Guacamayas Calentanas A.C.

What Guacamayas Calentanas A.C. does

Guacamayas Calentanas A.C. is a Mexican nonprofit civil association (Asociación Civil) founded circa 2009 and formally registered in 2022, headquartered in El Chocolate, municipality of Churumuco, Michoacán. The organization is dedicated to the protection, restoration, and monitoring of the endangered green macaw (Ara militaris) and its dry forest (selva baja caducifolia) habitat in the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán. Its core activities combine scientific monitoring, habitat restoration through native species reforestation, agroecological systems (milpa triada, backyard orchards, living fences, community dams), and environmental education. The organization is governed by a 3-person board (mesa directiva) led by co-founders José Isabel Texta Hernández (Presidente) and María Andrea Ponce Rangel (Tesorera), with community members contributing to fieldwork and hospitality services.

The organization's service portfolio centers on three integrated lines: (1) experiential ecotourism (shared-room and camping accommodation, traditional calentana cuisine, and guided morning/evening green macaw birdwatching tours); (2) research collaboration with academic institutions (Universidad Michoacana, UNAM, ENAH) supporting thesis projects and field studies; and (3) environmental education programs alongside artisan products (seed jewelry, carved wood) developed through art-for-conservation initiatives. Underlying capabilities include a community nursery (established 2016 with Fundación Loro Parque), systematic population monitoring across three municipalities (Churumuco, La Huacana, Turicato), and a documented macaw population recovery from approximately 20 to 143+ individuals.

Revenue mechanics are hybrid: a small, pay-as-you-go ecotourism operation (pricing not publicly disclosed, quote-based) supplemented by government grants from SEMARNAT, PROFEPA, PROCODES, SADER, and the Fondo Ambiental del Estado de Michoacán, plus international project funding from CCA, EJ4Climate, Loro Parque Foundation, and National Geographic. Distribution is entirely domestic and on-site, with reach extending to academic researchers as a secondary segment. Marketing runs primarily through the organization's website, social media, local press (El Sol de Morelia), and community referrals, with recent international visibility from the 2024 National Geographic Slingshot Challenge win.

Name

Guacamayas Calentanas A.C.

Legal name

Guacamayas Calentanas A.C.

Website

https://guacamayascalentanas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Guacamayas Calentanas A.C. is a Mexican nonprofit civil association conserving the endangered green macaw and dry forest habitat in Tierra Caliente, Michoacán, via community-led monitoring, reforestation, ecotourism, and environmental education, serving ecotourists, academic researchers, and local communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ecotourism and Community Conservation Services

NAICS

Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (11321), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAMAJAM

Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Paper & Forest Products/Forest Management, Reforestation & Carbon Forestry Services

SECONDARYTHAAAEAF

Rainforest & Jungle Ecotourism Tours

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Ecotourism Operators & Nature-Based Tours

SECONDARYAFAMAFAA

Resins & Oleoresins (Pine Resin, Frankincense, Myrrh) Harvesting

Agriculture & Food Production/Forestry & Logging/Non-Timber Forest Products (Resins, Gums, Mushrooms, Berries)

Keywords

• Community-based conservation
• Ecotourism services
• Wildlife habitat restoration
• Environmental education
• Artisan craft products

Headquarters

HQ city

Churumuco

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ecotourism Services: Revenue generated from hosting visitors for green macaw sightings, providing accommodations (shared rooms, camping), and serving traditional calentana cuisine made from locally grown ingredients.
2. Environmental Education Services: Workshops and educational programs for schools and communities on environmental conservation, traditional arts, and sustainable practices.
3. Artisanal Products: Sale of handmade crafts including seed jewelry and carved wood items created using traditional techniques, generating resources for educational outings.
4. Government Grants and Programs: Funding from SEMARNAT, PROFEPA, PROCODES, SADER, Fondo Ambiental del Estado de Michoacán, and international organizations for conservation and community development projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Guacamayas Calentanas A.C. delivers community-based conservation of the green macaw (Ara militaris) in the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán, Mexico, through an integrated portfolio of ecotourism services (local-family-managed accommodation in shared rooms and camping, traditional calentana cuisine, and morning/evening guided macaw birdwatching), collaborative research hosting for universities, environmental education workshops, and sale of handmade artisan products. Revenue from these activities funds habitat restoration, reforestation with native species, and food/water security projects for the local community.

Product overview

Guacamayas Calentanas A.C. is a conservation-focused civil association operating as a unified service portfolio centered on protecting the green macaw (Ara militaris) in Tierra Caliente, Michoacán. Its offerings consist of experiential ecotourism services (accommodation, traditional food, and guided green macaw sightings), community-based research collaboration, environmental education programs, and artisan products created through art-for-conservation initiatives. These services are interconnected: ecotourism generates sustainable income supporting conservation efforts, while research and education activities strengthen community capacity and scientific understanding that informs both conservation strategies and visitor experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospedaje (Accommodation) Comfortable, simple accommodation harmoniously integrated into the landscape, managed by local families. Modalities include shared rooms, a camping zone, and access to common areas, available to ecotourists visiting El Chocolate, Churumuco.
• Comida Tradicional Calentana (Traditional Food) Traditional calentana cuisine prepared with local ingredients, many from on-site backyard gardens. Includes a seasonal daily menu, vegetarian options, and themed tastings celebrating native fruits and ancestral recipes, served to visiting guests.
• Avistamientos de Guacamaya Verde (Green Macaw Birdwatching) Morning and afternoon guided tours to observe the green macaw (Ara militaris) and other species in their natural habitat. Led by local guides with deep knowledge of regional birds, their behaviors, and ecosystems, available to ecotourists.
• Research Collaboration Services Collaborative research services partnering with universities and institutions on studies of the green macaw, ecosystem services, traditional ecological knowledge, and sustainable land management. Includes hosting thesis projects, facilitating field research, and supporting academic publications.
• Environmental Education Programs Environmental education services including workshops in schools, art-for-conservation initiatives, and community training on sustainable agricultural practices and biodiversity protection, targeted at local youth and community members.
• Art for Conservation (Handmade Crafts) Handmade artisan products including jewelry made with resins and seeds and carved wooden crafts, created through community-based art-for-conservation initiatives that combine creativity, sustainability, and environmental awareness.

Quantifiable outcome

• Green macaw population increased from 20 to over 143 individuals
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Comisión para la Cooperación Ambiental (CCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Implemented integral actions from 2022-2023 to strengthen food sovereignty and restore the local environment, including community nursery, soil restoration, backyard orchards, chicken coops, living fences, and reforestation.
• Fundación Loro ParquecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Supported the establishment of the first community nursery for green macaw conservation in 2016, providing expertise and resources for native plant production. Dr. Arnulfo (José Arnulfo Blanco García) also collaborated in this initiative.
• Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo - Facultad de BiologíacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing academic partnership with Dr. José Arnulfo Blanco García and other researchers providing scientific expertise in ecosystem restoration, traditional plant knowledge, and dry forest ecology. The university has collaborated with the organization for over 8 years.
• Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia (ENAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Dra. Selene Rangel-Landa on traditional ecological knowledge and agroforestry systems research. She also partnered on art for conservation initiatives using resin and seed jewelry.
• UNAM Iztacala (Facultad de Estudios Superiores)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Aline Pingarroni on studying human-ecosystem interactions, valuing ecosystem services and biodiversity from biophysical and sociocultural perspectives.
• National Geographic SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected as video winner of the Slingshot Challenge 2024, providing international recognition and visibility for the organization's youth conservation work.
• SEMARNATminorOthersGovernment program providing temporary employment funding. In 2017, the PET (Programa de Empleo Temporal) funded rehabilitation of interpretive trails and installation of signage.
• PROFEPAminorOthersGovernment environmental enforcement agency. In 2016, the PET program strengthened community surveillance focused on protecting wildlife, flora, and forest ecosystems, significantly reducing poaching.
• PROCODESminorOthersGovernment conservation program. Multiple years of funding (2015-2018) for monitoring and conservation actions in the Zicuirán-Infiernillo region, including species monitoring, agroecological systems, and community capacity building.
• SADERminorOthersMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development. In 2018, funded construction of a community dam for water security and implementation of backyard orchards and chicken coops for food security.
• Fondo Ambiental del Estado de MichoacánminorOthersState environmental fund providing project support. In 2024, funded construction of a metal observation platform for bird study; in 2025, funded ecological trail rehabilitation for environmental education and ecotourism.
• Programa Jóvenes Construyendo el FuturominorOthersNational youth employment program. In 2019, provided training opportunities for local youth in green macaw monitoring, organic milpa cultivation, native seed collection, and reforestation activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Loro Parque Fundación: Spanish-based foundation dedicated to parrot and macaw conservation across Latin America. Directly comparable because it supported the establishment of Guacamayas Calentanas' community nursery in 2016 and operates analogous community-rooted habitat restoration programs for Ara militaris and related species.
• Pronatura México A.C. One of Mexico's largest conservation NGOs, running community-based habitat projects, reforestation, and environmental education across multiple states. Directly comparable as a Mexican nonprofit combining field conservation, community engagement, and government grant partnerships.
• ProAves (Fundación ProAves): Colombia-based bird conservation organization combining site-based reserves, community-led monitoring, ecotourism, and reforestation. Closely analogous Latin American model focused on threatened bird species with community ownership.
• Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda I.A.P. Long-running community-based conservation organization in Querétaro with ecotourism, payments-for-ecosystem-services programs, and reforestation. Directly comparable for combining rural community stewardship with ecotourism revenue and government grant execution.
• Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza A.C. Mexican conservation fund channeling donor and international grant capital to locally-led conservation projects including forestry and endangered species. Directly comparable in the role it plays for site-level NGOs and as a potential upstream funding source.

Broad incumbents

• BirdLife International: Global partnership of bird conservation organizations with country affiliates that support site-based Important Bird Areas, including those hosting endangered macaws. Comparable as a broader network relevant for site IBA designation and downstream partnership.
• World Land Trust: International conservation organization funding habitat protection through local partner NGOs in the Americas and beyond. Comparable as an international funding partner and peer organization model for community-led land stewardship.
• Rainforest Trust: International conservation NGO that purchases and stewards habitat and funds partner-led endangered species protection worldwide. Comparable as a potential upstream funder and as a peer operator with strong brand recognition for smaller partners.
• Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO): Mexican federal biodiversity agency that funds and coordinates conservation including species monitoring programs like the one Guacamayas Calentanas participates in. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating in the same conservation ecosystem but at national rather than community scale.

Emerging players

• Conservación de la Naturaleza A.C. (Naturalia): Mexican nonprofit focused on private and community natural protected areas, sustainable agriculture, and ecotourism projects. Comparable as a peer Mexican NGO working at the intersection of community livelihoods and habitat conservation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Guacamayas Calentanas A.C.