2013 - PRESENT
Deforested land bordering our terrain. Thanks to your contributions, we continue to purchase the land surrounding this operation, keeping the surrounding rainforest in tact.
Conservation Achievements:
- Formal cease and desist orders given to three illegal, informal mining crews operating within our lands.
- The immobilization and seizure of wooden logs illegally obtained from the land.
- Protection and conservation of 32 hectares from cattle farming related clear-cutting.
- Formal cease and desist orders given for illegal logging, where hundreds of hectares of primary forests was turned to land intended for farming activities.
- Prevention of illegal hunting by maintaining our presence in the forest, and being vigilant to trespassers.
- Diagnosis of solid waste management issues in the Quichua community of Puerto Arturo.
- Selectively managing old-growth trees by running limbs to prevent loss of trees to windfall
- Strategic land purchases to form green-belts to prevent future clearcut-logging and deforestation for cattle farming.
-Protection via Brazil Nut Concession of 1600 hectares of primary rainforest.
-Strategic Purchases of living Shihuahuaco trees in 2019 and 2020, and a partnership for 400 hectares with Neighbour Don Alberto.
The late Don Angel; elder & master basket weaver of the Quichua Community of Puerto Arturo. Novalis (in conjunction with Xapiri) were the only organizations to document this precious elder´s traditional craft work.
Novalis visitors take a trip to the Quichua community of Puerto Arturo.
Here we have a 6 year relationship with supporting the people through documentation of culture, introduction of sustainability projects, and economic funding/employment of locals.
Cultural and Community-Based Achievements:
Puerto Arturo
- Hosting and patron of a collective action in community art to revitalize and celebrate Quichua roots in Puerto Arturo, with the community in collaboration with others including: Warmayllu, Rolin Coquinche, Xapiri.
- Hosting of master basket weaver Don Angel Canelos in collaboration with Xapiri to visually document the work and process of Don Angel's baskets.
- Research and Development of baseline ethnography of the Quichua speaking Community in Puerto Arturo and the first grammatical guide of the Quichua variety of the indigenous, Quechua language.
- Participation in community meetings in the Quichua community of Puerto Arturo.
- The development of a short film, which aims to show elders Doña Aurora and Don Angel talking with their grand child about the past, and the link between language, culture and conservation.
- Legal advice and counseling to formalize the Producers Association of Brazil Nuts in the Basin of Bajo Piedras.
Pueblo Machiguenga
- Financial and land-based support for four Machiguenga families (over 30 members).
- Facilitating access and permits to forest for traditional harvesting, hunting and artisanal gathering.
- Housing aid for Children to be able to attend school in town.
Cultural-Based Achievements:
Boca Pariamanu
- Produced a short documentary film which aims to show the role of native women in Brazil Nut production in the community of Boca Pariamanu.
- Produced a short documentary film featuring Jane Quiro; cacao, platano farmer, and medicine woman on her plantation and home in the community of Boca Pariamanu.
- Developed trademark and handling distribution for Jane Quiro's natural products.
Mari Luz of Boca Pariamanu harvesting brazil nut
Marder, one of our Quichua family who lives on site with us, and a fresh pineapple harvest from our food forest.
Living Immersed in Nature
- Planning, planting and maintenance of a full hectare food forest.
- On-going process of learning & practice of local Amazonian Medicine for medical treatments, balanced health & soulful embodiment.
- Creating a variety of plant medicines including tinctures, flower essences, steam preparations, teas, decoctions, salves and more.
- Providing visitors with education in ethnobotany, sustainable living, shamanic culture, indigenous community support, as these things are uniquely explored in the Amazon jungle.
- Running nature-immersion programs for all ages and backgrounds, providing space for up to 20 people.
- Minimizing our site-based impact through soil stabilization, waste reduction, waste-water treatment, and maintaining forest cover. We use windfall for new building projects, or work with wood partners who use ecological principles for harvesting. We are off the grid!