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In late October 2025, a group of former ECTI alumni, conservation leaders from across South America, gathered in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Great Reserve for a week-long technical visit. What took place there was not just a field trip, nor simply a professional exchange — but the next step in building a living, active network of practitioners shaped by the Effective Conservation Training Initiative.

Estimated time to read: 10 minutes
Countries involved: Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Guyana, and Uruguay
Organizations involved: SPVS, FZS, Nativa, Rewilding Argentina, Ambá, and Onçafari

This idea took root back in 2024, shortly after the second edition of ECTI in Rwanda. At the end of the course, several participants from South American organizations expressed a desire to keep the spirit of ECTI alive — to continue sharing experiences, challenges, and encouragement beyond the classroom. They began meeting informally online, at first just a few alumni seeking connection, but soon the group grew by interest and invitation. The group united alumni from three different ECTI editions, Zimbabwe (2023), Rwanda (2024) and Argentina (2025).

By 2025, the participants were meeting roughly once a month, deepening relationships and realizing the potential for something bigger: a face-to-face gathering that would allow them to learn from one another in the field, explore new contexts, visit different conservation models, and strengthen the emerging regional network.

Ignacio Jiménez, creator of the ECTI course, played an essential role in this journey. He championed the group’s initiative from the beginning, advised the planning process, and supported the successful connection with a donor who made the visit possible.

A diverse group united by conservation

The technical visit brought together alumni from Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, and Guyana. Participating in this immersive week were Magali Longo and Gerardo Cerón from Fundación Rewilding Argentina; Maximiliano Costa and Mathias Mindlin from AMBÁ in Uruguay; Chuvika Harilal from Frankfurt Zoological Society in Guyana; Waldo Cossio from Nativa in Bolivia; Stephanie Simioni from Onçafari in Brazil; and Ricardo Borges from SPVS, the hosting organization. Throughout the journey, they were accompanied by two experienced conservation leaders — Deli Saavedra from Rewilding Argentina and Clóvis Borges from SPVS — whose decades of knowledge added depth to every conversation and site visit. During the visit, the group also got the opportunity to share experiences with many local institutions and their representatives.

The itinerary: a journey through landscapes, practical knowledge, and shared challenges

Over the course of seven days, the group travelled through some of the most emblematic conservation landscapes in south/southeastern Brazil, engaging directly with managers, researchers, community representatives, and local leaders. The journey began at Carlos Botelho State Park in São Paulo, where participants observed southern muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides) in their natural habitat. This allowed them to witness a high-quality wildlife-watching product and to discuss protected area management, human–wildlife coexistence, and the challenges of maintaining biodiversity along a parkway road. The group had the opportunity to meet Mario Mantovani, the president of Fundação Florestal, the institution responsible for managing protected areas in the state of São Paulo. They then continued to Caverna do Diabo State Park, exploring one of Brazil’s most iconic caves and meeting with local guides and park staff to understand community-based tourism models, mosaic governance, and the long-term role of public protected areas.

From there, the group travelled to the coast of Paraná to spend two days at the Guaricica Private Natural Reserve, managed by SPVS, where they experienced rafting with local partners and took part in extensive discussions on rewilding, protected areas, ecological monitoring, enforcement, restoration and large-scale landscape conservation. The visit continued with a full-day boat trip organized by the local organization Associação MarBrasil, through the estuarine systems of Paranaguá Bay, engaging with scientists and conservationists working on coastal and marine species such as the red-tailed parrot, the black-faced lion tamarin and sea turtles as well as learning about traditional caiçara communities and the complexities of managing a region that hosts both high biodiversity and one of Brazil’s major port complexes.

Finally, the itinerary concluded in the historic town of Morretes with a visit to Ekôa Park, a private Atlantic Forest park that has become a reference for innovative nature tourism, environmental education, and community integration. The closing session at Ekôa provided space for collective reflection, strategic discussions, and planning of future collaborative steps for the South American network.

A deeper kind of learning

Participants highlighted how this format encouraged honest reflection, candid conversations, and a richer, more critical view of conservation practice:

“Conservation around the world faces similar challenges, and this is certainly even more true in South America. During the meeting, we discussed not only our successes but also what we learned from our mistakes, honestly sharing our experiences with the participants. We talked about how we overcame these challenges, how we can adapt these lessons to other contexts, and how to anticipate potentially conflictive situations, for example, with communities or the government. The in-depth discussion on these commonalities was very enriching.” Gerardo Cerón, Fundación Rewilding Argentina.

“I believe this meeting has a special meaning, for bringing together people with different backgrounds, from different countries, where we can, during the visit, promote an exchange of experiences. I would have been delighted to have been able to participate in this kind of gathering when I was a young conservationist; a possibility that did not exist at that time.” Deli Saavedra, Fundación Rewilding Argentina and Jaguar Rivers Initiative

“For us at SPVS, welcoming this group to the Atlantic Forest Great Reserve was truly a privilege. Sharing the work we are carrying out — not only our strengths but also the challenges we face — gains a new dimension when seen through the eyes of such a qualified and diverse group of conservation professionals. What made the experience even richer was the opportunity to connect our local partners with the participants. Their presence deepened the discussions, added new perspectives, and allowed everyone to benefit from the collective expertise gathered during the visit.” Ricardo Borges, SPVS.

“This meeting is important to help build a community of professionals united for conservation, who are sharing experiences with each other. Because we all face the same challenges in different contexts, and there is not only one way of doing things, but rather creative ideas can be generated from the connection we had in this meeting. The conservation of protected areas knows no borders, so we realize that we all face the same challenges and, by getting to know these experiences, we can develop new strategies that work for everyone.” Magali Longo, Fundación Rewilding Argentina.

“When we work in our own country or even within our own programs, you tend to feel a little bit alone. You have your team, but I think being part of an experience like this really makes you realize that you are not alone, you have friends, you have connections in different countries, and people who are experiencing the same kinds of challenges and working to find solutions.” Chuvika Harilal, Frankfurt Zoological Society.

A continental step forward to inspire other regions

This meeting marked a new important milestone: South American ECTI alumni are beginning to organize themselves as a regional network of conservation leaders. In addition to the annual global editions of the course, they are envisioning a continuous, collaborative platform that strengthens connections, encourages joint projects, and deepens learning across borders. This emerging network aims to promote ongoing dialogue, support the adaptation of tools and strategies across different territories, link young professionals with experienced mentors, and create opportunities for regional action that amplify local impact. The visit in Brazil symbolizes a concrete step toward this continental vision.

This initiative reflects exactly what the Effective Conservation Training Initiative hopes to inspire: young conservation leaders taking action, building community, and creating opportunities that extend beyond the course.

Experiences like this one demonstrate that the real power of ECTI is not only in its content, but in the relationships, trust, and collaboration it fosters. They also serve as a model for groups in other continents who may wish to replicate this format — complementing the global meetings with regional ones, rooted in shared landscapes, cultural similarities, and comparable challenges.

The meeting concluded with a unanimous decision to hold the next gathering of South American conservation leaders in Uruguay, at Ambá — a place that already embodies a successful binational cooperation model. Ambá will also be celebrating its 10-year anniversary, adding special significance to this regional milestone.

The leaders who participated leave with new ideas, renewed energy, and stronger bonds — and with a clearer understanding that conservation at scale is only possible through cooperation.

Text prepared by Ricardo Borges with support from Gerardo Cerón, Magali Longo, Deli Saavedra, Chuvika Harilal, Maximiliano Costa, Waldo Cossio, and Stephanie Simioni
Photos: Gabriel Marchi
Design: Andrés Stubelt