“Guardians of the Páramos” Provincial Conservation Area Established in Ecuador

Ñukanchi Urkuta Kamamakkuna, meaning “Guardians of the Páramos” in Kichwa, is a new Provincial Conservation Area created to protect 11,247 acres (4,552 hectares) of high-altitude wetlands (páramos, in Spanish) in the province of Imbabura.

Established on December 12, 2025, the area conserves five essential micro-watersheds that supply drinking and irrigation water to more than 200,000 residents downstream. The majority of the area’s territory is made up of high-altitude wetlands and montane cloud forests which are critical habitats for emblematic and endangered species such as the vulnerable Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the puma (Puma concolor), and the Andean fox (Lycalopex culpaeus).

The Provincial Conservation Area also contributes to ecological connectivity with protected areas such as the adjacent Cayambe Coca National Park, and the nearby Gallo Rumi Imbabura Municipal Conservation Area, Aguarico, Chingual, and Cofanes Water Protection Area, the Taita Imbabura Decentralized Autonomous Protection Area, the Mojanda Pedro Moncayo, Otavalo, and the Taita Imbabura – Cubilche Conservation and Sustainable Use Areas.

The Ñukanchi Urkuta Kamamakkuna Provincial Conservation Area promotes a model of participatory territorial governance that ensures local stakeholders, such as the Mariano Acosta municipal government and local communities, are engaged in decision-making regarding conservation actions. 

Acknowledgments: 

This conservation milestone has been made possible thanks to coordination with the provincial council and the BIAN – FIEDS Project.  Technical support and implementation was provided by Corporación BYOS in partnership with Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA) with financial contributions from Andes Amazon Fund (AAF).