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Podocarpus National Park, Ecuador

Spanning more than 360,000 acres across the Andes Mountains, Podocarpus National Park-the only protected area in southern Ecuador-was established to protect large stretches of the cloud forests that contain important watersheds. Extending from high in the Andes to the Amazon Basin, Podocarpus encompasses both Eastern Cordillera Real montane forests and Northern Andean paramo ecoregions. These ecoregions are considered vulnerable, globally outstanding and of the highest conservation priority due to the abundance of endemic species, natural communities and intrinsic biological phenomena. Podocarpus National Park is also the global center of diversity for the original source of quinine-the Chinchona tree.

Among the many rare and endangered species inhabiting Podocarpus are the spectacled bear, mountain tapir, red-faced parrot, solitary eagle and more than 600 other bird species-40 percent of the total bird species in Ecuador. There are also many migratory species registered in Podocarpus, including the broad-winged hawk, chimney swift, eastern kingbird and Swainson´s thrush. In November 1997, a team of American and Ecuadorian ornithologists, led by Dr. Robert Ridgely of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, discovered a new species of antpitta, just outside the western boundary of the park. This recently identified bird ranks as one of the most spectacular ornithological discoveries in the last 50 years.

Podocarpus National Park shelters the headwaters that sustain more than half the population of the southernmost region of Ecuador. The headwaters of the Catamayo, Chinchipe, Zamora, and Nangaritza Rivers originate in the park, as does the basin of Quebrada Curitroja, which produces water for the people in nearby Loja. Unlike most Andean watersheds, the water sources in Podocarpus are fed from subterranean springs that are formed from rainwater filtered directly through the forest floor. This reinforces the need for effective protection and sustainable use of natural resources in and around the park.

Protection, Stewardship and Research in Podocarpus

In the next five years, the Conservancy and our Ecuadorian partner, Arco Iris, plan to expand scientific research in Podocarpus, improve the park's basic infrastructure and promote environmental education and community involvement in park protection.

The Conservancy and Arcoiris are working to provide Podocarpus with basic infrastructure and equipment, including educational trails, park guard ranches, boundary demarcation and signaling systems to implement control and patrolling activities. We are also strengthening local capacity to carry out public campaigns. Arcoiris has achieved great success in its public campaigns that demonstrate the impact of some of the threats facing Podocarpus, particularly those threats related to mining extraction in the park. Arcoiris has also achieved great success in its environmental education campaign. In order to support the environmental education and communication initiatives Arcoiris has developed, it will be necessary to establish a program that encourages the publication of all results of Conservancy partners accomplishments. The information should then be disseminated to local communities, scientists and other environmental organizations.

Community-based Conservation in Podocarpus

Born and raised near Podocarpus National Park, the staff members at Arcoiris have a vested interest in the park's conservation and have gained the trust and confidence of local communities. Together, the Conservancy, Arcoiris, local communities and the Ecuadorian government are working to safeguard the biological and cultural wealth of the area through sound environmental policy, environmental education, and on-the-ground conservation. The Fundación Arcoiris strives to protect Podocarpus and educate local schoolchildren and university students about the environment and the importance of safeguarding the biological diversity of the area. Staff members produce environmental publications, provide tutoring after school hours and lead weekly fieldtrips to the park. Current initiatives to build local awareness, enthusiasm and commitment to environmental protection include a recently signed agreement with the mayor of Loja for an "Adopt a River" cleanup campaign and the creation of tree nurseries in schools throughout the region.

Although all human settlements near Podocarpus are located outside of park boundaries, the 150,000 inhabitants of the park's buffer zone, including those living in Loja, depend on park's natural resources. Arcoiris has developed a very close relationship with local communities, and local people are now more conscious of the importance of park preservation. Arcoiris' work with communities includes technical assistance and rural development alternatives, environmental education, and campaigns against mining, illegal deforestation and animal husbandry. Currently, Arcoiris is trying to develop a water-use fee project to place a monetary value on the precious resource.

Site Sustainability in Podocarpus
 
Fundación Arcoiris supported the Association of Apiculturists of Vilcabamba in the design, management and implementation of a training collection center. Arcoiris has also built an apiculture carpentry and the beehives used in the project. Presently, 300 beehives are producing honey along the western buffer zone of the national park. The productive infrastructure has greatly increased the production of honey, providing 60 quintals this year alone. Arcoiris expects to yield the same if not more honey in the upcoming year.

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