Nature and Culture International

What Nature and Culture International does

Nature and Culture International (NCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Del Mar, California. The organization partners with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and subnational governments in Latin America to permanently protect threatened forest ecosystems in Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, and Colombia, reporting 27 million acres protected, 3.9 billion tons of CO2 emissions avoided, and 470 threatened vertebrate species safeguarded. Its core work spans the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor, the Amazonian Platform and Amazon Future Fund in Ecuador, the Marañón Dry Forests in Peru, the Water Source Conservation Program establishing Water Protection Areas, and newer programs in Mexico and Colombia. Underlying capabilities include conservation science, geospatial mapping (e.g., the Atlas of Water Protection Areas), legal facilitation, and landscape ecology methodologies, supported by two scientific research stations (San Francisco, Laipuna) and a workforce of more than 150 conservation professionals embedded in nine field offices across Latin America.

NCI's business model is donor-funded rather than commercial. Revenue is generated through individual donations processed via its website portal, foundation grants, and institutional partnerships (Andes Amazon Fund, Rainforest Trust, Re:wild, American Bird Conservancy, CEPF, Franklinia Foundation, UK BLF Andes Amazónico), supplemented by conservation finance mechanisms such as water funds (e.g., FORAGUA, Andes del Norte Water Fund) and the newly launched Amazon Future Fund. Reported income was US$7.7 million in 2023 with a US$8.8 million budget in 2024. The go-to-market is community-led: NCI acts as a technical and financial partner, providing legal, scientific, and capacity support that enables Indigenous communities and local governments to establish and manage legally protected areas, rather than operating as a top-down implementer. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Charles J. Smith and led by President and CEO Matt Clark, with honorary board members Jane Goodall and E.O. Wilson reinforcing its conservation credibility.

Name

Nature and Culture International

Legal name

Nature and Culture International

Website

https://natureandculture.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Nature and Culture International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and subnational governments across Latin America to permanently protect threatened forests, having safeguarded 27 million acres and supported 94 communities in Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, and Colombia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM)

Keywords

• Conservation nonprofit services
• Forest protection programs
• Biodiversity conservation initiatives
• Conservation finance mechanisms
• Indigenous community partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Del Mar

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization raises funds from individual donors who support conservation work through the website donation portal (give.natureandculture.org). Donors contribute to protect forests, species, and communities.
2. Foundation Grants and Corporate Partnerships: Nature and Culture International receives funding from institutional foundations and partners (e.g., Andes Amazon Fund, Rainforest Trust, Re:wild, American Bird Conservancy, Franklinia Foundation). Forbes Ecuador reports NCI had income of US$7.7 million in 2023 and a budget of US$8.8 million in the following year.
3. Conservation Finance Mechanisms: The organization develops and supports long-term conservation financing instruments such as the Amazon Future Fund and water funds (e.g., FORAGUA), which direct resources to Indigenous and local communities for ongoing forest protection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nature and Culture International is a nonprofit conservation organization that permanently protects threatened forests, biodiversity, and watersheds in Latin America by partnering with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and subnational governments to establish legally protected areas. Its work spans Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, and Colombia through initiatives such as the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor, the Amazonian Platform, the Amazon Future Fund, the Water Source Conservation Program, and the Marañón Dry Forests Conservation. The organization is funded through individual donations, foundation grants, and conservation finance mechanisms.

Product overview

Nature and Culture International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization offering a portfolio of landscape-scale conservation programs and initiatives rather than a unified product platform. Their core offerings include the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor connecting Ecuador and Peru, the Amazonian Platform protecting 14 million acres of Ecuadorian Amazon, the Amazon Future Fund providing sustainable conservation finance, and the Water Source Conservation Program establishing Water Protection Areas across Ecuador. Their work spans Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Bolivia, and Colombia through conservation initiatives focused on forests, biodiversity, climate, and local communities. The organization also produces scientific publications, research materials, and educational resources including the 'del Bosque al Aula' children's workbook series and taxonomic research publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor The first ecological corridor connecting Ecuador and Peru, protecting over 2.87 million acres of biodiverse ecosystems including cloud forests, Amazon rainforest, and páramo at the heart of Earth's greatest biodiversity hotspot.
• Amazonian Platform A collaborative alliance of Indigenous nationalities and local governments working to protect 14 million acres of Ecuador's Amazon Rainforest, storing 2.8 billion tons of CO2 equivalent.
• Amazon Future Fund An innovative conservation fund ensuring durable protection of Ecuador's Amazon through shared governance between Indigenous Peoples and provincial governments.
• Marañón Dry Forests Conservation Conservation of the unique biodiversity in northwestern Peru's Marañón River valley, protecting 143 endemic flora species and 50 restricted animal species across 6 established protected areas.
• Water Source Conservation Program (Conservación de Fuentes de Agua) Program establishing Water Protection Areas (APH) and other subnational conservation mechanisms across Ecuador, protecting strategic ecosystems for water security with a goal of 400,000 hectares by 2030.
• Yanajanca Regional Conservation Area Proposed 517,648-acre regional conservation area in Peru's Andean highlands, protecting cloud forests, high-altitude lakes, and critical wildlife habitat including spectacled bears and yellow-tailed woolly monkeys.
• Unchog Private Conservation Area 2,187-acre private conservation area in Huánuco, Peru protecting puna forests and grasslands home to 89 bird species including the coppery metaltail and golden-backed mountain tanager.
• Honey for Forests (Miel por Bosque) Community-led conservation initiative in southern Ecuador's dry forests, where local families protect forests through sustainable native bee management, with over 600 bee caretakers managing 5,000 native hives.
• Andes del Norte Water Fund Water compensation program created in 2014 with NCI's support, promoting conservation of páramos and mountain forests that supply water to reservoirs serving approximately 1 million people in Peru.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27 million acres of forests protected across Latin America
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Andes del Norte Water FundminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Created in 2014 with NCI's help, the Andes del Norte Water Fund is one of Peru's most successful water compensation programs, promoting conservation of páramos and mountain forests that supply water to reservoirs serving ~1 million people.
• Re:wildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRe:wild is a conservation partner supporting NCI's initiatives, including the Yanajanca reserve project. They collaborate on protecting critical ecosystems and biodiversity in Latin America.
• Conserva Aves (American Bird Conservancy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Conserva Aves initiative is co-led by American Bird Conservancy and supports NCI's bird conservation work in Peru, funding monitoring of endemic species and supporting reserve creation.
• Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von HumboldtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCI works in close partnership with the Humboldt Institute in Colombia to identify and develop new protected areas, secure biological diversity, and protect ecosystem services. NCI also has staff embedded through this partnership.
• Plan BinacionalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlan Binacional is a key Ecuador-Peru binational institution collaborating with NCI and government environmental authorities on the Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor, promoting cross-border ecosystem connectivity.
• Ministerio del Ambiente y Energía (MAE) — EcuadorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCI works closely with Ecuador's Ministry of Environment and Energy (MAE) to establish Water Protection Areas (APH) and other conservation figures, providing technical and financial assistance. Together they identified ~7 million hectares of high water importance.
• Ecuadorian and Peruvian National Governments (SERNANP, MAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCI collaborates with national environmental authorities in Ecuador and Peru (including SERNANP in Peru) on protected area establishment, management, and the binational Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor.
• Regional Governments (Huánuco, Cajamarca, Amazonas, La Libertad — Peru; Pastaza, Zamora Chinchipe, Morona Santiago — Ecuador; and others)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCI works with subnational and regional governments across Peru, Ecuador, and other countries to create and manage protected areas. These are key partners in establishing regional conservation areas.
• Eleven Indigenous Nationalities (Ecuadorian Amazon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEleven Indigenous nationalities in Ecuador's Amazon are founding members of the Amazonian Platform, sharing equal governance power with provincial governments in directing the Amazon Future Fund for forest protection.
• Tiwi Nunka Shuar Indigenous CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Shuar Indigenous community of El Kiim in Ecuador successfully protected their ancestral Tiwi Nunka Forest (5,497 hectares / 13,583 acres) with NCI's support. The reserve is now part of Ecuador's National System of Protected Areas.

Scale indicators37 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: One of the largest global conservation NGOs, working on biodiversity protection, climate, and sustainable development across Latin America and globally. Highly comparable mission and Latin America footprint, though much larger in scale and broader in scope than NCI's locally-driven forest protection focus.
• The Nature Conservancy: The world's largest environmental nonprofit, with active Latin America programs focused on forest protection, indigenous partnerships, and water security. Operates a similarly hybrid model of direct conservation plus government and community partnerships, but at significantly greater scale globally.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Major global conservation NGO with deep Latin America operations focused on forest protection, biodiversity, and Indigenous community partnerships. WWF's Amazon and Andes programs (e.g., WWF-Ecuador, WWF-Peru) are highly comparable to NCI's work in scale and approach.

Direct peers

• Rainforest Trust: A direct funder and operational partner of NCI, Rainforest Trust focuses on creating permanent protected areas through land purchase and community partnerships in Latin America and other tropical regions. Co-leads initiatives like Yanajanca with NCI and shares a very similar reserve-creation methodology.
• Re:wild: Species and ecosystem conservation organization co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio that supports protected area creation and species recovery in Latin America. Listed as a core strategic and financial partner of NCI, with overlapping regional priorities and conservation-area establishment model.
• Amazon Watch: Focused specifically on protecting the Amazon rainforest and advancing Indigenous Peoples' rights in the region. Highly comparable Latin America geographic focus, Indigenous partnership model, and donor-supported nonprofit structure, though more advocacy-oriented than NCI's direct conservation work.

Regional players

• Sociedad Peruana de Ecodesarrollo (SPDE): Peruvian environmental nonprofit working on Amazon and Andean forest protection, biodiversity conservation, and Indigenous community partnerships. Operates with a similar reserve-creation and community-led approach in Peru where NCI has a significant footprint.
• Fundación Jocotoco: Ecuadorian conservation foundation focused on protecting critical habitats and threatened species through land purchase, reserve management, and community engagement. Operates adjacent reserves in southern Ecuador and shares NCI's locally-embedded model in the same country.
• ProNaturaleza Foundation: Peruvian nonprofit working on conservation, sustainable use of biodiversity, and climate change, with significant overlap in Peru's Amazon and Andean ecosystems where NCI operates. Comparable model combining protected area creation, community partnerships, and donor-supported funding.
• Fundación Natura (Ecuador / Colombia): Long-standing Ecuadorian and Colombian environmental NGOs focused on biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, and sustainable development. Operate in the same Andean-Amazon geographies as NCI with overlapping programs in water protection and community-based conservation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/savingnature
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXCZPgJuQECRt7KcrZalqMg
• Facebookfacebook.com/natureculture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nature-and-culture-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/naturecultureinternational

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Nature and Culture International