We are pleased to announce that in February 2014, the IPSI Steering Committee unanimously confirmed three new member organizations, making the total of 158 member organizations. It is therefore our pleasure to welcome:

• The National Association for the Conservation of Nature (ANCON), which works with local communities in Panama to conserve biodiversity and natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations;
• The Peruvian Association of Bamboo (PERUBAMBU), working to promote the conservation and management of bamboo and other resources in Peru; and
• The Foundation for Research and Social Development (FIDES), which works in Ecuador in a variety of projects contributing to human development, gender participation, public policy, and others.

The new members, in addition to being involved in valuable projects in their own right, also help to increase IPSI’s presence in the Latin American region which is encouraging as it is an under-represented area. We look forward to collaborating closely with all of them in promoting the concept of the Satoyama Initiative in the future.