On the Frontlines of Gold Mining in the Western Amazon
The search for Amazonian gold has transformed rivers, towns, and lives. In this vivid on-the-ground account, Joseph See explores how poverty, pollution, and global demand for gold intertwine, leaving behind a scarred landscape and a haunting question of what we truly value.
ARCC Announces 2026 Research & Journalism Fellowships
The Amazon Research & Conservation Collaborative (ARCC) has launched two annual grants — supporting research and journalism in the Ecuadorian Amazon — to empower local conservation leaders and strengthen coverage of the region’s most urgent environmental challenges.
The Price of Copper in Ecuador: The Struggle for Survival of the Shuar Arutam People
The Shuar Arutam people of Ecuador’s Cordillera del Cóndor are resisting the Warintza copper mine, a project that threatens their land, water, and traditional way of life. Despite international corporate backing and government support, local communities continue to fight for sovereignty, environmental protection, and the preservation of their culture.
ARCC Partners with Waorani Women to Bring Sustainable Handicrafts to the US
ARCC is proud to announce our new partnership with the Waorani Women’s Association of Orellana (AOWARE) and their bio-entrepreneurship brand, OBATAWE. Together, we’re helping more than 150 Waorani women from 23 Amazonian communities bring their traditional chambira palm handicrafts to new markets — creating sustainable livelihoods, empowering women, and protecting one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.
ARCC Hosts First Youth Botanical Workshop in Archidona
ARCC recently facilitated a hands-on botanical workshop with youth in Archidona, Ecuador, as part of our goal to preserve Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the Amazon Rainforest. In partnership with Amazon River Keepers, the workshop introduced local children to native plant diversity, their cultural significance, and the importance of intergenerational knowledge sharing.
Participating in the ATBC Conference on Tropical Conservation
ARCC joined global conservation leaders at the 2025 ATBC Conference in Oaxaca, Mexico to share our latest Amazonian research, highlight innovative conservation strategies, and build partnerships with organizations across the tropics.
Ecuador Establishes New Wildlife Corridor to Protect Amazon Biodiversity
In light of wildlife declines, Ecuador has taken a major step toward advancing biodiversity conservation with the official designation of the Cuyabeno–Yasuní Connectivity Corridor, bridges two of the country's most ecologically valuable protected areas: Cuyabeno Wildlife Production Reserve and Yasuní National Park.
Animal Migrations in the Amazon Rainforest
While you might think that animals don’t need to migrate in the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest features some of the most extraordinary migrations on Earth. Learn about some of these incredible journeys in this blog!
ARCC joins the Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) conference—The Amazon We Want!
On April 9th 2025, ARCC participated in The Amazon We Want (La Amazonía Que Queremos) conference, hosted by Universidad San Francisco de Quito in the capital city of Ecuador. This event stemmed from the first international scientific initiative dedicated to the protection of the Amazon, the “Scientific Panel for Amazonia”, which included more than 280 scientists.
New research: Hummingbird chick mimics poisonous caterpillar?
ARCC Media specialist Joseph See recently accompanied researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute to observe a rare discovery: the nest of a hummingbird known as the White-necked jacobin. Little did they know, this special nest would unveil new scientific insights—only the second published record of caterpillar mimicry in nestling birds.
ARCC Vice President Naia Andrade Explores Vanilla's Role in Amazon Conservation
Vanilla may be a widely appreciated commodity, but its story in the Amazon is just beginning to unfold. Join ARCC Vice President Naia Andrade on an exploration to uncover vanilla's untapped conservation potential and the looming threat posed by the gold mining industry to its future.
Inter-American Court Orders Ecuador to Protect Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples from Oil
In a historic decision, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Ecuadorian government violated the rights of uncontacted Indigenous communities in the Amazon by permitting oil drilling in their territory. The ruling is a major win for Indigenous rights and a blow to the country’s oil industry.
The Amazon’s Frugivores: Gardeners of the Rainforest
Explore the fascinating world of Amazonian frugivores in this interactive blog, showcasing some of the rainforest’s most important species and the research uncovering their crucial roles.
Read our 2024 Annual Impact Report
2024 marked the beginning of our journey, as we launched a range of impactful initiatives and took our first steps toward creating lasting change. Read our 2024 Annual Impact Report to get the full rundown.
Meet ARCC’s 2024 Research & Journalism Grantees
We are thrilled to announce the recipients of this year's ARCC Research and Journalism Grants! 🎉These outstanding individuals are advancing ARCC’s mission by supporting vital conservation efforts in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
ARCC Spotlights Traditional Knowledge Conservation in Ecuadorian Magazine
We recently published an article in Terra Incógnita magazine highlighting the story of José Macanilla— a walking encyclopedia of traditional and scientific plant knowledge and a main collaborator on our Jambiyura project.
ARCC launches grants for Amazon research and journalism
The Amazon Research & Conservation Collaborative (ARCC) just announced two new funding opportunities to support conservation research and journalism in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
The Amazon is on fire — here is why
The Amazon Rainforest currently faces widespread fires, the worst that it has seen in over two decades. But how do these fires start? And what can be done to stop them in the future?
Witnessing the Amazon’s “Chernobyl” with indigenous allies
“This trip was an opportunity to come face-to-face with the realities of oil extraction in the Amazon, to show indigenous leaders why their territory is worth fighting for”
Indigenous leaders unite in Ecuador forum
In a powerful testament to resilience and unity, indigenous leaders from various Ecuadorian communities gathered in Quito on May 9th and 10th for a pivotal forum.