When the 110 families of El Asintal resettled in Guatemala, they arrived home to a near-empty plot of land, with scarce resources to rebuild.

Like many Indigenous communities in the region, these families were displaced amidst Guatemala’s violent civil war. The government’s designation of lands for resettlement in the early 2000s was an opportunity to return home, but not without significant debt and great hardship.

After years of collaboration between our Indigenous Lands Program and local collaborators, we are proud to be concluding the first phase of the County Road 39 Traditional Harvest Project in Southwest Colorado. 

While we are working to continue and expand this project regionally, the first phase focused on riparian restoration and planting of native species along 3 private easements of the Mancos River.

When facing a challenge as urgent and far-reaching as climate change, it’s natural to look for seemingly efficient, single-issue solutions. At Trees, Water & People, we’ve learned that the most effective climate action is just the opposite—it grows outward, addressing environmental challenges alongside health, quality of life, and community resilience.

In 2025, more than 150 people were employed through TWP’s work. 

We know that people can only sustain their territories if they can sustain their families. And like many of our programs, our clean cookstoves program in Honduras keeps this recognition central, investing in sustained benefits for local communities, economies, and environments.

TWP has long been known for planting trees. 

But what’s most important to us is who, and how. 

In Northern New Mexico, we’re continuing to see what’s possible when these pillars remain central. Over a two-week hitch in October, an all-Indigenous crew planted nearly 6,000 trees within the Cerro Pelado burn scar of the Jemez Mountains.

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are one of the most powerful tools for charitable giving.

There are many tax-friendly incentives to donate to organizations like TWP in 2025. Some of these incentives stem from newer tax laws, while others have been long-standing.

TWP’s Indigenous Lands Outreach Coordinator, Phillip Chavez, shares the importance of TWP’s youth engagement efforts.

Our partners throughout Mesoamerica take to heart that youth are the future of their efforts, and of their communities. 

While many of our partners focus on programs that improve food security for youth and families, they also work to integrate young people into those programs, ensuring learnings and practices are carried forward.

Marvin Lopez Torres is the Co-Manager of TWP’s Mesoamerica Program. Based in Honduras, Marvin originally joined the team as a consultant in 2020, and has since been crucial in deepening our work in his country.