Cordillera Ecological Center

Fight poverty and environmental decay in the Phillipines.

Overview

PINE TREE creates local solutions for global environment problems. PINE TREE is globally multi awarded a non profit group in La Trinidad Benguet Philippines. It develops and implements sustainable biodiversity conservation safe livelihood practices such as agroecology and indigenous peoples rights. It also conducts research and implements educational activities through training. It was founded by Michael A. Bengwayan in 2000. PINE TREE s goal is to promote conservation and environmental justice for the rural poor by providing education and livelihood environmental enterprises like organic agriculture agroforestry and alternative energy to lessen peoples dependence on forests. PINE TREE is also strongly promoting and supporting seedbanking and anti biopiracy activities with the help of United Nations Development Programme and World Bank The initial funds of PINE TREE were provided by the New York City based Echoing Green Foundation (www.echoinggreen.org) an international institution advocating social entrepreneurship worldwide when it chose Michael A. Bengwayan a European Union ASEAN and Ford Foundation Ph.D. Fellow (http//www.echoinggreen.org/fellows/michael bengwayan) as one of its Social Entrepreneur Fellow winners in 2001. Michael is the only Filipino to be selected as Echoing Green Foundation Fellow so far. For winning a Echoing Green Foundation Fellowship he was awarded $US 60000. To date PINE TREE has won a United Nations Development Program Global Environment Facility (UNDP GEF) Ecology Award in 2004 the Toyota Foundation 2007 Environmental Award the World Bank 2007 Development Marketplace Environment Award and the 2008 Ford Motors Ecological Award