New Pasaje Conservation Area Protects Water Sources in the Andes-Coastal Transition of Ecuador’s El Oro Province

Andes Amazon Fund celebrates the establishment on June 5th, 2025, of the new Pasaje Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Area (Area Municipal de Conservacion y Uso Sustentable – ACMUS Pasaje) which protects 44,326 acres (17,938 hectares) of Andean-Coastal transition ecosystems in El Oro, Ecuador. In addition to protecting important forests, Pasaje protects the lower Casacay River basin, a keystone for regional water security and essential source of drinking water for the cantons of Pasaje, El Guabo, and Machala.

Pasaje preserves unique ecosystems across an altitudinal gradient, such as the Jama-Zapotillo lowland forests and the Catamayo-Alamor piedmont forests, as well as the Western Andean montane forest. These ecosystems are rich in biodiversity being home to the South American motmot (Momotus aequatorialis), the endemic Orcés parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi), and the masked tree frog (Smilisca faeota) which perform key ecological functions such as regulating the hydrological cycle, protecting soils from erosion, and ensuring ecological connectivity between highland and lowland areas. The presence of the masked tree frog in wetlands is an indicator of a healthy ecology, and so the recorded presence of this species in the territory directly surrounding the Pasaje Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Area showcases the conservation value of the area’s ecosystems for tropical amphibians and other groups sensitive to environmental degradation.

The establishment of Pasaje is part of El Oro’s provincial strategy to consolidate a system of Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Areas that protect water sources, ecosystems, and biodiversity.  Illegal mining has historically threatened ecosystems in this region by compromising water quality, the integrity of forest ecosystems, and the environmental services that sustain local livelihoods.

Luis López, a technician at Nature and Culture International, notes that the establishment of the Pasaje Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Area along with the formation of a management committee for the area will strengthen environmental governance and build local co-responsibility mechanisms to protect the water sources and forests that make up this important territory.

Acknowledgements: 

This achievement was made possible by the Municipal Government of the Pasaje with technical support from Nature and Culture International and financial support from Andes Amazon Fund. The Andes Amazon Fund’s financial support for this project was generously provided by the Wyss Foundation.