Aims

Biodiversity Conservation
Supporting the management of the BSNP and the TNR; Helping to clarify the land-use status of areas within the TNR by assisting in the process of preparing management proposals and ensuring local peoples are fully represented; Providing funding for locally inspired initiatives concerned with conservation and sustainable resource utilisation, and where appropriate offering support and training relevant to identified conservation needs.

Environmental education
Working alongside existing Peruvian environmental education providers and media specialists to develop initiatives in the Madre de Dios region; Support for naturalist guides or RNs at tourist lodges in the region, as a means of promoting environmental awareness amongst tourist visitors; Funding of targeted environmental education initiatives and/or facilities.

Environmental management
Monitoring development activities in Madre de Dios and encouraging the use of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures to achieve sound environmental management; Raising awareness of and commenting upon the environmental impacts of development activities, including tourism, and where appropriate offering advice on how to achieve better environmental practice; Strengthening the role of local communities in regional environmental planning.

Community-led projects relevant to the sustainable use of natural resources
Support of cultural and environment orientated projects originating from native and non-native communities in Madre de Dios; Supporting other community-led projects which are considered environmentally responsible.

Research relevant to the above
Support in Europe, USA and Peru for the research activities of RNs and other researchers working in the region; Promoting co-operative research opportunities to an international audience; Co-ordinating with other organisations and individuals based in Madre de Dios who are working in conservation, environmental education and sustainable management in the area.

TReeS responds strongly to local initiatives which address these aims. In this way, we generate awareness of environmental issues, support local motivation and build local capacity to generate solutions to environmental and developmental problems. The bulk of TReeS™ support over the years has been for: native community initiatives on natural health care and a re-evaluation of traditional forest practices; operational costs and community consultations on development problems by the regional Federations for native peoples (FENAMAD) and for farmers (FADEMAD); and for expeditions, publications and field studies in the region by young Peruvian biologists.

Institutional structure, growth and strategic planning

TReeS-UK is administered on an entirely voluntary basis by a team of dedicated individuals. The original strategy was to fund-raise for specific local initiatives and give grants to other organisations operating in Madre de Dios without the need for a permanent presence in the region, but we quickly learned that we needed a reliable correspondent on the ground in order to evaluate local initiatives requesting support, and to ensure accountability. As a consequence, since 1995 we have maintained a small office and paid a part-time co-ordinator in Puerto Maldonado for this purpose. However, the amount of time needed to raise the funds for the minimal infrastructure, and to oversee the work of the co-ordinator, is limiting our effectiveness.

In late 1998, a group of Peruvians who have worked in collaboration with TReeS-UK at different times in the past decided to found a TReeS in Peru in order to open up possibilities for further growth. All are professionals working in conservation and development, and were attracted to TReeS because of our unusual reputation for hands-off management, decentralisation of decision-making, and insistence that beneficiaries take as much responsibility for management and evaluation as possible.

A discussion ensued between TReeS-UK and the incipient TReeS-Peru concerning institutional relationships between the two organisations. It was agreed to that TReeS-Peru would be legally independent and on an equal level to TReeS-UK; it would be a sister organisation rather than a daughter organisation. Institutional links would be developed through adoption of mirror aims and objectives, and through formal written agreements for collaboration on individual projects.

In December 1999 the first meeting of TReeS-Peru was held in Lima, and by January 2000, following consultation with a lawyer, the structure and legal statutes had been approved.  TReeS-Peru is now a legal and fully operational entity in Peru.

TReeS-UK will continue to provide core funds to TReeS-Peru from its income from membership and donations. It will also continue to assist in securing grants for specific projects from European funders. During the next five years, it is expected that TReeS-Peru will develop significant fundraising activities of its own, either from the general public or through submission of independent project proposals to international funding organisations without the assistance of TReeS-UK.