By Andes Amazon Fund
Antisana Volcano within the protected area system ©PASOS

On July 26th, 2023, the northern Ecuadorian province of Pichincha established a new system of protected areas totaling 298,310 acres (120,722 ha). Split into four blocks throughout diverse, volcano-rich landscapes, the Pichincha Provincial System of Conservation and Sustainable Use Areas (SPACUS-Pichincha using the Spanish acronym) secures the long-term protection of 13 different ecosystems. 

Paramos in the “Ruta del Condor” block of the protected area system. ©PASOS
Map of newly created SPACUS-Pichincha. The system’s four blocks can be seen in turquoise. An “ACUS” is a Conservation and Sustainable Use Area, meaning its purpose is to support both biodiversity protection and sustainable resource management for the benefit of local people. Map credits: PASOS

Biodiversity

SPACUS Pichincha is located at the intersection of two biodiversity hotspots: the Tropical Andes and Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena. The area is home to a unique diversity of species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. At least 67 endemic species of birds reside within the Andean Chocó ecosystem, including the vulnerable long-wattled umbrellabird (Cephalopterus penduliger) and the endangered baudo guan (Penelope ortoni). Their protection within the new system of conservation areas is a critical safeguard against extinction.

Left: Crowned woodnymph (Thalurania colombica) spotted in the Andean Chocó block of the protected area system. Right: Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) in the Ruta del Condor block ©PASOS
A tree within the Bosque Seco Andino block of the protected area system. ©PASOS

Ecosystem Connectivity

The system also increases connectivity with the nearby national-level protected areas as well as the newly created system of municipal conservation areas in the Mejía municipality, helping secure migration routes for large animals like the puma (Puma concolor) and the Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus). In addition to species protection, the new provincial protected areas safeguard water sources for the capital city of Quito and for local communities, and contribute to mitigating threats from a changing climate.

We all have the obligation to take care of our common home, to protect our environment, to encourage the protection of water, of air, and above all, of our Earth.

Paola Pabón, Prefect of the Pichincha Province.
Local authorities and AAF grantee Paisajes Sostenibles carried out extensive awareness campaigns with communities in and around the protected areas, gaining widespread support. ©PASOS
Paola Pabón, the Prefect of the Pichincha Province, signs a resolution on July 26, 2023 to establish the four new protected areas. ©PASOS

Acknowledgments

This conservation victory was made possible by the Prefect of the Pichincha Province, local governments and community members, and the diligence and expertise of our partners at the NGO Paisajes Sostenibles (PASOS). The Andes Amazon Fund’s financial support for this project was generously provided by The Wyss Foundation and by Art into Acres in partnership with Re:wild.

See the announcement from the Provincial Government of Pichincha.

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