Across Panama’s Mamoní Valley, Mamoní Valley Preserve protects forests that have survived decades of clearing for ranching and farming. An important part of this work is safeguarding the old-growth forests that remain, which serve as reservoirs of biodiversity and help supply the plants and other organisms that support the natural regeneration of surrounding areas.

MVP’s conservation efforts span a 11,700 hectares watershed connected to more than seven million hectares of contiguous forest within the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena biodiversity hotspot. Within the Preserve, approximately 35% of its properties are old-growth forest, while almost 60% are mixed deciduous secondary forests, including tropical montane cloud forests.

Protecting these different landscapes helps maintain the rich variety of life that makes the Mamoní Valley so important.

Researchers have used plant DNA to uncover the history of plant populations, finding that recently established populations can have less genetic diversity than older, more stable ones. This diversity matters because it helps populations remain healthy and adapt to changing conditions over time.

This research offers another perspective on why protecting existing forests matters. The plants growing in a landscape today are part of a history that stretches back generations, and preserving the diversity they represent helps maintain the foundations for future growth.

Through its conservation work, MVP helps protect that natural richness while giving previously cleared areas the opportunity to regenerate. Because a forest’s future isn’t just about how many trees grow back, but also about the diversity of life that grows alongside them.

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