Awacachi Corridor Project / NC-IUCN Component

The forests of the Chocó bioregion are one of the highest global conservation priorities, yet over 90% of Chocó forest has already been lost. In northwest Ecuador, where Ecuador's last significant remnants of the Chocó forests are located, the oil palm industry is rapidly developing its activities. In the last 18 months alone, over 20,000 hectares have been clear-felled in the San Lorenzo area with a 100,000 ha total targeted by the industry. The Awacachi Corridor Project (ACP) aims to link the area's two largest reserves, the Cotacachi-Cayapasd Ecological Reserve (CCER) and the Awá Ethnic Reserve (AER) through the purchase of 10,000 ha. of rainforest in the form of an ecological corridor to around 25,000 ha. Approximately 8,2000 ha have been purchased to date, however, a connection between the two reserves is yet to be achieved. SPN funding would leverage co-financing from FFI and RFC to purchase the remaining 1000 ha and achieve the connection between the protected areas. Specified objectives are: 1) Purchase of 1000 ha of premontane rainforest to form part of the Awacachi Corridor Reserve; 2) Establish immediate protection measures for the ara purchased; 3) Consolidation of geographical and legal framework of the Awacachi Corridor; 4) Production of an interim management plan (4-6 months) for corridor.