Expansion of Atahualpa municipal conservation area in El Oro, Ecuador protects forests and water sources

In Ecuador’s southwestern El Oro province the Atahualpa municipal conservation and sustainable use area has been expanded, protecting 28,369 acres (11,480 hectares) of evergreen montane forest, seasonal forest, and páramos. This expansion helps guarantee the protection of the Atahualpa canton’s water sources and biodiversity which includes the endangered El Oro Parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi).

Halting the threat of deforestation

Atahualpa’s municipal government approved the expansion on October 1st, 2024, increasing the municipal conservation and sustainable use area’s surface from 3,301 acres (1,336 hectares) to 28,369 acres (11,480 hectares). The decision to expand the municipal conservation area is based on the assessment made by technicians from the Municipal Government and Nature and Culture International (NCI), who identified deforestation caused by land use change, expansion of cattle ranching, and mining activities as a primary threat to the area. To mitigate these threats, the protected area expansion seeks to strengthen existing protection, halt negative environmental impacts, and ensure the continued protection of critical ecosystems.

This expansion reinforces integrated conservation management to maintain and expand the protection of key ecosystems, such as the evergreen montane forests and páramos, which are essential for the regulation and conservation of water sources. The expansion not only consolidates the protection of the water resources that supply water to El Oro’s capital of Paccha and the parishes of Ayapamba, Cordoncillo, Milagro, San José and San Juan de Cerro Azul, but also incorporates the archeological site of Yacuviña, a highly important natural and historical heritage site for the province of El Oro. The name of the archeological site (meaning in Quichua eternal water) pays homage to the springs and subterranean rivers of the area.

Increased ecological connectivity in El Oro

The expansion of the Atahualpa municipal conservation area not only has implications at the local level, but also enhances regional ecological connectivity. By connecting the protected areas of the Piñas, Zaruma and Chilla cantons, the expansion consolidates an essential ecological corridor for the conservation of biodiversity in the province of El Oro. This corridor, in turn, joins the Sur de Ecuador water protection area, strengthening the network of conservation areas in the region and ensuring the landscape’s ecological functionality.

Among the species that inhabit the area is an endemic species of Ecuador that is in danger of extinction, the Orcas Parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi). Although biodiversity monitoring results in this area are not currently available, Fundación Jocotoco has initiated bird monitoring studies and the restoration of degraded areas, which will help evaluate the conservation status of the local fauna and flora.

Since 2018, Nature and Culture International (NCI) has provided technical advice to the local government of Atahualpa, with financial support from the Andes Amazon Fund. NCI has contributed to mapping and cartographic analysis, legal assistance for the ordinance, and technical visits to validate information in the field.

The next steps in the management of the Atahualpa municipal conservation area include the creation of a management committee for the area, formalization of conservation agreements with local stakeholders, installing signs signalling the area of the protected territory, and other actions determined by the municipal government. These measures are essential to guarantee the protection of natural resources, as well as to ensure a sustainable water supply to the communities that depend on it.

Acknowledgements: 

The expansion of the Atahualpa municipal conservation and sustainable use area was made possible by the provincial government of El Oro and the municipal government of Atahualpa. Technical support for the expansion was provided by Nature and Culture international with the financial support of the Andes Amazon Fund.