Indigenous-led forest restoration in eastern Panama

Treecolor Alliance was born from the belief that restoration projects are only sustainable when they are designed and led by the communities who live on the land. In eastern Panama, many Emberá families were forcibly displaced in the 1970s to allow the construction of an artificial lake in the Bayano region. Relocated far from their ancestral territories, they have since faced deforestation, biodiversity loss, invasive grasses, declining soil fertility, and the disappearance of traditional medicinal and food plants.

The community came to us directly with these concerns. Before launching any activity, we created spaces where local families, especially women and youth, could explain the changes they wanted to see and how restoration should happen. This project was created by the Emberá community, for the Emberá community.

Today, there is no other restoration project in the region combining Indigenous leadership, biodiversity restoration, agroforestry, food security, and women empowerment at this scale. We also support local Indigenous women-led organizations, including initiatives created by Panama’s first Indigenous woman mayor, and we collaborate closely with the country’s first Indigenous woman lawyer.

Our goal is to restore 150 hectares by 2027 and expand the model to other territories where communities already requested support, including Chimán, Piriatí, Sambú, and Cemaco. However, securing funding remains a major challenge. Panama’s international reputation often discourages donors despite the urgent environmental realities faced by Indigenous communities. Reintroducing native and vulnerable species is also complex and costly, as seeds and specimens must often be collected in remote areas of Darién accessible only after long journeys.

Funding would help us strengthen monitoring systems, expand restoration activities, train more local leaders, and build a replicable Indigenous-led restoration model across Panama.