NCI Acts as Lead Catalyst for Cajas Biosphere Reserve

May 28, 2013 | Celebrations were held on May 28th to commemorate UNESCO’s recognition of the two million acre Cajas Biosphere Reserve, where we acted as the lead catalyst. This is the first biosphere reserve in Ecuador’s Western Andes – a vast and diverse ecosystem that includes marine areas, mangroves, desert, cloud forest, mountain forest, páramos and inter-Andean valleys.

Now, we are working alongside our local partners to reinforce sustainable conservation practices such as watershed management, mangrove protection and organic production methods.

This Biosphere Reserve includes 2,230,402 acres of land and 211,097 acres of sea surface as well as natural ecosystems as diverse as páramos, montane forest, cloud forest, mangroves, seasonal deciduous forest and desert; the water supply for nearly 850,000 inhabitants, and the production of 50% of hydro-energy of the country, besides large productive areas of cattle, cocoa, banana and other important industries.