Connectivity corridors in two priority landscapes of the Ecuadorian Amazon Region

Objectives

To improve the ecological connectivity of two priority landscapes, the Putumayo – Aguarico and the Palora-Pastaza, in the Ecuadorian Amazon, through the establishment of two connectivity corridors and associated management mechanisms, to ensure the long-term biodiversity conservation of its ecosystems.

Other

Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency.

Target Groups

The project will generate socio-economic benefits by maintaining and enhancing the resource base on which local communities in the two project landscapes rely for their livelihoods. By developing actions that lead to the conservation of biodiversity, the project will benefit the inhabitants of the prioritized landscapes by preserving ecosystem services, such as fresh water, a healthy environment, medicines, and food production (Component 1). As well-being of indigenous local communities in the two project landscapes largely depends upon natural ecosystems, indigenous populations in both landscapes (approximate 40% of the total population in the Putumayo-Aguarico landscape and 70% in the Palora-Pastaza landscape) will benefit from the conservation of their remaining forests, in line with their Life Plans and other land-use planning tools. Through an inclusive approach, the strategy of this project will benefit vulnerable groups, in particular indigenous peoples, women, and youth, strengthening their participation in formal decision-making platforms for connectivity corridor management (Component 3). The project will strengthen existing bioeconomy initiatives, in the two project landscapes, that have the potential to succeed in local, national, and international markets, with the goal of strengthening and improving aspects of value addition and commercialization, resulting in inclusive socio-economic benefits for the involved communities. The project will support producers to strengthen market-driven value chains for bioeconomy initiatives, linked to biodiversity conservation, contributing to increasing their incomes as they follow a value chain approach with a market orientation. Existing bioeconomy initiatives in both landscapes, that could be supported are related to the sustainable harvest, process, and commercialization of sweet water fish like paiche (arapaima gigas) and cachama (piaractus brachypomus); citronella; guayusa (ilex guayusa); ungurahua (oenocarpus bataua); turmeric, ishpingo (amazon cinnamon); morete (mauritia flexuosa); sacha inchi (amazon peanut); and community nature-based tourism. Increasing the profitability of sustainable production systems at the family level, will reduce direct pressures (ex. deforestation, land use change and illegal hunting) upon the native forest within the corridors.