After 6 years of partnership between GVI Amazon and The Yachana Foundation, GVI Amazon will be closing the

expedition program in the Yachana Reserve, due to changes in our partners program objectives and lower volunteer numbers. Over the past few years, the objectives of GVIs in-country partner, The Yachana Foundation, have changed from a focus on both education and scientific research within their privately owned rainforest reserve, to solely addressing full-time education needs in the Amazon, through the Yachana Technical High School and higher education training programs. GVI Amazon has maintained a strong relationship with The Yachana Foundation throughout this time of change, adjusting our program to include many more education initiatives and expanding our internship/scholarship program for Yachana students. However, due to the narrower objectives of the Yachana Foundation at present, we have decided to focus our limited resourced on alternative programs. GVI Amazon volunteers and staff have done an incredible job achieving our common objectives since the inception of the partnership. Some of our key achievements during this past 6 years are: Providing the biodiversity research necessary to achieve and maintain the status of Protected Forest from the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment. Supporting The Yachana Foundation in both English and Biology/Conservation education for students from the Yachana Technical High School. Receiving numerous Yachana students on our expedition, most notably our National Scholarship Program (NSP) students, who are given a full scholarship to join us as long-term expedition members. NSP students receive hands-on science education and English immersion. Many have achieved a high degree of fluency after their time with GVI Amazon; some have even gone on to spend a year at university in the US or earn full-time bilingual jobs. Providing weekly English classes to students in 3 nearby communities, as well as teaching regular science lessons and organizing educational science days at the GVI base camp. Finding a rare species of glass frog, originally thought only to exist in Venezuela and later seen only in one other part of Ecuador Elaborating a species list for the reserve of over 750 different species Producing two field guides to address the large gap in information regarding the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in the region, & serve as a resource for students and guides to study and identify specimens in the field. Establishing the first PPBio-based long-term monitoring grid in Ecuador, an international methodology for biodiversity research allowing for spatial & temporal comparisons across sites around the world. Carrying out one of the first comprehensive studies of effects of a road, pre- and post-expansion, in a protected rainforest reserve, to serve as guide for other communities faced with similar issues of development within a conservation area.

GVI will continue to work together with The Yachana Foundation to assist in each others objectives whenever possible, and to maintain the friendly relationship of mutual support and respect built over so many years of partnership and success.