Tiinkias Ecotourism Center
"Back in 2002, the leaders from six communities decided to create a wildlife preserve around a black water lagoon and named it after the giant otters inhabiting the area. This way The Wankanim Preserve was created as a wildlife sanctuary and also as a site for future ecotourism development. It was then decided to found the Tiinkias community close to the new Preserve in order to protect its wildlife and to implement a “green” development model that included conservation, environmental management, ecotourism, sustainable development and cultural preservation.
"A year after Achuar leaders decided to reach out to friends for help. They contacted Fundacion Pachamama (FP), an Ecuadorian NGO working with the Achuar since 1993, and Trek Ecuador (TE), an ecotourism operator running adventure treks and medical expeditions in to the Achuar territory. Together they started working with the seven neighboring Achuar communities involved: Tiinkias, Chichirat, Kasuents, Makusar, Yutsunts, Iniak, and Mashuents. These seven communities are part of Makusar Community Association (MCA), a member of the Achuar Nation in Ecuador and custodians of nearly 170 thousand acres of one of Ecuador’s last remaining tracts of tropical rainforest untouched by oil exploration, deforestation, mining, colonization, among other threats...
"By 2006 this ideal work-environment produced a few project profiles in search of seed funding. After a few failed tries, finally in late 2007 the partnership between Makusar, Pachamama, TrekEcuador, and Mentefactura presented a successful project profile to the Interamerican Development Bank (IADB). ..In 2011, the TEC was selected by BioCAN and received a second 12-month grant..." [1]
