Who We Are

Ancient Forest Guardians is supported by Inspiration Incubator a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Charity registration number 1195241.
We aim to protect those forests that are currently most vulnerable and underfunded.

We have strong partnerships with local environmental NGOs and forest communities. We also have private sector partners who we are working with in the development of new products that offer economic opportunities for local communities.

All members of the AFG team work as volunteers and all funds raised go directly to the forest projects.

Currently We Support Three Forests

Dzanga-Sangha

Liboue Sector within the Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve, Central African Republic: 72,000ha of moist forest on the northern border of the Dzanga-Sangha National Park. Our local partner on the ground is Sangha Lodge.

Alarachi

Alarachi Natural Reserve in Bolivia: a 6,062ha of cloud-forest along the Tariquia-Baritu Ecological Corridor, which connects Bolivia with Argentina. Our local NGO partner on the ground is Prometa.

Corbalán

Corbalán Natural Reserve in Bolivia: a 4,778ha reserve located in the semi-arid Gran Chaco Province of southern Bolivia along the Paraguayan border. Corbalán is a unique ecosystem with important genetic richness and endemic species. The area is also home to the Tapiete indigenous community whom we support through our funding and partnership with Prometa.

Ancient
Forest
Guardians

Ancient Forest Guardians is the coming together of Niki and Ale who over many years have been exploring ways to help protect beloved wild spaces.

Climate change and the urgent need to reduce emissions has driven them to search for solutions in their personal and professional lives.

They have often felt frustrated with the limited scope and unreliability of options from carbon offsets to carbon captures and the amount of funding going into foreign admin rather than to the actual forests and all those that the forests support.

As a result, they have partnered with grassroots projects with whom they have first-hand experience doing important work to protect vulnerable primary forests that have limited funding possibilities.

This offers a holistic approach, addressing issues of biodiversity, forest regeneration, wildlife protection, carbon sequestration, and empowerment of indigenous communities, which are all interconnected.

We believe the work of conservation is a shared responsibility and privilege of every one of us and should be accessible to all. Each individual can make a difference.

Alessandra Sikand

Is the owner of Karvansarai, a travel and hospitality company that designs trips and consults hotels with a commitment to having a positive social and environmental impact.

Alessandra first visited Dzanga-Sangha in 2018 and then got locked down there for 7 months in 2020. During this time, she helped rehabilitate rescued pangolins with the Sangha Pangolin Project.

She ultimately strives to live a meaningful and conscious lifestyle, enriching the existence of all living species by rewilding our world and connecting to nature.

Alon Cassidy

Has been living in the Congo Basin Rainforest since 2011 working as a FGASA certified naturalist guide for Sangha Lodge, in the Central African Republic and Congo Conservation Company in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo.

Alon is now expanding on his passion for travel and conservation, and is the liaison between AFG and Sangha Lodge.

He continues to private guide in the Congo Basin and makes prints from his travel photography.