Meet Junglekeepers
Junglekeepers protect the Las Piedras River corridor in Peru—one of the Amazon's last intact wilderness areas. Home to jaguars, giant river otters, harpy eagles, and uncontacted Indigenous peoples, this region faces an existential threat from illegal logging, mining, and land grabbing. Junglekeepers approach is direct and proven:
Acquire land legally through titles and concessions
Deploy rangers from local communities to patrol and protect
Partner with Indigenous peoples to uphold land rights
Create sustainable livelihoods so communities prosper as forest guardians
The Results:
Over 130,000 acres of rainforest permanently protected
Zero deforestation in actively patrolled areas
35 rangers patrolling around the clock
88 cents of every dollar goes directly to on-the-ground action
Indigenous-Led Conservation That Works
Junglekeepers is co-founded by Juan Julio Durand, a visionary Indigenous conservationist who conceived the corridor vision 25 years ago, and Paul Rosolie, a conservationist and author with two decades of on-the-ground experience in the Las Piedras region. In 2024, TIME Magazine recognized Juan Julio as one of the 100 Climate Leaders shaping our future.
The organization's ranger program employs local community members—many of whom would otherwise work in logging—to protect the forest instead. They patrol by foot, boat, and drone, covering hundreds of miles annually to deter illegal activities and monitor wildlife.
This model works. In areas where Junglekeepers rangers patrol, deforestation has dropped to zero.
One powerful example: the Puerto Nuevo community received their official land title after 17 years of waiting, with Junglekeepers' support. Land rights mean communities can legally protect their forest from outside threats.
Why the Las Piedras Corridor Matters
Under Siege
The Las Piedras corridor cuts through Peru's Madre de Dios—a biodiversity hotspot being fragmented by illegal roads, land grabs, and frontier agriculture. Once road access slices into continuous forest, small clearings rapidly fuse into permanent loss. Monitoring data already shows sharp increases in deforestation wherever access expands.
The Amazon's Rain Machine
Las Piedras is also critical to the Amazon's climate system. Moist air flows from the Atlantic as "flying rivers"—atmospheric moisture that the forest recycles through evapotranspiration. This relay delivers rainfall to the western Amazon and Andean foothills.
When forest cover drops, these aerial rivers weaken and drought risk climbs—not just locally, but across southern Peru and beyond. Protecting continuous corridors like Las Piedras keeps the moisture conveyor working for ecosystems, agriculture, and communities downstream.
The Bottom Line
Without immediate protection, road networks will fragment this corridor permanently. Every month of delay means irreversible loss—ecologically, climatically, and culturally.
What they’re fighting against and why Protection Is Urgent
Along Peru’s Las Piedras River, the forest faces frontier pressure from illegal logging of old-growth hardwoods, road building that opens new clearings, land grabbing and speculative ranching, small-scale gold mining that scars riverbanks, wildlife trafficking, and human-caused fires. Junglekeepers™ focuses on securing conservation concessions and funding local and Indigenous ranger patrols to deter incursions, document violations for authorities, and keep continuous forest standing so wildlife and communities can thrive.
The Vision: A 300,000-Acre Protected Corridor
Junglekeepers is building a 300,000-acre protected corridor along Peru's Las Piedras River—a continuous stretch of safeguarded rainforest connecting three national parks.
Why corridors matter:
They allow wildlife to migrate, protect ancient carbon-storing trees, stabilize water systems, and strengthen Indigenous land stewardship. This isn't abstract climate policy—it's a living shield for biodiversity and the planet's lungs.
How it becomes real:
One acre at a time. Priority land parcels are legally secured. Local and Indigenous rangers are trained and paid. Radios, boats, and fuel are funded. Patrol routes are established at critical road and river access points. Communities are supported so their livelihoods depend on standing forest, not clearing it.
The result:
Illegal incursions drop. Protected areas stay connected. Ancient trees remain standing.
Your purchase funds the unglamorous essentials—patrol gas, ranger salaries, land titles—that make all of this work.
Recognized Worldwide
Junglekeepers' work has been featured by National Geographic, TIME Magazine, CNN, BBC, The Guardian, and the United Nations.
Their model is being studied as a replicable approach to conservation worldwide—proof that Indigenous-led, community-based protection works.
Real Conservation, Real Impact
88 cents of every dollar donated to Junglekeepers goes directly to on-the-ground action. No administrative bloat. No symbolic gestures.
Rangers patrolling. Land protected. Communities empowered.
Our Mission
At Selva Nahele, our mission is to share the spirit of the world’s rainforests through natural, ethical, and sustainable products. We aim to build a bridge between everyday life and the beauty of these vital ecosystems.
Honoring Cultures, Protecting Nature
We source with respect, honoring Indigenous traditions while safeguarding fragile environments. Every product is chosen for care, sustainability, and authenticity so communities and ecosystems can thrive together.
Why Junglekeepers
Selva Nahele proudly supports Junglekeepers, a nonprofit protecting the Amazon rainforest and Indigenous communities in Peru through ranger training, patrol logistics, and legal land protection. Their on-the-ground work keeps old-growth forest standing and habitats intact.
Our Commitment
We donate 3% of net revenue directly to Junglekeepers’ conservation work. By choosing Selva Nahele, you join a movement for mindful living and global stewardship—proof that small choices can create meaningful change.
Selva Nahele™ is a proud supporter of Junglekeepers™.
Thank you to Junglekeepers and the rangers who patrol the Las Piedras every day. Your work protects old-growth rainforest, supports community stewardship, and gives all of us a future worth fighting for.
Learn more about Junglekeepers
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