24 de Mayo National-level Protected Area Established in the Ecuadorian Province of Manabí

The 24 de Mayo Water Protection Area in Manabí, Ecuador, was established on May 22nd, 2026. The new national-level protected area safeguards 64,863 acres (26,249 hectares) of rivers and water sources surrounded by biodiverse tropical forests in Ecuador’s coast. The establishment of the Water Protection Area, the second largest in the country, upgrades the recently established 24 de Mayo Municipal Conservation Area, now prohibiting mining activities and protects 27,844 additional acres (11,268 hectares) as part of the Water Protection Area.

24 de Mayo’s complex of rivers and streams provide clean water to the province of Manabí and the area’s ecosystems help support water recharge, regulate extreme events such as floods, and maintain water quality, all while preserving habitat connectivity for biodiversity in the Daule basin. The new Water Protection Area will benefit more than 13,000 residents downstream. 

Sindy Piguave of the La Guinea community states: “We are very happy with the initiative to establish the 24 de Mayo Water Protection Area as we have been concerned about river pollution that could affect tourism and the local economy.” There are 373 recorded species present in the conservation area including the jaguarandi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus sp.), nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), Ecuadorian trogon (Trogon mesurus), red-masked parakeet (Psittacara erythrogenys), and the endemic catfish Ancistrus clementinae. 

Acknowledgements:

This achievement was made possible by Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Subsecretary of Water Resources, the Municipal Government of 24 de Mayo, and the Potable Water Boards of: Noboa, La Pita, La Guinea, Jaboncillo, and Bellavista. Technical support was provided by The Nature Conservancy-Ecuador with financial contributions from the Andes Amazon Fund.