Ulba – Baños de Agua Santa Conservation and Sustainable Use Area Established in the Province of Tungurahua, Ecuador

Nestled between the Sangay and Llanganantes National Parks in Ecuador’s Tungurahua province, the newly established Ulba – Baños de Agua Santa Conservation and Sustainable Use Area (Área de Conservación y Uso Sustentable – ACUS) created on July 31st, 2025, ensures a more sustainable future for 21,986 acres (8,897 hectares) of highly biodiverse cloud forest and high montane forest at the Andes-Amazon interface. Here, dramatic waterfalls trail down steep mountainsides, dense with vegetation where Andean bears, toucans and rare amphibians roam free. Moisture evaporates from the thick canopy of the cloud forest and creates wispy clouds which obscure, then reveal, the tops of dramatic peaks ranging from 4,921 to 12,139 feet (1,500 to 3,700 meters).  The area, in addition to protecting rare and endemic biodiversity, opens up new economic opportunities for local communities while protecting nature. 

Expanding Connectivity and Protecting Rare and Endemic Biodiversity

While walking through the area’s cloud forest one might find half-eaten bromeliads strewn on the forest floor which are likely signs of a Andean bear’s (Tremarctos ornatus) feast. Ulba – Baños de Agua Santa expands protection in the Llanganates-Sangay corridor, further supporting the free movement of wildlife between the national parks. High levels of species endemism thrive in this area. The accumulation of humidity from the Amazon at the base of the Andes’ eastern slopes has fostered the evolution of niche roles for a myriad of flora and fauna. 

The cloud forests and upper mountain slopes provide essential habitat for several large, threatened mammals, including the endangered mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), puma (Puma concolor), little red brocket deer (Mazama rufina), and clouded tiger cat (Leopardus pardinoides). The area is also home to threatened bird species such as the critically endangered black-and-chestnut eagle (Spizaetus isidori) and the vulnerable grey-breasted mountain toucan (Andigena hypoglauca) which you may find perched on a mossy tree overlooking one of the humid green valleys. Among amphibians and reptiles, the Conservation and Sustainable Use Area serves as a refuge for endangered frogs including the Pastaza cutin frog (Pristimantis pastazensis), Pristimantis marcoreyesi, and Noblella naturetreki. Additionally the area is habitat to endangered “mining lizards” like Riama balneator and Riama meleagris.  These endangered and rare species are safer from anthropogenic pressures in the newly-created Conservation Area. 

Water Stewardship

The  Ulba – Baños de Agua Santa Conservation and Sustainable Area protects a complex and vital network of rivers and streams that originate in the Andes mountains. This network is part of the upper basin of the Pastaza River, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River in Ecuador, and is also a water source for downstream communities such as the town of Baños de Agua Santa and its surrounding villages. Major rivers protected by the conservation area include the Corazón, Guamag, Pucayacu, Ulba, Ulbilla, Unión, Valencia, Bascún, Verde Chico, and Pastaza Rivers and over a dozen streams.

The intact montane cloud forests which make up the Conservation Area are important for the watershed as they capture, store, and gradually release water into the rivers. This crucial function helps regulate water flow, recharge aquifers, control soil erosion, and prevent landslides – an all too common occurrence in this region with more frequent extreme weather events. The creation of this Conservation Area ensures water security for local communities as its rivers and streams are vital for sustainable tourism activities and crop irrigation for small-scale agriculture.

Local Communities and Economies

Situated at the base of the Tungurahua Volcano, Baños de Agua Santa is a renowned tourist destination due to its therapeutic volcanic hot springs and inherent natural beauty including views of numerous waterfalls, some even visible from cable cars overlooking the Pastaza River. Due to the market for nature-based tourism, the local community in and around the Conservation Area are motivated to conserve the unique ecosystems of the Ulba – Baños de Agua Santa Conservation and Sustainable Use Area and its surroundings. These ecotourism initiatives incentivize action for conservation while providing economic opportunities that engage local youth and women to participate, creating greater social inclusion through conservation.

Acknowledgements: 

This achievement was made possible thanks to the Municipal Government of Baños de Agua Santa and the Parroquial Government of Ulba with the technical support of the EcoMinga Foundation and the financial support of the Andes Amazon Fund. The Andes Amazon Fund’s financial support for this project was generously provided by the Wyss Foundation.