The Mountain Institute Inc

“The federal form 990 was reviewed by the Board of Trustees prior to filing with the Internal Revenue Service.”

“A conflict of interest policy is included in the Employee Manual distributed to each staff person and posted on the staff intranet site. A Conflict of Interest Statement & Disclosure Form is presented to each prospective Board member, and new Board members are expected to review and sign the form on assuming his or her position on the Board of Trustees. All Board members, directors and officers, and all staff review and sign a conflict of interest statement annually. If a real or perceived conflict of interest arises, the interested party is precluded from participating and voting on the matter. A decision is made by the remaining disinterested persons, and alternatives are investigated.”

“The Institute compares its compensation for officers to various non-profit salary scales provided by non-profit professional organizations and associations in the DC region. The Institute seeks compensation that is approximately in the middle of the non-profit range for similar non-profit organizations or non-profits of comparable annual budget size. The Institute does take into account posting location when assessing staff compensation. Compensation for the Executive Director is determined by vote of the Board of Trustees.”

“The Institute compares its compensation for key employees to various non-profit salary scales provided by non-profit professional organizations and associations in the DC region. The Institute seeks compensation that is approximately in the middle of the non-profit range for similar non-profit organizations or non-profits of comparable annual budget size. The Institute does take into account posting location when assessing staff compensation. The Executive Director establishes compensation for other members of the senior management team, under the supervision and review of the Executive Committee.”

“These documents are available upon request.”

“Consultants-US $ 5,844 $67,181Consultants-outside US 81,257 (1,050)Honorarium 3,850Other professional fees 795 3,464”

“Detailed Program Service Accomplishments: Mountain Wetlands Applied Research and Management. In 2020 we concluded the field component of the study of peatlands and grasslands and livestock production in the Andes of Ancash, in partnership with Colorado State University, Michigan Technological University and University of Texas at Austin. TMI Peru staff published an ethnographic study on the depopulation of pastoral lands and connections to climate change. This article was referenced in the IPCC Special Report on Oceans and the Cryosphere Chapter 2 High-Mountains (page 24). Following the fieldwork period, we started cooperation with academic partners to produce a model to understand the impact of climate change on human-nature coupled systems in this high mountain grasslands of central Peru. Punas-Agua Project: Fourth Phase. The project continues our work with the communities Cordillera Blanca and Canray Grande in the southern section of the Cordillera Blanca Range. This project is dedicated to improve how the punaa type of grassland in the central high Andesare managed for livestock and to protect and secure the vital water regulation services this fragile ecosystem and its spongy soil provides both to upland communities and lowland cities and farmers on the dry coastal area of Central Peru. We initiated alliances with Savory Institute partners in Bolivia and Argentina to share lessons learned in the project and promote the restoration and conservation of these ecosystems. We are preparing extension materials to continue our cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture helping these institutions design better policies and research plans to support ranchers in puna ecosystems.Ancestral Technologies and Climate Change (RETAMA)--With funding received from the St. Andrews Prize for the Environment and technical support of Western Colorado University we have developed an Application that community members can use to document existing indigenous water infrastructures that they are either operating or would like to restore to operation. The App was tested in the Landscape Reserve Nor Yauyos Cochas (RPNYC). We signed an agreement with the ABA-Ayacucho, and indigenous organization that has decades of experience restoring indigenous water management technologies. Thru this agreement we are cooperating on the expansion and funding of RETAMA. The Mountain Institute and SERNANP, in Peru, in partnership with RARE, completed the cycle of Conservation Campaigns in Carania and Tomas (Yauyos) and Canchayllo (Juaja) Landscape Reserve Nor Yauyos Cochas (RPNYC). These activities lead to stronger local action on conservation of water and pasture, better livestock management and adaptation of livelihoods to climate changes. Paramo Biodiversity Project Paramo ecosystem, the grassland territories located above the tree line in northern Peru, plays a major role in the regulation of water for the coastal areas of Piura. During this reporting period the government of Peru approved a new project (thru our local partner Agrored Norte) to study the potential of native fruit trees in the paramo and cloud forests of Piura, Huancabamba and Jaen departments.These alternative livelihood initiatives are all connected to conservation of the ecosystem services provided by the paramo ecosystem. With Sr. Fellow Sandra Nichols, the Institute has established a partnership with the Geographic Society, an agency associated with Perus Ministry of Education, to cooperate in geographic studies of the paramo regions. TMI will use the results of these studies to design programs of ecosystem restoration in the paramo and cloud forest areas in cooperation with the government of Peru. Anniversary of Alexander von Humboldt-- In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Alexander von Humboldt, The Mountain Institute and the Geographic Society of Lima inaugurated an exhibition The travels of Alexander von Humboldt in Peru following his visits to landscapes in Perus alpine regions of”