Indigenous Communities in Panama Restore Degraded Lands While Maintaining Their Rights
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📰 The quick summary: Indigenous communities in Panama are partnering with Smithsonian researchers to restore degraded lands by planting native trees, creating environmental benefits while maintaining land ownership and receiving fair compensation.
📈 One key stat: The reforestation project aims to plant native trees across 100 hectares of degraded land in Panama’s Ñürüm district, helping restore ecological function while providing sustainable income to local communities.
💬 One key quote: “It grows on crappy soils, good soils, grows fast when it’s young, it’s good for covering the land area and it’s got big roots, so it enhances filtration. And it’s super water-use efficient.“
1️⃣ The big picture: Indigenous communities in Panama’s Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca are collaborating with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on an innovative reforestation project. The initiative focuses on planting native tree species on lands that have been heavily deforested over decades for agriculture, cattle pasture, and non-native commercial plantations. Unlike previous projects that stripped locals of land rights, this collaboration ensures Indigenous communities retain full ownership of their land while receiving compensation for growing carbon-sequestering trees. The project represents a significant improvement in how conservation organizations work with Indigenous peoples, emphasizing informed consent and mutual benefit.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: The project combines traditional Indigenous knowledge with scientific expertise to restore ecological function to degraded lands. Community members plant valuable native species like cocobolo and zapateros that thrive even in poor soil conditions while providing potential income through sustainable harvesting. Participants receive fair compensation through daily wages for maintenance work, plus tools and seeds, with future carbon payments adding another revenue stream. Most importantly, the initiative respects Indigenous land rights, marking a departure from exploitative past practices. This collaborative approach creates a model for ethical reforestation that benefits both local communities and the environment.
3️⃣ What’s next: Nearly 30 individuals and families have already joined the comarca reforestation project and begun planting native species on their land. As these trees mature, participants will benefit from both carbon sequestration payments and potential sustainable harvesting. The Smithsonian team plans to apply lessons from this project to other degraded landscapes, potentially scaling this community-centered approach to reforestation.
Read the full story here: Mongabay.com – Indigenous leadership and science revive Panama’s degraded lands
