Tukupu is Venezuela’s first Indigenous run forest business. They have been successful in sustainably managing and reforesting 7 000 hectares of the Imataca Forest Reserve, which covers 38,219 km2 in the South East of the country. This region of Venezuela is a megadiverse territory containing 168 species of mammals, 614 species of birds, 358 species of fish, 119 species of reptiles and 76 species of amphibians. The idea to protect this unique area came from the Kariña women themselves to stop the extractive industries and the destruction of the forest. The forest business was formally established under the name Tukupu, Indigenous Forest Business and in 2020, the Ministry for Eco-Socialism in Venezuela granted 7,000 hectares to the Kariña people, marking the beginning of a joint administration. Today the business is led mainly by women who are actively leading the territory’s development and the conservation of its biodiversity. “We are determined to look after this area to ensure that it is not handed over to external parties – to make sure that they do not get involved,” says Cecilia Rivas founder of Tukupu. “The Kariña people have fought to hold on to these forests. We live in tune with nature, moving every few years to a different site to allow nature to recuperate. We are always moving.” Read this inspiring article on Tukupu 👇 https://news.mongabay.com/2022/02/tukupu-the-women-of-the-karina-community-guardians-of-venezuelas-forests/