A Geoffroy's spider monkey moving through the forest canopy

Bahía de Jiquilisco, Usulután, El Salvador

Saving El Salvador’s Remaining 142 Spider Monkeys from Extinction.

New Developments in Bahía de Jiquilisco Threaten to 'CUT CLEAN' through the Last Home of the Farmers of the Forest.

Over the years, the forests of Bahía de Jiquilisco have been cleared and divided, leaving the surviving spider monkeys, whom locals call the Farmers of the Forest, isolated in fragments of what was once their home. Today, these remnants of tropical forest stand scattered among farmland, waterways, and coastal communities. Historical land-cover mapping revealed that 47% of the landscape was devoted to agriculture and livestock, 19% was covered by mangroves, and only 9% remained as other native forest.

What Remains Today.

Among these remaining forests, Chaguantique, Normandía, El Tercio, and Nacascolo have been documented as habitats for Geoffroy's spider monkeys. Once part of a much larger natural landscape, these forests now stand as scattered refuges surrounded by land where communities farm, fish, and build their futures. As their habitat disappears, the world of the Farmers of the Forest grows smaller, and their future more uncertain.

Satellite map locating forest remnants around the Bahía de Jiquilisco wetlands

Every meter lost is another piece of their home gone forever.

What If We Could Reunite their Home?

The satellite images below reveal what remains of their home. Each of these stand as irregular fragments of forest, surrounded by farmland and open land. Some have been squeezed into narrow strips, while others are separated by roads and even an airstrip. What remains are forests struggling to hold their ground in a landscape that has left them little room to breathe.

Satellite map of the Chaguantique forest area
ChaguantiqueHome to 50 Spider Monkeys.
Satellite map of the Normandía forest area
NormandíaHome to 26 Spider Monkeys.
Satellite map of the El Tercio forest area
El TercioHome to 44 Spider Monkeys.
Satellite map of the Nacascolo forest area
NacascoloHome to 22 Spider Monkeys.

We cannot bring back every forest that has been lost, but we can fight to protect what remains and restore the connections between them. By reconnecting these isolated habitats, we aim to give the Farmers of the Forest a larger, more connected home and a fighting chance at survival.

What Can My Donation Do?

A Path Forward.

Corridor Muralla de Vida

A 7.5 KM Wildlife Corridor between Normandía and Chaguantique

Satellite map of Muralla de Vida connecting Normandía and Chaguantique
Wildlife Corridor Protection & Restoration Native Forest Restoration & Expansion
Progress0%

Muralla de Vida is our effort to reconnect Normandía and Chaguantique, a project that would benefit 76 spider monkeys and create the largest buffer to protect Bahia de Jiquilisco. By restoring the pathways between these forests, we aim to reunite their isolated populations, giving the Farmers of the Forest greater freedom to move between habitats, find one another, and strengthen their genetic diversity.

To make this possible, we have identified approximately 325 hectares of land for conservation and restoration, including 213 hectares for wildlife corridor protection and restoration and another 112 hectares to expand the native forests surrounding Normandía and Chaguantique.

Across these areas, our preliminary mapping has identified the potential to establish approximately 203,300 native trees. These trees would help restore the forest canopy, reconnect fragmented habitats, and give spider monkeys more space to find food, raise their young, and move safely between their homes.

The benefits would extend far beyond the treetops. Restoring native vegetation would also help create a living buffer between agricultural land and the surrounding mangroves and wetlands, supporting habitats for crocodiles, birds, and other wildlife.

Achieving this vision will require us to secure strategic land through purchases and conservation agreements, work alongside local farmers to restore native vegetation, and establish conservation teams to protect and maintain these forests for generations to come.

Building Our Impact

0Hectares Protected

0Native Trees Planted

0Local Forest Guardians Employed

0Farmers in Conservation Partnerships

0Community Conservation Volunteers

0Student Internships Completed

Volunteer Donate Purchase Gifts Contact Us

Corridor Puente de Vida

A 3.5 KM Wildlife Corridor between El Tercio and Nacascolo

Puente de Vida wildlife corridor connecting El Tercio and Nacascolo
Wildlife Corridor Protection & Restoration Native Forest Restoration & Expansion
Progress0%

Puente de Vida is our effort to reconnect El Tercio and Nacascolo, two forests that are home to 66 spider monkeys. By restoring pathways between them, we aim to reunite their isolated populations, giving the Farmers of the Forest greater freedom to move between habitats, find one another, and strengthen their genetic diversity.

To make this possible, we have identified approximately 90 hectares of land for conservation and restoration, including 79 hectares for wildlife corridor protection and restoration and another 11 hectares to expand the native forests surrounding El Tercio and Nacascolo.

Across these areas, our preliminary mapping has identified the potential to establish approximately 55,938 native trees. These trees would help restore the forest canopy, reconnect fragmented habitats, and give spider monkeys more space to find food, raise their young, and move safely between their homes.

The forests are only 3.5 kilometres apart, offering an opportunity to restore connectivity sooner. A dirt airstrip lies between them, so we plan to investigate its impact on wildlife movement and explore ways to restore connections around it.

Achieving this vision will require us to secure strategic land through purchases, work alongside local farmers and communities to restore native vegetation, and support local forest guardians in protecting and maintaining these forests for generations to come.

Building Our Impact

0Hectares Protected

0Native trees planted

0Local Forest Guardians Employed

0Farmers in Conservation Partnerships

0Community Conservation Volunteers

0Student Internships Completed

Volunteer Donate Purchase Gifts Contact Us

“Because the future of these forests depends not only on the wildlife they shelter, but also on the communities who share their landscape.”

Empowering Communities.

We aim to make conservation a source of opportunity for the communities surrounding these forests. By working alongside farmers to promote sustainable agriculture, creating local conservation jobs, and providing students with scholarships, field trips, and hands-on learning experiences, we want to ensure that the people who share these landscapes have a meaningful role in protecting their future.

What Your Donation Does

For Every $100 You Donate

  • Purchase Land & Reforest Wildlife Corridors
    $45
  • Help Farmers Protect Wildlife & Sustain Livelihoods
    $18
  • Fund Student Scholarships, Field Trips & Local Conservation Jobs
    $18
  • Operating, Accounting & Legal Costs
    $10
  • Monitor Wildlife & Forest Health
    $9
Support Our Work

The story can still change

Help keep the Farmers of the Forest in the forest.

Meet Yeraldin.

For Yeraldin, survival is about more than finding the next meal. She depends on her family, her social connections, and the forests that provide everything she needs to survive.

ADOPT A SQUARE METER OF FOREST Get Involved
Yeraldin, a Geoffroy's spider monkey, among green leaves