SUPPORTED PROJECTS

The Cuyacocha rainforest initiative in Ecuador’s Upper Amazonia

Sarah Dixon

The Cuyacocha community contacted Equafor, a UK charity, via an adventurous tourist from the States. Equafor part-funded preliminary reports on the Reserve. The Cuyacocha community have demonstrated their commitment to and understanding of what they want to achieve. UK conservationists have formed a team to assist them, and to carry out research that will contribute to national and international understanding of biodiversity and conservation in the Amazon. A reconnaissance will be taken in January to firmly establish our contacts in Ecuadorian institutions and recruit counterparts. We will also finalise our plans with Cuyacocha. The Reserve limits must be determined. Preliminary biodiversity surveys will allow us to categorise the area more precisely. All team members will participate in training, education, research and construction. Outputs are expected to include; a new research and visitor centre with a GIS and financial and medical infrastructure in place; numerous publications; a colourful to plants of the Upper Amazon; a new canopy platform design. It is hoped that we can implement recommendations from established reserves and NGO’s and encourage similar activity in the region. There will be a need for ongoing support to the community. In the long term this may lead to establishment of a new reserve. The Cuyacocha community live in a pristine area of the Ecuadorian forests of Upper Amazonia. These forests are recognised as one of the most diverse in the world and considered a high conservation priority. The people of Cuyacocha contacted Equafor, a UK charity, for assistance in developing sustainable use of their resources, specifically eco-tourism. In response to this request UK conservationists have formed a team to assist them, and carry out research that will contribute to national and international understanding of biodiversity and conservation in the Amazon. In addition to ecological surveys, this project will build a small, well managed research and visitor centre, develop local capacity, involve NGO’s and seek legal protection for the Cuyacocha land. The team aim to implement recommendations from established reserves and NGO’s and encourage similar activity in the region. There will be a need for ongoing support to the community. In the long term this may lead to establishment of a new reserve.