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Help restore forests, protect water sources, and build sustainable livelihoods through Wellkind Guatemala’s community-led reforestation projects.
Lake Atitlán sits in a closed volcanic basin. Unlike most lakes, it has no outlet. Everything that happens in the surrounding watershed – deforestation, erosion, agricultural runoff – concentrates in the lake itself.
Over the past three decades, rapid development and deforestation around Lake Atitlán have created a crisis:
Since 2018, we’ve planted over 200,000 native trees across the Lake Atitlán watershed and beyond. Our work has directly benefited over 5,000 people, with many thousands more impacted indirectly through improved water access and ecosystem health.
We’ve rehabilitated at least 12 freshwater springs, restoring clean drinking water for communities. Women’s tree nurseries create sustainable income while producing seedlings for ongoing reforestation.
Our work has been funded and recognized by World Wildlife Foundation, Korean Government, Ford Foundation, International Union for Conservation of Nature (Switzerland), One Tree Planted, Sweetgrass Foundation, and other established organizations.
We don't accept individual volunteers. Our projects require coordination, training, and group logistics that don't work for solo travelers passing through.
However, if you're planning a group trip - student groups, service clubs, corporate teams, family groups of 8 or more - we can integrate tree planting, nursery work, or spring rehabilitation into your itinerary. Groups spend a half-day or full-day working alongside our team and community members. You'll plant native trees, learn about watershed ecology, and contribute to ongoing restoration projects. This isn't performative voluntourism. You'll work on real projects with measurable impact, guided by our staff who live in the communities year-round.
Lake Atitlán isn’t just a tourist destination. It’s home to hundreds of thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on a healthy watershed. When springs dry up, families suffer. When the lake degrades, tourism declines and communities lose economic opportunity.
Reforestation isn’t a feel-good activity. It’s infrastructure. Trees filter water, prevent erosion, regulate climate, and create habitat. Springs need forest cover to flow consistently. Communities need trees to sustain water access.
Your support – whether financial or through group volunteering – helps build that infrastructure. You’re not just planting trees. You’re restoring water sources, creating sustainable livelihoods, and protecting an ecosystem that supports hundreds of thousands of people.
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