New Provincial Conservation Area in Bolívar, Ecuador Safeguards Endangered Cloud Forests Along Vast Altitudinal Gradient

The new Bosque Nublado y Estribaciones de Montaña Provincial Conservation Area, established on February 25, 2026, protects 170,557 acres (69,022 hectares) in the Province of Bolívar, Ecuador, safeguarding endangered cloud forests.

The area spans an altitudinal gradient between 130 feet and 13,000 feet above sea level and enhances ecological connectivity by connecting with the adjacent Páramo Bolívar Provincial Conservation Area and the neighboring Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve, forming a continuous corridor between the lowlands, through the cloud forests to the high-altitude grasslands. The area is home to vulnerable species such as the clouded tiger cat (Leopardus pardinoides) and is habitat to 21 endangered plant species.

The primary objective of the new conservation area is to ensure water regulation, ecological connectivity, and the conservation of the biodiversity that underpins the region’s ecosystem services. The area’s establishment responds to the dynamics of local communities inhabiting areas of high environmental sensitivity, promoting ecosystem conservation, and thedevelopment of tourism activities.

Acknowledgments: 

The area’s establishment was made possible by the Provincial Government of Bolívar and local communities with technical support from Ecopar and financial support from Andes Amazon Fund (AAF).