In January 2018, World Land Trust’s CEO, John Burton, and Director of Conservation, Richard Cuthbert, visited El Silencio to evaluate our expansion proposal. They agreed to support us by becoming new WLT partners and by purchasing 482 ha of forest that connects El Silencio with the Barbacoas Wetlands, as well as 37 ha that were recently deforested to produce income for maintaining the Reserve. The purchase will be completed with funds from the Purchase of Nature grant from IUCN- The Netherlands, whIch was awarded in 2017. With this purchase, that will occur in mid-may, the privately protected area will be increased from 73 ha to almost 600 ha, including more than 500 ha of forest.