.jpg?sfvrsn=1486b79c_3 "Caring for the tree to care for life: The story of the Achuar community of Kupatas in Ecuador")
Caring for the tree to care for life: The story of the Achuar community of Kupatas in Ecuador
On the banks of the Pastaza River, in the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Achuar Kupatas community demonstrates how conservation and economic development can go hand in hand. For several years now, they have been drawing on what the forest provides, responsibly and respectfully, while generating opportunities and livelihoods for the community.
Julián Illanes has dedicated his life to protecting ancestral knowledge and the forest. He is the founder of the IKIAMIA Forestry Association. ©FAO/Andrés Terán
22/05/2026
For the indigenous Achuar community of Kupatas, located on the banks of the Pastaza River, every tree is far more than a natural resource: it is synonymous with biodiversity, flora, fauna, life, culture, and ancestral wisdom.
Julián Illanes, founder of the IKIAMIA Forestry Association, is a leader who has dedicated his life to protecting the forest and ancestral knowledge, proving that conservation is also a way to generate well-being and opportunities for local families.
From childhood, accompanying his father, Julián learned to observe, gather, and respect the forest's natural cycles. Years later, after completing secondary school, he had the opportunity to train as an agricultural technician in the province of Morona Santiago, thanks to a scholarship. This experience was pivotal: he returned to his community with new knowledge and a comprehensive perspective on the use of forest resources.
His return, however, was marked by a troubling reality. Deforestation was increasingly putting pressure on native species such as the morete, ungurahua, and other edible palms, causing their scarcity and affecting not only biodiversity but also the community's food security.
Faced with this situation, Julián understood it was time for collective action — and for proposing change through a community dialogue, moving from the unplanned use of resources to a planned and sustainable forest management model. This gave rise to a pilot sustainable forest management initiative in December 2023, which marked a turning point for Kupatas.
The pilot was made possible through collaboration with the Forests and Farm Facility (FFF) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with Ecopar and CEFOVE, organizations dedicated to sustainable forest management in the country. The Achuar community received an economic incentive that allowed them to work on forest management programs, diversification of chakras (a biodiverse, millennia-old agroforestry production system), and non-timber forest products with a market-oriented approach. Notable products include a chili pepper brand and the production of mokawas, traditional ceramic vessels. Both activities are being led by the women of the community, highlighting the importance of their economic empowerment through the creation of sustainable livelihoods.
"We went from seeing the forest only as a source of timber, to seeing it in an integral way. We understood that the forest can offer us opportunities for sustainable use, conservation, and production in the chakras," says Julián.
.jpg?sfvrsn=71f6c15d_3 "Caring for the tree to care for life: The story of the Achuar community of Kupatas in Ecuador")
.jpg?sfvrsn=d3e0903_3 "Caring for the tree to care for life: The story of the Achuar community of Kupatas in Ecuador")
With the support of the Forests and Farm Facility, the women of the community were able to diversify their income by marketing non-timber forest products. ©FAO/Andrés Terán
The FFF in Ecuador is a partnership between FAO, IIED, IUCN, and AgriCord, led by the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, with funding from Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Finland, the United States, the Netherlands, and IKEA.
Accessing FFF funds strengthened the vision of the IKIAMIA organization, as the community witnessed the benefits it brought and helped build collective confidence. For Julián, this was not merely a conservation project to stimulate the local economy — it was also a step toward women's empowerment, the creation of opportunities for youth, and the revitalization of ancestral knowledge. The FFF is a model of direct financial investment in forest and agricultural producer organizations that has been present in Ecuador since 2019. Over these years, it has mobilized more than USD 4,600,000, generated a direct impact on 14,600 rural families, promoted good practices across 211,000 hectares, and helped create new opportunities for rural youth. Of the FFF's total beneficiaries, 49% are women and 75% self-identify as members of indigenous peoples and nationalities.
"Behind every tree there is life — there is medicine, food, culture, and hope," says Julián. His story is one of resilience, commitment, and long-term vision, demonstrating that when a community organizes itself, it can care for the forest over the long term while building opportunities for everyone.
Our biodiversity requires sweeping changes that begin on a small scale, just as is happening in the Achuar community of Kupatas. ©FAO/Andrés Terán
The International Day for Biological Diversity calls us to reflect: natural resources are the foundation sustaining life's essential elements —water, food, energy, and much more. This project demonstrates how fostering harmony between nature and communities— through the implementation of comprehensive planning tools for sustainable forest management (SFM) with a landscape approach — makes it possible to improve the use of timber resources, reduce waste, and generate positive impacts on the community and the sustainability of their livelihoods.
Today, the community also has new sources of income thanks to value-added non-timber forest products (NTFPs) that form part of the activities carried out by the community's women. All forest management —both timber and NTFPs— was linked to market studies and commercialization strategies; standout products include a chili pepper and handcrafted ceramic goods.
Finally, the enrichment of the chakras was promoted by integrating a Management Plan that took into account the families' needs for food, ancestral medicine, and income, thereby strengthening their food security and food sovereignty.