MISSION

Amazonas Conservation Initiative The Amazon rainforest of northern Peru includes vast areas that remain difficult to access for universities, NGOs, and government teams, not because they lack importance, but because logistics are complex and community relationships take time to build.
Amazonas Conservation Initiative (ACIperu) is a small, field-oriented nonprofit working to make careful, ethical work possible in these regions through long-term presence, local collaboration, and practical on-the-ground coordination.

Our focus is to lay the groundwork for conservation action and legitimate research by supporting access, documentation, and relationship-based work with Indigenous and river communities. We approach this deliberately, with an emphasis on safety, consent, and the protection of sensitive locations.

Our work centers on one of the most ecologically and culturally significant regions of the Amazon. The Kampankis Mountains form a long, narrow range rising through rainforest, with fast-flowing rivers and rugged terrain that has limited outside presence for generations. Awajún communities hold deep cultural ties to this land and maintain a worldview in which plants, animals, mountains, and rivers are part of an interconnected living system.

Despite its relative isolation, the region faces increasing pressure from deforestation, land-use change, and resource extraction. We support community priorities where appropriate and focus on practical, field-based steps that help protect forests and river systems while respecting local authority and cultural boundaries.

ACI is structured to be useful to conservation partners and researchers working in challenging environments. We assist with field logistics, local coordination, and documentation practices that prioritize informed consent, confidentiality, and low-impact operations. Our work is grounded in long-term experience in Peru and supported by trusted local collaborators, including Indigenous language translation when required.

We also maintain strict ethical limits. We do not publish precise locations, travel routes, or other sensitive geographic information. We do not facilitate tourism or outside access to Indigenous territory. Where engagement is appropriate, it is done through clear permission, careful planning, and respect for local governance.

ACI’s work involves direct travel to remote communities by river and on foot. We record video and still photographs of individuals who voluntarily choose to share their experiences. Translation from Indigenous languages is conducted with the assistance of trusted local collaborators, as many community members do not speak Spanish.

All documentation is conducted with clear consent. We do not disclose precise locations, travel routes, or sensitive geographic information. This is essential for community safety and for maintaining trust in regions where outside intrusion is neither welcome nor safe.

We participate selectively in public discussion when the format allows for nuance and responsible restraint, and we decline requests that require sensational claims or disclosure of protected information. Our goal is understanding and documentation, not exposure.