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The
Chontayacu
Ecological Reserve
Chontayacu Ecological Reserve is a 250-acre (100-hectare) privately-protected area in the cloud forest of Ecuador, on the Eastern slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes.
Nestled between Cayambé-Coca and Sumaco Napo-Galeras national parks, it lies where the the Andes mountains meet the humidity of the Amazon.
The Tropical Andes are considered the most biodiverse place in the world. A great mosaic of ecosystems that exist in the Andes at short distances and marked environmental gradients.
The understudied ecosystem in Chontayacu harbors a wealth of plant and animal species, many endemic and endangered.
The IUCN Red list shows a potential 6 critically endangered, 20 endangered, and 36 vulnerable species in the area. We have already recorded the presence of some of them, including Andean Bears, Mountain Tapirs, and Siren Glass Frogs (Nymphargus siren).
Andean cloud forests are one of the world’s greatest conservation priorities.
Though Chontayacu is well within the buffer zone of a UNESCO biosphere reserve, this does not grant legal or practical protection.
The Chontayacu valley is threatened by increasing human pressure and deforestation for subsistence activities, mainly for low-density cattle farming. These pastures do not regenerate easily: they become waterlogged, and invasive grasses prevent native plants from re-growing.
We are returning the Chontayacu valley to its role as a biosphere buffer zone: to allow for environmentally-sustainable activity while protecting ecological diversity.
Chontayacu is a mosaic of primary cloud forest, recovering secondary forest and pastures for low-density cattle farming. It has two types of habitat: low montane (1,000-2,000 meters above sea level) and montane forest (2,000-3,000 meters). The former, which is 45% of the reserve, is very endangered on this side of Sumaco National Park.
We have purchased 100 hectares (250 acres) of land, and are looking to reforest, expand and involve the local community.
In addition to helping stop and reverse the damage caused by deforestation, the reserve’s goals are to:
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Preserve primary forest and the species that inhabit it
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Help mitigate climate change through carbon capture
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Increase forest connectivity to help species move and adapt to climate change
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Generate conservation-based economic opportunities for the local community
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Protect the watershed
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Promote local biological research and conservation
Help us expand the Chontayacu Reserve.
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