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The Government of Ecuador has established in its National Development Plan the objective to reduce the current deforestation rate by 50%. To do so, the Government is implementing a new model of forestry governance. The central component of that model is the "Forest Partners Program" (“Programa Socio Bosque” in Spanish), created this year. With Socio Bosque, the Government of Ecuador provides an annual economic incentive per hectare of forest to individuals or indigenous communities, who voluntarily decide to protect the native forest they own. This way, the government intends to reduce logging and make the participants of the program active partners in the defense of the natural resources of the country while supporting sustainable development. Socio Bosque aims at protecting 4 million hectares of native forest; reducing GHG emissions caused by deforestation (REDO); and improving the living conditions of 1 million people that are among the poorest of the country. Forest Partners provides economic benefits in a direct and equitable manner to individuals or indigenous communities committed to conserve their forest. This way, the program achieves reconciliation between conservation and human well being. By Implementing the Program, Ecuador is proactively taking local action that addresses global climate change
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