The Tandayapa Native Plant Nursery was founded in 2024 by Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and local families. Its mission is to restore native ecosystems and create a stable income for the community. From November 2025 to January 2026, we (Otto, Marijn, Sieb and Chloë from TU Delft) will be in Tandayapa to help the nursery grow from a pilot project into an independent business. We focus on practical and entrepreneurial solutions: working with the community to improve governance, build an automated irrigation system, create a business model and increase the diversity of native plant species. Our goal is a nursery that stands on its own, is locally led, and supports both biodiversity and livelihoods.
Transformation of the Tandayapa Valley
