Who we are

Eden Honduras (Asociación Proyecto de Reforestación Edén Honduras - APREH) is a legally established non-governmental organization in the country that has been carrying out fieldwork since 2020. During this time, we have worked primarily in two departments: Olancho, in La Muralla Wildlife Refuge (La Unión and Mangulile), and Francisco Morazán, in La Tigra National Park, El Chile Biological Reserve, Uyuca Biological Reserve, and Suyapa Wildlife Refuge (San Antonio de Oriente, Cantarranas, Tatumbla, Distrito Central, Santa Lucía, and Valle de Ángeles).

We have worked with more than 9 million plants, both forestry and agroforestry, in more than a dozen community nurseries, as well as plants undergoing silvicultural treatments for assisted natural regeneration, representing more than 200 species.

Mutual cooperation alliances have been strengthened through agreements with Escuela Agrícola El Zamorano, the municipalities of Tatumbla and Cantarranas, El Molino Water Board (Valle de Ángeles), Comité Ecológico de la Aldea de Suyapa(COEAS), and the Instituto de Conservación Forestal (ICF), coordinating specific actions with the departments of forest health, protected areas, and forest protection. Equally important has been the cooperation with El Común de Cofradía, Fundación AMITIGRA , private landowners, and the municipalities of Santa Lucía, Valle de Ángeles, and La Unión during fire season. More recently, a consortium has been established between Eden Honduras and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) through the Fondo para el Manejo de las Áreas Protegidas y Vida Silvestre with the project "Support for Addressing Threats and Illicit Activities of the National System of Protected Areas (SINAPH)."

Similarly, the incomes of hundreds of people who have collaborated with Eden Honduras have improved, receiving decent and highly competitive wages in the sector. Furthermore, these individuals have been properly trained in forest fire prevention and suppression, first aid, and the construction and maintenance of nurseries and plantations using various propagation methods. On the other hand, spaces have been opened for university students to carry out research theses in the forestry field and there has been participation in congresses related to the subject.

At Eden Honduras, we are committed to continuing to do our part in the restoration of our forests.

  • A person with a large sun hat and glasses stands in a green forested area, with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.

    Rafael Óscar Oquelí

    National Director

    Rafael Oscar Oquelí (O' Kelly) was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He has a master's degree in geography and an engineering degree in forest sciences with a focus in watershed management. During his 31-year professional career, he has been involved in various activities such as natural resource management, ecosystem restoration, support to disadvantaged communities working in forest management, and training earth science professionals, among others. He has worked for international cooperations such as the United States Forest Service, the German Cooperation (GIZ), FAO, and IDB, as well as the State Forestry Administration of Honduras. (Occupying different positions such as head of forest management for all of Honduras, head of technical auditing, head of forest inventory with permanent plots among others.) Currently he is the national director of Eden Honduras for more than five years. During his vacations he likes to travel with his family, having traveled almost the entire country, visiting the beautiful natural landscapes of Honduras.

  • A man with tan skin wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a black shirt, carrying a backpack, outdoors with green hills in the background.

    Leyser Velásquez

    President

    Leyser Velásquez, was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He is a forestry engineer from (UNAH-CURLA) with a Master's degree in Local Development and Tourism from Universidad Tecnológica Centro Americana (UNITEC). He is certified in Project Formulation and Management (UNITEC) and Integration to Climate Change Adaptation in Development Planning (CATIE). He has 22 years of work experience in coordination and management of community development projects focused on forest management, governance, and economic empowerment with a gender perspective. Leyser is the leader of the Agroforestry Program at Eden Honduras. He coordinates and monitors the program's activities according to the objectives and results set, and is also supporting the terrestrial program, especially with the adaptation of a roadmap for restoration with an ecosystem approach. Leyser has worked in forest management programs and projects with ACC, linked to renowned international agencies (GIS, FAO, EU). In his spare time, he likes to spend time with family and friends. He is a lover of dogs, horses, and nature.

  • A man outdoors in a forest examines a large clump of green moss or lichen, wearing a camouflage hat, a beige vest, and a checked shirt, holding a camera in his other hand.

    Francisco Rodríguez

    Vice President

    Francisco Yován Rodríguez was born in Guarizama, Olancho, Honduras. He is a Senior Technician in Forest Management and Administration (ESNACIFOR), with a degree in forest management (ESNACIFOR), as well as a degree in agronomy, agroforestry and cocoa quality (CATIE). During his 29 years of work experience, he has served as forestry technician, head of a local office, regional coordinator of forest management, and assistant to the Regional Director at the Forest Conservation and Development Institute (ICF). He has also served as a consultant on the subject of pest control, providing services for the ICF and COLPROFORH, and as regional pest control coordinator in the forest region of Gualaco, Olancho. Providing services for Fundación PROLANCHO, he coordinated the community forestry proposal within the the Pino-Encino project. Likewise, he coordinated the project “Restoration of areas degraded by the pine weevil plague and areas in conflict of use in 7 areas assigned for community forestry in the Olancho and Yoro regions'', executing funds from the German Cooperation (CLIFOR Program). He worked with the Tropical Agronomic Center for Research and Teaching, coordinating the study of trees and birds on farms in 86 sampling points, as well as the study of the botanical composition in the agricultural landscapes of Catacamas and Santa María del Real, Olancho. In addition, 3 demonstration farms were established, in which silvopastoral systems and agroforestry systems with cocoa were designed and implemented. In his free time, he is interested in looking for new training opportunities on the subject of drones, geographic information systems, web development, etc. His goal as a service provider or official is always to put his best effort, honesty, and transparency into his work.

  • A woman wearing glasses taking a selfie in front of dense green foliage while holding a camera on a tripod.

    Ninfa Mejía

    Secretary

    Ninfa Mejía is a member of the APREH Board of Directors, serving as the Association's Secretary. Born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, she holds a degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). She also has a Master's degree in Project Management from the Central American Technological University (UNITEC) and is certified in the Internal Auditor Training Program for Quality Management Systems: NTC ISO 9001:2015. During her time at UNAH, she volunteered at the Natural History Museum (UNAH-CU) for over eight years, which allowed her to participate in various conservation and environmental education programs, as well as other volunteer activities, such as the release of olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) and to be part of the technical team in Honduras for her doctoral thesis research on the Ecology and Conservation Genetics of Mesoamerican Amphibians (Agalychnis moreletii), among others. Additionally, she volunteers at the Project Management Institute Honduras (PMI), a role that has given her the opportunity to collaborate with international leaders and colleagues in the field, broadening her perspective and knowledge of project management. In her free time, she enjoys wildlife photography and spending quality time with her boyfriend, her family, and her dog, Max.

  • A man in a green shirt standing on a hilltop with greenery and trees, with a cityscape and mountains in the background.

    Joel Salgado

    Treasurer

    Joel Salgado Moradel is originally from Guaimaca in the department of Francisco Morazán, a city that has the privilege of having two biological reserves: Misoco and El Chile, which are the main sources of water for its inhabitants. He graduated from the National University of Forestry Sciences (UNACIFOR) as an engineer with a degree in forestry sciences with a focus in environmental management. During his professional career he has worked with the State of Honduras in different areas, mainly in forest firefighting and control, pest control (Dendroctonus frontalis), reforestation, and as cadastral technician. He currently works for Eden Reforestation Projects as a restoration technician. What he enjoys most is traveling, capturing landscapes in photographs, playing and watching football, and being able to share special dates with his family.

  • A man wearing a beige hat, sunglasses, a beige long-sleeve shirt, beige pants, and a black backpack stands in a green forested area with tall grass and trees.

    Gerson Godoy

    Vocal

    Gerson Godoy, a social worker, was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on December 22, 1989. He holds a degree in sociology from the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH-CU). He has participated in various qualitative and quantitative research projects on education, migration, and climate change. It is in this last area that he has developed most of his work experience and professional development. He has seven years of experience coordinating qualitative and quantitative data collection, managing and processing databases, and coordinating environmental awareness campaigns and strengthening inter-institutional collaboration with community organizations, local governments, and other key stakeholders such as private companies and institutions dedicated to environmental protection, considering cross-cutting themes such as gender equality, inclusion, respect, and coexistence, among others. Among the activities Gerson has carried out at APREH are coordinating monitoring activities and assisting with the preparation of documents and executive reports produced by APREH. Preparation of documents from a socioeconomic perspective and development of socioeconomic survey processes to measure Edén's work in the communities where restoration efforts are underway. Also, development of environmental awareness initiatives with communities and key stakeholders in APREH's area of ​​influence. In his free time, he loves spending time with his family, is a fan of video games and classic cars, and loves dogs and nature.

  • A man sitting on a wooden log surrounded by colorful macaws and parrots perched on branches in a lush tropical garden.

    Sandro Ávila

    Member of the Oversight Body (Head)

    Sandro Ávila was born in the municipality of La Libertad in the department of Comayagua. He studied at the Central American Mixed Normal School (El Edén, Comayagua), where he obtained his degree as a primary education teacher. Later he entered the National School of Forest Sciences (ESNACIFOR) where he obtained his degree as a forestry technician. He worked for several years in Puerto Lempira (Honduran Moskitia) with the State Forestry Administration (AFE-COHDEFOR) and later in the central offices of the same institution. In 2004, he returned to ESNACIFOR to continue his studies as a forest science engineer. Between 2008 and 2011, he finished his Master's degree in geography with a focus in territorial planning at the Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University (UPNFM). He worked for more than 20 years at the Forest Conservation Institute (ICF). In 2019, he resigned from the ICF and developed consultancies with different projects and NGO’s, highlighting work with indigenous peoples, specifically the development of life plans for the Miskito Indigenous People and the Pech people of Honduras.

  • A man in outdoor gear smiling and standing next to a small pine tree in a green mountainous area.

    Mayron McKewy Mejía

    Member of the Oversight Body (Substitute)

    Mayron was born in Choluteca, in southern Honduras, where mangrove ecosystems and remnants of dry forest converge. His career has focused primarily on biological monitoring, environmental education, and bird conservation. With over 15 years of experience in the management and administration of non-governmental organizations focused on the environment and biodiversity, and with her background in ornithology, he has worked and collaborated with government agencies, NGOs, and private companies on bird monitoring in 17 of Honduras's 18 departments. He has worked with all bird groups, from migratory raptors, warblers such as the Golden-cheeked Warbler to flycatchers, shorebirds, and the only endemic bird, the Honduran Emerald. He has also been part of expert teams conducting population status assessments of birds in Central America and has served on the review team for eBird Honduras. He has also been president of the Asociación Hondureña de Ornitología (ASHO) and Asociación Proyecto de Reforestación Edén Honduras (APREH), at different times.