A Jocotoco Antpitta, the discovery of which prompted the establishment of Fundación Jocotoco.

"Our dream is to create a private system of strategically placed reserves where research has documented the greatest need.

We work with species and habitats that are under-represented - some may not be represented at all - in Ecuador's formal park and reserve system."

Dr. Robert Ridgely, of Fundación Jocotoco and author of "The Birds of Ecuador"

Ecuador Rainforest Project

Background to the Ecuador Rainforest Project

Working with Fundación Jocotoco

Named after the Jocotoco Antpitta, a bird discovered by Dr Robert Ridgely in 1997, Fundación Jocotoco was established in 1998. The foundation was started by Dr Nigel Simpson and Dr Ridgely, with a small group of colleagues in Ecuador, through a love and concern for conservation, with a special emphasis on the protection of globally threatened species. The main objective was to protect land of critical importance to conserve Ecuador’s many rare and endemic birds, and all the associated biodiversity. To accomplish this land is being purchased and managed as private reserves, with the support and involvement of local communities.

The World Land Trust became involved with this vitally important project at the suggestion of BirdLife International. Because the objectives of the two organisations were very similar, Fundación Jocotoco became a partner with World Land Trust in 1999 when an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed.

The vision of Fundación Jocotoco is to create:

• A system of privately managed reserves mainly in southern and western Ecuador that will protect over 30,000 hectares (75,000 acres) while benefiting local communities. There are currently eight Jocotoco reserves, with a further two planned.
• An internationally replicated model of community supported reserves (in the “Tropical Andes Hotspot”) that protect threatened bird species and associated biodiversity for future generations.

Further Conservation in Ecuador

Working with Fundación Ecominga and Pro-Bosque

Following on from the WLT's efforts to support Fundación Jocotoco, Nigel Simpson, a WLT Trustee and board member for Fundación Jocotoco, suggested that WLT should consider supporting new, projects in Ecuador. Cerro Candelaria Reserve is one such new, exciting project. Working with another Ecuadorian NGO, Fundación Ecominga, the proposed Cerro Candelaria Reserve is located in Central Ecuador on the Eastern Andes, and aims to create a corridor between two existing National Parks, preserving a large tract of virgin forest, habitat which contains a unique diversity of endemic orchids.

WLT is also supporting another Ecuadorian NGO, Fundación Pro-Bosque (FPF) in the protection of the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest, which consists of one of the last remaining Ecuadorian dry forests. WLT and FPF met at a symposium in the Netherlands in 2006 run jointly by WLT and IUCN-NL. FPF already had a tree planting programme which, with WLT's help, they were able to re-establish, focussing on native species from the dry forest of Ecuador.

More Information on the Ecuador Rainforest Project

To learn more about the Ecuador project visit the main project page: Help Save the Rainforests.