Fundación Great Leaf has been awarded the Coalar 2026 to strengthen collaboration between Ecuador and Australia in tropical rainforest conservation and restoration.

This project will build a collaborative platform between Fundación Great Leaf (Ecuador) and Flinders University's Frontiers of Restoration Ecology (FORE) team (Australia), Melbourne University and other Australian restoration experts, to enhance restoration science, capacity building, and community engagement in relation to restoration of tropical rainforests. The project will be implemented in Ecuador's Chocó tropical forest with activity also taking place in Adelaide and in Melbourne in Australia, through online and in-person exchanges, field workshops, and joint seminars. It will connect scientists, students, Non-Government Organisations, and communities to exchange knowledge in restoration and microbial ecology. By integrating Australian scientific innovation with Ecuadorian community-based restoration practices, the project will co-develop new methods and educational tools for climate-resilient forest recovery.