered represents another step toward a healthier, more resilient, and sustainable planet for present and future generations.
WE ARE SELVA
MEET THE IAM SELVA TEAM
El equipo SELVA es responsable de ejecutar actividades orientadas a la protección, restauración y mantenimiento de los ecosistemas de la reserva.
Sus funciones incluyen el cuidado y monitoreo de plantas, el mantenimiento de áreas verdes, el apoyo en jornadas de reforestación con especies nativas, la recuperación de zonas degradadas y la colaboración en labores de conservación de la biodiversidad.
Además, participa en tareas de apoyo logísticos y operativo que contribuyen al manejo sostenible de los recursos naturales y al cumplimiento de los objetivos ambientales de la reserva.
FIGHT OIL & MINING GIANTS
Is not an easy battle
Oil is the primary sector of the Ecuadorian economy accounting for 50% of export earnings and 34% of tax revenues. However, the ecological and human cost of Amazonian oil is incalculable.
SVSF research statistics speak for themselves:
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Since 1980, 1 billion gallons of toxic brine are drained annually into the watershed;
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With a daily oil discharge of 2,100-4,200 gallons, the industry has dumped 35 million gallons of crude into the rivers;
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Four million gallons of untreated toxic waste enter the watershed per day;
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Three billion cubic feet of gas has been burnt without emission controls;
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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in drinking wells reaches 423,000 nanograms per litre; 28 nanograms equals a lifetime cancer threat, US and European health agencies recommend that the presence of PAHs in water be close to 0.
REFORESTATION IS A LONG PROCESS
You cannot just plant a lot of trees...
While the Ecuadorian Amazon is the most species rich tract of Rainforest in the world, Ecuador has the highest deforestation rate and worst environmental record in South America. Oil exploration, logging, and road building have had a disastrous impact on the country’s primary rainforests, which now cover less than 15 percent of the land mass. In 2020, 10, 700 hectares of primary forest were cut and 27,237 hectares of tree cover disappeared in the Amazon region.
Consequently, SVSF is especially active in monitoring deforestation, illegal logging, forest fires and implements reforestation projects. We are pleased to be able to successfully reforest devastated lands with primary forest hardwoods and Bamboo (guadua). We provide technical assistance to Indigenous communities to facilitate and stimulate similar projects in their ancestral lands.
LET'S RECLAIM, REFOREST AND PROTECT
Guided by the principle that Nature and all forms of life have the inalienable right to exist, the mission of SVSF is to protect the flora and fauna of the Amazon Rainforest and its ancestral indigenous communities. Across the globe, we partner with civil society, multilateral & bilateral Organisations, Universities, research institutions and NGO’s in order to attain our objectives.
Over the past 25 years, Selva Vida sin Fronteras has transcended the realm of hypothesis, as all our Programs and Projects are successfully being implemented in the field for at least ten years.
What we do
Reclaim
With donations, we purchase strategic acres of rainforest to stumble deforestation efforts
Reforest
Oil companies have destroyed forest & soil in many areas, which we treat & make fertile again
Protect
Protect the Amazon Rainforest with its ancestral indigenous communities through Medicin Aid, Food Relief and Education
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GIFT A TREE
the perfect present
We have the perfect, meaningful, sustainable gift or tree for you. With your tree we protect one of Earth’s most vital ecosystems, the Ecuadorian Amazon. We restore degraded areas of the Amazon, capturing carbon and protecting biodiversity. Your tree donation empowers Indigenous communities who plant your tree, so you give them a fair income. Safeguarding cultural heritage - and promoting long-term forest stewardship.