Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, Inc

Website: www.JustinsFrogProject.com

Justin's Goal 100 Acres on the Reserve!

by his 13th Birthday on 11/5/2023

Update: $5,439 Away from 100 Acres

CURRENT PROJECT EXPANSION OF RAINFOREST RESERVE: (2023)

As a Reserva Team Member Justin is working on an Emergency Expansion of Dracula Youth Reserve in Ecuador: A youth-led project to save 1,050 acres of Ecuadorian cloud forest from illegal gold mining.

PURPOSE OF JUSTIN'S FROG PROJECT:

FROGS ARE INDICATING THE PLANET NEEDS OUR HELP.

In kindergarten, Justin learned almost one-third of frog species are on the verge of extinction due to pollution, pesticides, contaminated water, and habitat destruction. When Justin learned frogs are indicator species- he knew the frogs were a true sign that the planet needs help. His mom saw his passion to create change and together they set out on a quest to tell the world.

HELPED CREATE THE FIRST FULLY FUNDED YOUTH RESERVE IN ECUADOR (2020)

Justin helped create the first fully funded 244 acre reserve in Ecuador with his Reserva Youth Council. The reserve is full of extremely unique animals including Justin’s favorite animal- FROGS! He’s raising money through his Go Fund Me Kid Hero Campaign by doing numerous fundraisers to collect donations. He raised 30 acres of the 244 acres protect. His goal is to help protect 30% of the planet by 2030 for his friends, family, the next generation- and of course the frogs!!!

Reserva's first goal was to fundraise enough to protect this patch of rainforest in Ecuador. Now we are expanding the reserve. And once we finish this initial reserve which is called Dracula Youth Reserve- our goal is to keep going to other rainforests worldwide until we protect 30% of the Planet by 2030.

MEET JUSTIN SATHER.

Justin’s like most 12-year-old boys: he loves to play sports, hang out with his friends, and build things. He also loves frogs, which might seem just like another ordinary thing- except he’s taken that love to another level.

FROGS ARE DISAPPEARING.

It all started in kindergarten, when Justin learned almost one-third of frog species are on the verge of extinction. He learned pollution, pesticides, contaminated water, and habitat destruction are the main causes for their decline. Knowing that frogs are indicator species, he recognized frogs are telling us the planet needs our help.

THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL.

Justin’s mom read a book to him titled, “What Do You Do with An Idea?” and as she saw his passion to create change, she supported his idea and they set out on a quest to tell the world- "The Frogs are Telling Us that The Planet Needs Our Help!"

THE CHANCE.

Justin was given the chance to be on the Reserva Youth Council and to work on creating the first fully funded youth reserve in Ecuador. He didn't hesitate at this amazing opportunity to help save the frogs and beyond.

 

LOS ANGELES WETLANDS TO RESERVE IN ECUADOR.

Justin's project has expanded to a global campaign. He first started cleaning up his local Los Angeles Ballona Wetlands and now he is working to purchase and protect 244 acres of land in Ecuador with his Reserva Youth Council. This is home to some of the rarest and most exotic frogs in the world.

LEARNING ABOUT THE RESERVE IN ECUADOR.

 Justin and the Reserva youth council's first conservation goal is to create the world’s first entirely youth funded nature reserve. We have teamed up with an organization called Rainforest Trust who are based in the US and their partner --- who is based in Ecuador and we’ve identified a site that’s in Ecuador.

It’s about 244 acres and it’s in the Ecuadorian Choco Cloud Forest. It is in the Andes mountain range along the coast of Ecuador. And the site is just up in the tip of Ecuador just on the boarder of Columbia. And it is incredibly biodiverse but it is also extremely threatened by deforestation.

WHY DO WE NEED TO PROTECT THE RESERVE IN ECUADOR AND RAINFOREST WORLDWIDE.

Daniel Valencia, Ecuador Reserva’ s local partner with Fundación EcoMinga monitors the site. He takes note of the critically endangered animals such as the brown-headed spider monkeys. He also has witnessed that the land is under threat due to residential and commercial development. Local land is being transformed into plantations for livestock ranching and for-profit logging.

 

PROTECTING 30% OF THE PLANET BY 2030.

The health and safety of all of us is connected with the health of our natural world. With HABITAT LOSS comes SPECIES EXTINCTION. High biodiversity makes the ecosystem more stable in productivity and more resistant. Biodiversity plays an important role in maintaining the health and ecological balance of an ecosystem. Plants are sources of medicines. Plants give us oxygen. Plants prevent flooding, And great plant species means greater variety of crops, Create species ensures natural sustainability for all life forms. Rainforests are natural air filters. Trees play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming. And if we protect these areas, we are protecting the homes of literally MILLIONS of different species. 

FROGS ON THE RESERVE.

Justin has been working with his Reserva Youth Council partner Daniela and she has been teaching him all about the frogs on the Reserve in Ecuador.

FROG NAMING CONTEST.

They also discovered a new frog species on the reserve. The youth council held a frog naming contest.

Watch the You Tube Video to Learn More: Frog Naming Contest 

MEET CALLIE.

Watch the You Tube Video Link Below: Interview with Founder of Reserva 

Justin and his junior youth council interviewed the Founder of Reserva to share more about Reserva's goals on create the world's first fully funded youth reserve in Ecuador. Callie started Reserva about a year and a half ago. And the idea was really to bridge that gap between conservation organizations around the world and all the young people around the world who are so motivated and inspired to take action but didn’t really have a platform that was built for them to take direct action. The first goal is to work with Reserva youth council to fundraise enough to protect this patch of rainforest. And once we finish that initial reserve which is called Dracula Youth Reserve. Our goal is to keep going!!!

THE MILLION LETTERS CAMPAIGN.

Justin is collecting letters for a Million Letters Campaign from youth 26 years of age and under with his Reserva Youth Council. Each letter asks kids to explain why they love nature and why they want to protect it. Each letter raises enough money to purchase a classroom size of land on the reserve in Ecuador. Once Justin and his youth group reach One Million Letters- they plant to give them to world leaders to gain their influence to protect 30% of the planet by 2030. 

Watch the You Tube Video Link Below to Learn More:

The Millions Letters Campaign 

Justin and his brother Tyler have collected 122 letters so far. April 2021

MORE DONATIONS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE RESERVE.

Justin has been collecting donations from his friends, family, classmate, community, and anyone that wants to help the save the planet.

Reserva is determined to raise $178,000 with the help of their partner Rainforest Trust. This financial goal will purchase 244 acres in Ecuador’s Choco’ Rainforest. We are soooooo close to the 244 acre goal and only thousands of dollars away.

Justin's goal is to help his Reserva Team to Finish the Project.

He's working to raise $20,000 to help fund and complete this first reserve.

Justin has raised money by doing Run for the Rainforest.

VISITING THE RESERVE THIS SUMMER 2021.

Justin plans to visit Ecuador this summer 2021 to visit the Reserve and meet the FROGS after the project is fully funded.

WILL YOU HELP JUSTIN SAVE THE FROGS AND BEYOND THIS EARTH DAY?

Justin Sather

-Age 10