Passing on the traditional values of environmental stewardship and reciprocity with the land has played a role in Indigenous cultures for time immemorial. Though the spirit of traditional learning remains the same, in today’s society, the way information is shared and passed down to the next generation has changed.

“We seek to help create work opportunities that people can be proud of and that contribute to a higher standard of living.”

At TWP we believe everyone deserves a dignified livelihood. A dignified livelihood is more than income security, it's one that provides a safe and enjoyable environment, that ensures dignity and respect and gives constant opportunities to transcend barriers and grow. At TWP, this starts from within.

One of our top priorities is helping create work opportunities that people can be proud of and that contribute to a higher standard of living. As TWP, we want to transcend the notion of "Economic Development" or "Economic Growth", terms that are often far from the real needs and demands of Central American communities and families.

I always ask myself, what’s better than a successful restoration project? Well for me, it's the idea of involving and empowering local people directly into the work and then gaining positive outputs leading to a higher standard of living.

One of Trees, Water & People 's priorities is to defend Indigenous sovereignty, where Indigenous communities have a say in any decisions that affect their land, resources, people, culture and governance.

In Honduras, the Indios Laborios de la Aldea de Suyapa are on the verge of a big win for their sovereignty, in declaring 5,000+ hectares of their communal forest a nationally registered Wildlife Reserve, to be co-managed by local communities.

For centuries, Indigenous People all over Latin America have struggled with colonization, displacement, territorial rights, and reclaiming their indigenous sovereignty. In Guatemala, the civil war (1960-1996), sparked the displacement of thousands of people across the country, forcing them to migrate to other neighboring countries. After the Peace Accords in 1996, many families returned from Mexico, where they had taken refuge.

What is Indigenous sovereignty? The Merriam-Webster online dictionary tells us that indigenous sovereignty is “supreme power especially over a body politic,” or “freedom from external control.” But in practice, Indigenous sovereignty means much more than that, and means different things to different people.

Happy solstice everybody.

In a few days we start getting a few extra minutes of daylight per day, and we get a choice of how we put those precious minutes to use. At best, we can hope to get to do the things we love, with the people we love, support the causes we care about, and work for the world we want.

Over the past several months, Trees, Water & People (TWP) took on the challenge of stepping back to define our priorities, both for internal clarity, as well as to share with our more than 2,000 individual supporters and dozens of foundations and corporate partners.

At Trees, Water & People (TWP), we unequivocally celebrate the autonomy of Tribes within the United States, and advocate for Native sovereignty in decisions that affect their territories, cultures, and communities. There are 574 Federally recognized Tribes in our country, each with rich histories, traditions, and governance structures that deserve our respect and attention.

In 2023, Trees, Water & People (TWP) will celebrate 25 years of creating environmental, social, and economic impact for frontline communities most affected by climate change.

Have you heard of helicopter research? It basically means researchers from wealthy countries conduct studies in lower-income countries, collect samples, analyze and publish findings with minimal involvement from local experts, and offer no benefits or report-back information for communities. This is also called neocolonial, parachute, or parasitic research and can be found across scientific disciplines. As a multi-disciplinary researcher in Epidemiology and Anthropology, I cringe to write this. It is familiar both within my own experiences and what I know from colleagues.

On October 13, 2022, second graders from Kwiyagat Community Academy (KCA) in Towaoc, Colorado, participated in a planting event in the Mancos Canyon on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation.

At Trees, Water & People (TWP) we work hard to constantly improve our organization, and make sure we’re doing our best to honor the communities we serve, our staff and partners, and you, our donors.

Maximizing the benefit of your donation is always top of mind for TWP - we want to make sure every dollar goes as far as possible toward creating a healthy planet and society.

Happy Indigenous People’s Day! At Trees, Water & People (TWP) we are privileged to work and live alongside the brave and proud Indigenous Peoples in the Americas. We honor them as first stewards and caretakers of these lands. The resilience of these Peoples have contributed to the greater good of our society and help shape the fight towards equity and justice.

Conventional conservation often portrays stewards and land managers working together to conserve, protect and/or restore critical landscapes for the survival of our planet. But underneath the macroscopic lens of conservation, women, more specifically Native American women, are rarely recognized for their achievements and dedication in the world of conservation.

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated the inequalities and vulnerabilities experienced by indigenous, rural and “campesino” communities. Girls and women are the populations that have faced most of the challenges. The confinement and the economic crisis impacted the worsening violence, greater care work responsibilities and a decrease in women's income, which was already precarious and unequal before the pandemic.

After years of planting tree seedlings every spring, this year, Trees, Water & People and partners will be conducting fall plantings in New Mexico, Colorado, and South Dakota, to test whether survival rates are higher as we head into winter, versus into the hot dry months of summer.

Homemakers Dilcia Martinez, Lucia Flores and Brenda Servellon along with stove builder Avilio Garcia discuss the benefits and progression of the Justa Stove.

Maestra Fogonera - Inclusion and Women Empowerment