In coastal Ecuador, the Ceiba Foundation is collaborating with private landowners and local government agencies to create a Coastal Conservation Corridor. This effort to reconnect fragmented forests between the municipalities of San Vicente and Pedernales aims to protect biodiversity, boost ecosystem resilience and function, and improve livelihoods for local community members. For such conservation efforts to be successful, both ecological and socioeconomic factors must be considered: Ceiba has an ecological monitoring and evaluation plan in place for the corridor but has lacked a methodology for assessing the socioeconomic impacts of the project...until now!

Lucille Rice, a graduate student from the University of Montana, is spending the next four months in Ecuador to research and develop a monitoring protocol for Ceiba that will measure the socioeconomic impacts of the Coastal Conservation Corridor. This protocol will allow implementation of adaptive management strategies that integrate socioeconomic benefits with conservation goals.

Ceiba staff had an incredible field visit to Finca Sarita, the model farm for the corridor project thanks to its specialization in organic and sustainable agricultural practices. Ceiba is working with Finca Sarita's owner, Servio Pachard Vera, and other local landowners to provide support for the conservation and restoration of their forests. With the help of Lucille's research, we will be better able to assess the socioeconomic impacts of the conservation corridor to understand its role in coastal communities. Thanks to local landowners for their participation in this project and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its financial support!

This August, San Vicente county added its name to the growing list of local governments approving the Area of Conservation and Sustainable Use (ACUS) in Ecuador. The ACUS encompasses 555,000 acres total, including forest remnants along the coast and marine areas in the Pacific Ocean. The agreement, signed in August 2019, aims to generate sustainable alternatives for rural communities, promote the conservation of forests, restore degraded zones, and protect marine areas. The ACUS has also been approved by the provincial government of Manabí and the local government of Pedernales.

The ACUS is the first conservation agreement in Ecuador to protect coastal and marine areas at the local government level. These marine areas are home to threatened species such as the Giant oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris), Whale shark (Rhyncodon typus), Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini), and Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). We are thrilled to be leading this important conservation initiative!

Ceiba’s EduTours combine education and tourism for the traveler that values learning as an integral part of exploring the world. You will not just see amazing wildlife in remote wilderness, but also learn from experienced conservationists about how important these ecosystems are for both biodiversity and humanity.  See details below for our 2020 trips that can be booked separately or combined into one amazing adventure!

Journey to the Galapagos
March 20 – March 29, 2020

Adventure to the Amazon
March 29 – April 4, 2020

Ceiba is working with landowners and local governments in Ecuador to make sustainable land management a reality. With your support, we will provide communities the resources they need to pursue a more sustainable future. Please join others who have made Ceiba a top-rated nonprofit, and make your gift today.