Tumbesian Region, Ecuador

PROJECT SUMMARY
The Tumbesian region, extending south from Loja in southwestern Ecuador along the coastal plain and foothills to Huacho in Peru, is a globally-recognized conservation priority. The spectacular region is home to both an incredible number of individual species and of species that are only found no where else in the world. Of the estimated 6,300 plant species that occur in the Tumbesian region, 20% are endemic and of the 253 species of reptiles and amphibians recorded, 60% are endemic to the region. The area is also home to approximately 800 bird species, including 84 range-restricted species.

Despite its uniqueness, the Tumbesian region is also one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world.

The characteristic habitat type of the region, tropical dry forest, has been largely decimated by human population pressure and agricultural conversion. Today, only 5% of the Tumbesian region remains in good condition and many of the region's endemic species are in danger of extinction. Specifically, 19 bird species and 4 mammal species are currently known to be threatened.

Bosques sin Fronteras (Forests without Borders), made up of several Ecuadorian and Peruvian conservation organizations, universities and local municipal councils, is a binational conservation initiative that aims to secure the remaining intact habitat of the Tumbesian region as private or community reserves. The group has already begun securing specific sites, including the 5,300-ha La Ceiba reserve and the 1,600-ha Laipuna Reserve, with the long-term goal of creating ecological corridors across the region.

Their next steps include: expanding La Ceiba through land purchase and conservation easements, and creating a bi-national park that would extend from the Catamayo river valley in Ecuador to Cerro La Puerta in Peru and would surround the Laipuna Reserve. Their ultimate goal is to connect Podocarpus National Park in Ecuador to Tabaconas Namballe National Park in Peru.