Acción Andina

What Acción Andina does

Acción Andina is a nonprofit conservation initiative co-founded in 2018 by ECOAN (Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos, Peru) and Global Forest Generation (US) to restore and protect high-altitude Polylepis forests across the Andes. The program engages indigenous and rural communities as the primary restoration workforce, combining ancestral Incan practices (Ayni, Minka, Mita) with modern restoration science, and operates anetwork of community nurseries producing native Polylepis and Queuña seedlings. Its core technology layer is RestorationScope, a high-resolution, satellite-based interactive mapping platform built with explorer.land that tracks reforestation sites, nurseries, water balance, and permanent plot survival data across five to seven countries (Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile). The organization works through a federated model of 17+ country-level partner NGOs, multilateral organizations, and government agencies, with a stated goal of protecting and restoring 1 million hectares of Andean forest by 2045.

Acción Andina monetizes impact rather than products: it is funded primarily by philanthropic donations, corporate partnerships, and government/multilateral grants, supplemented by emerging carbon credit projects. Distribution runs through its own donation website, direct corporate and government engagement, and event-driven community mobilization (notably the annual Queuña Raymi tree-planting festival). The program serves three principal stakeholder groups: indigenous and local communities (as beneficiaries and implementers), governments and protected-area authorities (as co-funders and co-managers), and corporate partners seeking credible nature-based solutions and ESG alignment.

The organization has accumulated exceptional reputational capital — the 2022 UN Champion of the Earth award for founder Constantino Aucca, the 2023 Earthshot Prize (£1M, 'Protect and Restore Nature' category), and 2024 UN World Restoration Flagship recognition — which functions as both a fundraising catalyst and a barrier to entry for competitors. Financial scale is not publicly disclosed, but the multi-country footprint, 11–50 staff, and global prize inflow suggest an annual operating budget in the mid-single-digit to low-double-digit millions of US dollars.

Name

Acción Andina

Legal name

Acción Andina

Website

https://accion-andina.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acción Andina is a nonprofit initiative co-founded in 2018 by ECOAN and Global Forest Generation that restores high-altitude Polylepis forests across the Andes. It works with indigenous communities, a federated partner network across 5–7 countries, and the RestorationScope satellite monitoring platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forest Conservation and Ecosystem Restoration Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Reforestation & Afforestation Services (Planting, Site Prep, Regeneration) (IMAMAAAE)

Keywords

• Forest restoration services
• Native tree planting
• Watershed conservation
• Community nurseries network
• Environmental education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cusco

HQ country

Peru

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropic Funding: Acción Andina operates primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and philanthropic organizations. Major recognition such as the Earthshot Prize provides catalytic funding (£1 million in 2023). The initiative also receives support through the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration framework.
2. Corporate Engagement and Business Partnerships: Engagement with businesses for brand connection with the conservation cause, including carbon credit projects to complement corporate climate strategies.
3. Government and Multilateral Funding: Collaboration with governments and multilateral organizations as catalysts for transformative eco-restoration, recognized as a UN World Restoration Flagship making it eligible for technical and financial UN support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Acción Andina is a community-led, multi-country initiative that restores and protects high Andean Polylepis forests through native tree planting, community-operated nurseries, conservation agreements with landowners, and environmental education programs. Services span the five Andean countries of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, and Colombia, and are supported by the proprietary Restoration Scope satellite-based monitoring platform. The initiative targets protection and restoration of 1 million hectares of native Andean forest by 2045, with the Native Tree Planting Program and Forest Conservation Services as its flagship offerings.

Product overview

Acción Andina is a multi-country forest restoration initiative (not a traditional software product) co-founded by ECOAN and Global Forest Generation in 2018. The organization's core offering consists of: (1) the Restoration Scope platform — a satellite-based interactive mapping system for tracking restoration progress, (2) Native Tree Planting Programs using community-based reforestation with native Polylepis species, (3) Forest Conservation Services for protecting standing forests, (4) a Community Nurseries Network producing native seedlings, and (5) Environmental Education Programs. These components work together as an integrated ecosystem restoration approach, combining modern science with ancestral Incan conservation practices to restore and protect one million hectares of high Andean forests by 2045.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Native Tree Planting Program Community-led reforestation initiative planting native Polylepis trees in high Andean ecosystems across Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, and Colombia, combining ancestral Incan principles (Ayni, Minka, Mita) with modern restoration science; offered to and delivered with local and indigenous communities.
• Forest Conservation Services Protection and management of standing high-Andean forests including community conservation agreements, water source protection, fencing of sensitive areas, and forest fire brigades, focused on protecting remaining old-growth Polylepis forests; delivered in partnership with communities, governments, and local NGOs.
• Restoration Scope High-resolution, satellite-based interactive mapping platform co-developed with explorer.land that tracks and visualizes restoration projects across the Andes, showing existing forests, reforestation sites, and nurseries with relevant area information; provides evidence-based progress data for the initiative and its partners and donors.
• Community Nurseries Network Network of community-operated native tree nurseries producing native Polylepis and other Andean species seedlings for restoration projects, including training in nursery management, seedling production, and native species propagation; operates across partner communities in five Andean countries.
• Environmental Education Programs Educational initiatives including environmental education, training in ecological restoration, community leadership development, and socio-environmental commitment workshops for local communities across the Andes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10+ million native trees planted across the Andes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Fundación IncanamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ecuadorian non-profit created in 2024 focused on water conservation and restoration of high-Andean ecosystems. Project for Restoration of High-Andean Forests in Tungurahua Province.
• GerminarmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Argentinian organization executing project in Tucumán with five communities (Mala Mala, Anfama, Chasquivil, San José de Chasquivil, and Ancajuli) for multiplication and planting of native high-altitude trees.
• FaunaguamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Bolivian non-profit specialized in sustainable management of natural resources. Project for restoration of Kewiña forests on northern slope of Tunari mountain range in Cochabamba.
• Árbol y VidamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Argentinian environmental organization focused on ecological restoration and conservation of Andean ecosystems. Running Proyecto Puna and Proyecto Yala for High-Andean Forest Restoration in Jujuy (2021-2025).
• Fundación BosquizarmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Argentinian environmental foundation focused on ecological restoration, research, and environmental education. Project in Córdoba landscape (since 2020, 580,000+ trees) and Jujuy landscape (since 2023, 60,000 trees).
• Aves y ConservaciónmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ecuadorian non-profit founded 33 years ago, dedicated to research and conservation of birds and their habitats. Leading FORESTA project for restoration of Polylepis forests in Ecuador, with three community nurseries producing over 1 million native trees.
• Andean AdventuresmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ecuadorian eco-tourism company operating in Chimborazo National Park. Started building scalable native tree nurseries in 2019, planted 45,000 Polylepis trees in first year, scaling to 150,000 trees with increased capacity.
• ECOAN (Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Lead administrative, conservation and coordinating partner. Peruvian conservation nonprofit founded in 2001, based in Cusco. ECOAN's successful model of community reforestation and forest stewardship is the inspiration and foundation for Acción Andina.
• Global Forest Generation (GFG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018US nonprofit that co-founded Acción Andina. As lead strategic partner, GFG guides long-term growth through capacity building, donor relationships, international communications, and agile conservation design.
• Acción SerranamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Bioregional movement in Sierras Grandes de Córdoba, Argentina. Planted 858,720 Polylepis trees on more than 241 hectares, focusing on watershed restoration with local communities.
• Fundación de Actividades Biosféricas (FAB)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Argentinian NGO coordinating reforestation projects, capacity building, and training on conservation of mountain ecosystems. Coordinates Acción Serrana project since 2021.
• FONAG (Fondo para la Proteccion del Agua)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Ecuadorian water protection fund launched in 1998, ensuring potable water for 2.5 million people in Quito while protecting biodiversity. Implementing area of 600,000ha with 150,000ha prioritized as water sources. Sharing invaluable knowledge of water protection with Acción Andina partners.
• CONAF ChilemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChile's National Forestry Corporation created in 1973. Works in Arica and Parinacota region as well as Tarapacá region, reforesting with native Polylepis species.
• Asociación Civil ArmoníamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBolivian conservation NGO founded in 1996. Works on reforestation with local communities in Parque Nacional Tunari, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
• PrometamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBolivian NGO focused on conservation and restoration of native Andean forests. Project in Tupiza and Cotagaita combining forest restoration with sustainable beekeeping alternatives.
• Conservación Amazónica (ACCA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeruvian NGO focused on Andean-Amazonian ecosystems and community-based ecological restoration. Working in Challabamba and Q'ero landscapes in Paucartambo province.
• Instituto para la Conservación de Especies Amenazadas (ICEA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeruvian environmental organization focused on threatened species conservation and in-situ ecological restoration. Project in Lambrama District, Apurímac Region producing 57,500 Queuña seedlings.
• Fundación Bosques y VidamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChilean private non-profit focused on recovering, maintaining and conserving native forests of the Andes through reforestation, generating local employment and active conservation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Eden Reforestation Projects: Eden is a nonprofit that employs local communities to plant millions of trees across degraded landscapes in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Its employ-the-locals model and project-portfolio structure mirror Acción Andina's community-led restoration approach.
• One Tree Planted: One Tree Planted is a nonprofit that partners with reforestation organizations globally to plant trees across multiple biomes, including Andean and Latin American projects. Its donation-driven, multi-country model closely parallels Acción Andina's funding and operating structure.
• WeForest: WeForest is an international nonprofit promoting landscape restoration through scientific projects and community partnerships, including work in Latin America. Its emphasis on community-led restoration and corporate partnerships aligns directly with Acción Andina's model.
• Trees for the Future: Trees for the Future is a nonprofit that trains farming communities in agroforestry and tree planting across Africa and Latin America. Its farmer-led training and livelihood-linked restoration approach is comparable to Acción Andina's community and economic-alternatives focus.
• Trillion Trees: Trillion Trees is a partnership-based conservation initiative funding and convening forest protection and restoration projects worldwide. Its coalition-of-NGOs and donor-driven funding structure is comparable to Acción Andina's partner coalition across the Andes.

Broad incumbents

• Rainforest Trust: Rainforest Trust is a larger established conservation nonprofit that purchases and protects threatened habitats globally, including Andean ecosystems. Leslie Danoff, co-founder of Acción Andina, previously served on its board, indicating organizational and thematic overlap.
• Conservation International: Conservation International is a large global environmental NGO operating across biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development, with active programs in the Andes and Amazon. It is a broader incumbent whose work overlaps with Acción Andina's high-Andean restoration mission.
• Ecosia: Ecosia is a search engine that allocates profits to tree planting projects globally, including in Latin America. While its business model differs, its donation-funded large-scale tree planting and corporate partnerships make it a comparable ecosystem-restoration player.

Others

• World Resources Institute (WRI) - Restoration programs: WRI's Global Restoration Initiative works on landscape restoration policy, monitoring frameworks, and global restoration goals. It is thematically adjacent as a think-and-do tank influencing the same policy and funding environment Acción Andina operates in.
• Project Learning Tree (PLT) / Sustainable Forestry Initiative: These programs integrate environmental education and community engagement with forestry outcomes in the Americas. They overlap with Acción Andina's environmental education and local leadership development functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzQ5k0Um5J48tT5fUVAh5Lw
• Facebookfacebook.com/Acci%C3%B3n-Andina-103419935681601
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/81309540
• Instagraminstagram.com/accionandina

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Acción Andina