Why ecotourism in the northwestern lowlands of Ecuador?

Due to Ecuador`s poor economical situation, its lowland rainforests are threatened by transformation in agricultural areas. Moreover, 90 percent of the original forests have been changed into banana and oilpalm plantations. It would be catastrophic if these remaining forests disappear, because they are the last tropical virgin forests in western Ecuador.

Saving the rainforests means offering ecological and sustainable alternatives of income to the local people. Ecotourism may be such alternative in this region. It may make a contribution to economical and social development in the Mache-Chindul-Mountains. Moreover it will reduce heavy exploitation and destruction of these rainforests. Only if the local families have an alternative and higher income, they will stop forests`s destruction and the transforming into plantations and pastures, because only an intact and untouched nature will attract tourists. Therefore ecotourism is a real chance for the rainforests and the people living there.

The project "Camino hasta El mar" is developed to establish ecotourism in this region. It is a 100 km trail winding through the wild jungles and creeks of the Mache-Chindul-mountains.

The trail will start in La Ye de la Laguna, near the bigger town Quinindé. It will run through tropical and premontane rainforests, ending at the road of El Mango. The tourists will have the options of going on their own, walking in groups or choosing a guide. The Mache-Chindul-region offers pure rainforests, clear creeks and magnificent waterfalls and breathtaking views over virgin jungles to the Pacific ocean.

 

Contact:

Jutta Rothe (Germany, German, English, Spanish)
Goßlerstr. 13, PF 154
37073 Göttingen (Germany)
Tel. 0551 499 73 57
e-mail: Jutta.Rothe@web.de