ID: 1272

New protected areas in Southern Ecuador

Andes Amazon Fund have established Espíndola and Catamayo Municipal Conservation Areas in the province of Loja, Ecuador. These areas protect native forests and endemic species that add to an ecological corridor that includes Podocarpus and Yacuri National Parks. As a result, these connected ecosystems can thrive and build resilience for local communities and wildlife in response to the impacts of climate change in the region. Espíndola Municipal Conservation Area, created on February 9, 2022, protects 16,546 hectares of native cloud forest and páramos. It borders Yacuri National Park, providing important habitat connectivity for a variety of wildlife including the Spectacled bea, the Andean tapir, and the Andean fox. There are 18 mammal species and 111 bird species that have been registered in the area so far, including new population centers of the Ecuadorian viscacha. Espíndola is also home to many lagoons and freshwater sources that provide an invaluable ecosystem service for its inhabitants and neighboring communities. Further to the north, Catamayo Municipal Conservation Area, created on February 11 2022, conserves 31,923 hectares including rare inter-Andean dry forest and cloud forests that are a vital source of fresh water for 27,000 nearby inhabitants in one of the driest valleys of Ecuador. The Catamayo ecosystems are part of the Podocarpus El Cóndor Biosphere Reserve and are considered among the most important centers of endemism of the Northern Andes, harboring a unique variety of plants and birds that includes the Tumbes hummingbird (Leucippus baeri) and the Bearded guan (Penelope barbata).

Planned actions

Protection of land/water

Management of land/water