Welcome to Amazonasschutz!
We are a registered environmental association based in Vienna, Austria set up to protect the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador. (ZVR: 958741292)
We are very connected to Latin America and founded this association to work with the Kichwa community to preserve the biodiversity of the tropical rainforest. All travel and nature lovers are cordially invited to support our project.
About Us
Veronica Cevallos: I am from Ecuador and have been working in various indigenous communities (Huorani, Kichwa, Shuar) since 2013 as part of my research trips around the Amazon region.
Christoph Sertl: He is from Austria and has been working in tourism for more than 20 years. He had lived in Ecuador for 4 years before relocating to Austria.
In 2004, Christoph and I met in Ecuador. On our trips to the Amazon region together, we felt the need to protect this unique rainforest.
In 2016, we bought a piece of land in the secondary rainforest just to avoid its destruction. This secured area is located in the Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador, in the community of Rukullakta – Archidona canton of the Napo province.
The protected area is approximately tree hectares and has a wide variety of flora and fauna. You can also explore a 150 meter long cave or visit a waterfall and swim in the Llushian River.
When we visited the Rukullakta community for the first time, we observed that there were a few medicinal species in the secondary forest and that the traditional knowledge about their healing powers was and is hardly passed on to the younger generations and we wanted to change this.
Since then, our vision has been to preserve and/or replant the endemic medicinal plants through a reforestation project. We support the return of original species of the tropical rainforest, without destroying the environment and to transmit the knowledge of natural medicine to the local community.
In view of this, the founders of the Amazon protection project wanted to find an expert in naturopathy who could and would gladly support the development of the protected area with his knowledge and expertise. This led us to meet the shaman Mr. Mario Garcés from the Villano community in Pastaza who from time to time, shares with us his traditional knowledge of medicinal plants.
In 2018, we visited a primary rainforest with him and he explained the importance of many plants with healing powers. He also gave us seedlings and showed us how to plant them.
Below, you can find a video about this expedition, created by the volunteers Mr. Friedrich Graf-Götz and Mr. Simon Graf. Thank you both for the wonderful support!
Between 2016 and 2018 we seeded the following species in our protected area:
Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi) , Dragon’s Blood (Croton Lechleri), Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa), Caña Agria (Hellenia speciosa), Guayusa (Ilex Guayusa), Chiricaspi (Brunfelsia grandiflora), Ajo Sacha (Mansoa Alliacea).
In the year 2022, we extended our protection area including putting up a hut in which we could sleep in. We offer the opportunity for people, particularly students, to participate in our volunteer program which entails carrying out independent scientific research projects or just relaxing and enjoying nature.
