Earthquake Consciousness takes us to Ecuador Summer 2016

Because we live in “earthquake country” ourselves may be why our community responds to help wherever earthquakes occur in the world.  In March of 2015 we assisted in producing a fund raiser garnering close to $5,000 in local donations for earthquake relief efforts in Nepal.  CFI sponsors the SherpaCares.org Classroom in the Clouds (HEBS Himalayan English Boarding School) campaign to rebuild a school in Lukla Nepal where construction is underway. See featured video above.

Last month the coastal area of Ecuador experienced a 7.8 earthquake that destroyed many towns and infrastructure in the province of Manabi. Since that time Ecuador has registered over 700 aftershocks, dozens of them over 4.5. The country has united to respond but recovery will take years. Cloud Forest Institute is facilitating placing people as volunteers with relief efforts in July and August this summer. We are fundraising to support communities and partner organizations to build shelters and provide food and water. With an eye on the future we are promoting a long term redevelopment strategy that addresses local food, water, and shelter security by stabilizing deforested slopes with food forests and native building materials

If you or anyone you know of might be interested in going to Ecuador to help this summer please contact Freeda Burnstad, 707.357.1000. freeda_burnstad@yahoo.com  If you are able, thank you in advance for sending a tax deductible snail mail donation to Cloud Forest Institute, PO Box 1435, Ukiah, CA 95482 or click on the Network for Good online donation option on this page. 100% of your contribution will go to earthquake relief efforts and we will report back to you about how your contribution is being used. Optionally you may donate via crowdrise Ecuador Earthquake Relief Cloud Forest Institute | Freeda Burnstad's Fundraiser

2016 is the 20^th Anniversary of Cloud Forest Institute.  We are a tax exempt 501 c3 educational and scientific non-profit corporation founded to create an educational and cultural exchange between Mindo, Ecuador and Mendocino County, California.  Locally, we have been an umbrella organization for a number of groups who work for the public benefit. We fiscally sponsored the Mendocino Organic Network and Common Vision between 2000 and 2012 until they acquired their own tax exempt status.  Currently we sponsor Ukiah Bicycle Kitchen, Chadwick Legacy Project, Butler Cherry Ranch Project, the MEC Environmental Education Fund, and have been working with Earth Cycles and Yokayo Farm School to develop a Forest Stewardship Collective.  Visit the projects page to read more.

In Ecuador we have partnered with Fundacion Cambugan to purchase tracks of land to conserve as continuous wildlife corridors in virgin wilderness in the Andes and with the Amazon Myco-Renewal Project (now known as Co-Renewal) researching the use of oyster mushrooms in the final phase of oil spill remediation.