When a French environmental foundation embarked on an ambitious mission to protect primary rainforests across South America, the complexity of navigating multiple legal systems required trusted local counsel who understood both environmental law and on-the-ground realities.
Green Sanctuaries, founded in France with the mission of protecting threatened rainforest ecosystems, recognized early that effective conservation work demands more than good intentions — it requires deep local knowledge of legal frameworks, land ownership structures, and community relationships. The foundation’s approach centers on protecting existing primary rainforest rather than reforestation, based on the stark reality that untouched forest contains up to 350 different tree species per hectare, while replanted areas typically include only 4-5 species and require centuries to restore biodiversity.
The organization’s first major project began in Ecuador’s Río Napo province, where they sought to purchase 1,000 hectares of Amazonian rainforest to prevent logging. Christophe Gerschel, founder of Green Sanctuaries and co-founder and partner at Alerion Avocats in France, turned to local Ally Law member firm Robalino for comprehensive legal support. The firm handled complex negotiations with multiple private landowners, drafted purchase agreements, obtained necessary governmental authorizations, and advised on corporate structure questions — including whether to establish a local branch or operate through the French foundation.
The collaboration proved so effective that Robalino has supported Green Sanctuaries through multiple additional land acquisitions in Ecuador, employment contracts for local rangers, scientific research agreements with universities. The firm has also facilitated two additional projects: the Tenka project protecting the last tropical rainforest in Manabí province, and the Los Yaltes cloud forest initiative in the Andes, where they developed innovative 15-year lease agreements with right of first refusal provisions.
Building on this success, Green Sanctuaries expanded to Peru through Ally Law member firm Santiváñez. Roberto Santiváñez identified the opportunity during an Ally Law meeting, noting that Peruvian national parks faced management challenges due to insufficient funding. This led to an ambitious proposal where Green Sanctuaries would provide additional personnel, equipment, and training for Río Abiseo National Park, a 274,000-hectare preserve currently protected by just 11 people.
The Peru project required coordination with multiple government entities including the Ministry of Environment and park management agencies. Santiváñez facilitated meetings across these organizations and is currently finalizing the management agreement, with members of the firm’s environmental law team providing specialized expertise. The firm has provided significant pro bono support, billing for approximately half their work on the project.
Green Sanctuaries has also engaged with other Ally Law firms for expansion planning, including discussions with Benjamín Valdez regarding potential projects in El Salvador and conversations with Juan Pablo Cardinal about opportunities in northern Argentina’s tropical regions. Additionally, Brian Shetler from Berliner Cohen (Northern California) provided pro bono guidance on establishing US charitable status through CAF America, enabling American fundraising efforts.
A new project in the south of Costa Rica (Osa Peninsula) will soon be launched with the help of Oller Abogados.
The network approach has proven invaluable for an organization operating across multiple complex legal environments. As Gerschel noted, while Ally Law firms may not always be the least expensive option, the ability to rely on trusted counsel who understand local conditions — from land pricing to regulatory requirements — provides essential support for time-sensitive conservation work when 18 football fields of tropical rainforest are lost every minute globally.
