There’s a certain magic in serving others… especially when what you’re serving is Ben & Jerry’s ice cream on National Free Cone Day!

Within two weeks of having legally created a new 12,600 acre national Wildlife Refuge Suyapa - Luís Hernán Valladares Baca “Mero” on the edge of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, it was set ablaze. Today, some 5% of the 59,000 acre La Tigra National Park, in Tegucigalpa is on fire, and the capital is shrouded in smoke.

With a solid trajectory, FUNDEBASE has been walking hand in hand with Indigenous farming communities in Guatemala for 28 years. The organization is committed to respecting and preserving Mayan knowledge, wisdom and cosmovision, focusing on food production through Agroecology.

In Guatemala, we had the pleasure of meeting our newest TWP team member, Marlen Garcia (CAP Coordinator), reconnecting with our newest partner FUNDEBASE while visiting local communities around the Quiche Department, and visiting the community of El Tarral and other efforts by our partner Utz Che’.

In the midst of media chaos, uncertain climate futures, and economic instability, our youth are facing both complex and unprecedented challenges. Our Tribal partners have always known the importance of cultivating and empowering youth to be future leaders through knowledge sharing, cultural immersion, and granting opportunities.

After a unanimous congressional vote, 12,620 acres of forest and a water source serving 5,000 families will be permanently protected as the Wildlife Refuge of Suyapa, Luís Hernán Baca Valladares, “MERO”.

The health of our planet is increasingly at risk, and organizations are more aware of their responsibility in managing their emissions. The challenge is knowing where to start!

This week, after almost 40 years of struggle to draw attention to their cause, Honduras’ National Congress will hold a vote on declaring COEAS’s forest a 12,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge, based on the rich biodiversity seen and recorded there.

Santa Ana - In a groundbreaking gathering from January 29th - February 1st, 2024, the inaugural Tribal Forest and Fire Summit convened at Santa Ana Pueblo, NM uniting over 175 participants from 22 pueblos, tribes, and native nations. This catalyzing event also welcomed a broad spectrum of agencies and nonprofits from across the state, fostering a vibrant forum for exchanging ideas on land management, conservation, and forest fire mitigation.

The theme of Trees, Water and People’s 25th anniversary year has been People over Projects - which recognizes that the processes we undertake are ongoing, and depend on people with stable economic and social footing to get done well.

In November 2023, I had the opportunity to participate in the Gathering of Agroecological Promoters, titled "Land, Water, and Seeds: Millenary Heritage for Good Living." The event was collectively developed by a diverse group of 80 promoters representing approximately 13 indigenous communities.

In the last two decades, wildfires have ravaged Tribal lands and its protective boundaries. As the fires were suppressed and recovery plans started to percolate, one key restoration item was never brought up - replacing and updating the pre-existing fence line.

Luis Hernán Baca Valladares, August 18, 1955 - January 10, 2024

The members of the ecological committee of the Aldea of Suyapa (COEAS), have many things in common, such as solidarity, empathy and passion, but above all, there is something that unites them: the love for nature.

Stories of hope and adversity have echoed through the livelihoods of Indigenous voices for time immemorial. There are times for humilIty during a storm and times for resilience. Those stories show us when to have humility and when to have resilience.

In the heart of the Opalaca Biological Reserve, nestled between the departments of Intibucá and Lempira in Honduras, Indigenous communities are making significant contributions to conservation through the adoption of the Justa 3D Stove.

Gloribel Bautista is an Indigenous Lenca woman and Justa clean cookstove builder, who exemplifies the transformative impact of community engagement and education.

The American Bison is a keystone species that was almost eradicated from the landscape in America in less than 80 years by the United States and its citizens. The number of bison on the ground in North America was estimated to be between 20-60 million between the 1600’s and 1800’s.

Back in November 2020, Hurricanes Eta and Iota (category 4 and 5) hit Central America with devastating force, causing rivers to overflow, washing out roads and bridges, eroding farmland, and flooding entire communities.

TWP’s next chapter will be a beautiful one — marked by new partnerships and alliances, greater impact, and a stronger, more diverse network stretching from the Rocky Mountains to Central America. We’re building on our success as a convener of talented local organizations, and providing them with resources to create change in the communities they serve. We’re betting on the next generation, and developing talent among young people that want to steward the earth, advance equity, and improve their societies from within.