Nature and Culture's Dry Forest Mosaic Fact Sheet

Dry Forest Mosaic

ECUADOR’S MOST THREATENED ECOSYSTEM

A ceiba tree in southern Ecuador. Photo by Charles Smith.

CONTENTS 7 things to know about the Dry Forest Mosaic 1

A Unique Opportunity

2

The Challenge

3

The Solution

4

Critical Ecosystems

5

Threatened Species

6

Local Communities

7

Maps, Lead Conservationist & More

Guayacan flower.Martinez.

Photo by Matt Clark.

Photo

by Darwin

CONTENTS

Nature and Culture International conserves 1 A Unique Opportunity biologically diverse 2 The Challenge 3 The Solution landscapes in Latin 4 America, Critical Ecosystems in concert with 5 local Threatened Species cultures, for the well6 Indigenous Communities being of the planet.

7 things to know about Bosque Seco

7

Maps, Lead Conservationist & More

The endemic gray and gold warbler found nowhere else on Earth.

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY Nature and Culture seeks support to protect...

THREATENED HABITAT | Help save the remaining 5% of tropical dry forest in Ecuador.

WATER RESOURCES | Safeguard water sources for thousands of people.

DIVERSE WILDLIFE | Protect habitat home to unique plants and animals found nowhere else on the planet.

LOCAL CULTURE | Empower local people to sustainably interact with the environment and play an integral role in its conservation.

The Dry Forest Biosphere Reserve is part of the Peace Forest Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, protecting the last and largest remnants of tropical dry forest on the pacific coast of South America.

A Unique Opportunity...

In 1998, Ecuador and Peru signed a peace agreement to end a bitter conflict that spanned generations. The agreement opened their borders and created avenues for conservation projects in southern Ecuador, home to the largest, most intact remnants of dry forest that remain.

The tropical dry forest in the Tumbesian Region of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru are home to a great number of unique plant and animal species.

This area is the first conservation priority within the Ecuadorian government and globally.

Nature and Culture International’s efforts to protect this region began nearly twenty years ago as our local conservationists identified priority areas to purchase, restore, and create private protected areas. Since then, we have helped establish 228,285 acres of protected areas, from which 1,643 acres were restored and reforested.

Nature and Culture also supported the declaration of the Dry Forest Biosphere Reserve, spanning one million acres on the Ecuadorian-Peruvian border.

Nature and Culture asks you to join the work of our local conservationists and partners with a community-based conservation approach that works. Your support will ensure the protection and management of wildlife and resources within Ecuador’s tropical dry forest.

DRY FOREST Located in southern Ecuador, the Dry Forest Mosaic comprises part of Ecuador’s remaining tropical dry forest. It includes some of the areas with the greatest number of unique species in the world.

Colombia

95% of these forests have been lost due to human activity. Photo by Darwin Martinez.

THE CHALLENGE Dry tropical ecosystems have historically been the preferred zones for settlement and agriculture. Due to these and other human activities, tropical dry forests are the most threatened tropical forests in the world, and one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Recent estimates indicate that two-thirds of original tropical dry forest has been converted to other types of land uses, including rice, banana, and corn plantations in Ecuador. The combination of human pressures, variability in climatic conditions, and climate change makes tropical dry forests particularly vulnerable regions. Threats may result in species extinctions and biodiversity loss, especially in highly fragmented forests.

Over 95% of this exceptional forest has been lost or degraded due to human activities. A recent study estimates nearly 23,000 acres of tropical dry forest in southern Ecuador are lost each year due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and the effects of climate change.

As deforestation continues and climate change intensifies, forest loss and degradation will likely increase. We must act now – to protect Ecuador’s remaining dry forest habitat before it’s too late.

Guayacan tree. Photo by Charles Smith.

THE SOLUTION In collaboration with local communities and authorities, Nature and Culture plans to conserve and restore at least 30% of the last remnants of tropical dry forest within the Dry Forest Mosaic.

Our efforts focus on the creation, consolidation, and management of conservation and development areas, where local people sustainably interact with their environment and play an integral role in its conservation.

Sustainable development initiatives enhance the quality of life for communities while helping to protect the longterm integrity of the ecosystem.

To ensure lasting conservation impact, Nature and Culture will continue to support communities in managing the Dry Forest Biosphere Reserve.

Management efforts promote the sustainable use of biodiversity to conserve at least 172,973 acres of dry forest and benefit 1,000 families.

Additionally, we are working on implementing binational conservation efforts through the Peace Forest Transboundary Biosphere Reserve to protect the heart of the Tumbesian Region.

GOALS 1. Increase the total acreage within protected areas in the mosaic by at least 12%.

2. Establish sustainable financing for protected areas management.

3. Implement a bi-national management system (multilevel and multi-sector) for the conservation of the guayacan forest and associated biodiversity.

4. Ensure successful operation of three sustainable livelihood initiatives to promote the conservation of at least 172,973 acres of dry forest, benefiting approximately 1,000 families.* 5. Monitor the following species within the mosaic: Guayacan trees, native bees, crocodiles, and howler monkeys. *See page 25 for more information on sustainable livelihood initiatives.

Vermilion flycatcher. Photo by Charles Smith.

WHEN YOU PROTECT THE DRY FOREST, YOU PROTECT

Critical Ecosystems Threatened Species Local Communities

CRITICAL ECOSYSTEMS Ecuador’s most threatened habitat An unusual climate along the northern coast of Peru and southern coast of Ecuador is responsible for the extraordinary tropical dry forests. Even though these forests lie on the equator, they find themselves in the rain shadow of the mighty Andes, the world’s longest mountain range.

A pretino tree preparing for the dry season. Photo by Charles Smith.

Tropical dry forests occur in regions with heavy rainfall for a few months followed by a long dry season. The forests are dense with greenery during the wet season, but become a starkly different landscape during the seven+ month dry season when most trees shed their leaves to avoid transpiring their stored water into the air. Because of these dramatic conditions, the forests are home to many endemic species adapted to the area’s extremes.

Forest That Blooms Brilliantly For Just A Few Days In southern Ecuador, flowering guayacan trees (Tabebuia bilbergii and Tabebuia chrysantha) paint the landscape yellow — for just a few days. After a long dry season, the rains begin, and guayacan trees that have sported bare branches for most of the year erupt in canopies of brilliant yellow flowers.

Nature and Culture’s Pisaca Forest Reserve.

Thousands of people depend on the water sources guarded by these forests. Studies have found that at least 66% of water reservoirs in the neotropics are found within dry forests. In Southern Ecuador, Nature and Culture works in partnership with the Regional Water Fund (FORAGUA) to conserve and restore water sources, ensuring water to more than 100,000 people.

Ecosystems within the mosaic play an important role in climate change mitigation. The mosaic stores 33,090,346 tons of carbon, equal to carbon emissions from Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua in 2018.

It takes the guayacan trees about 200 years to reach a height of 50 feet, but in less than a week, they flower and then drop their petals, covering the ground with a carpet of bright yellow. The event is a magnificent sight, with yellow umbrellas stretching as far as the eye can see.

Guayacan bloom in southern Ecuador. Photo by Charles Smith.

The revived system has enabled the Carriรณn family to expand their agricultural production.

For example, they now produce sugar cane.

Recognized by UNESCO In 2018, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s International Hydrological Program named the Paltas Municipality in southern Ecuador as an international Eco-Hydrology Demonstration Site. This is the first Eco-Hydrology site in Ecuador, in the Andes, and one of only 23 sites in the world!

The specific site within Paltas is Nature and Culture’s Pisaca Forest Reserve. Inside the reserve, the municipality revived an ancient practice of pre-Columbian indigenous peoples, the Paltas, who once lived in the area. The indigenous people dug ponds throughout the region to capture water during the fourmonth rainy season, which recharged springs to provide water in the dry season.

Prior to excavation efforts, Nature and Culture restored the reserve’s natural ecosystem, which allowed soil on the reserve to hold more water and reduced pollution in the natural ponds.

We also implemented environmental education and gained community support for water management and conservation initiatives.

The Paltas Municipality successfully excavated several infiltration ponds to implement the ancestral practice. Now, residents of nearby towns have a water supply for 1 and a half hours each day instead of 30 minutes, and have access to clean water year-round.

“Now we grow a lot of plants – yucca, plantains, fruits. Now we can water growing areas where it was not possible before.”

- Mercedes Omaida Carrión, a local farmer

A ceiba tree in southern Ecuador. Photo by Charles Smith.

Tropical dry forests are rare and highly endangered.

Because of human activity, less than 5% of the original ecosystem remains.

THREATENED SPECIES One of the world’s highest biodiversity priorities The Dry Forest Mosaic is situated in the Tumbes–Chocó–Magdalena region and adjacent to the Tropical Andes, two biodiversity hotspots with great species diversity and high levels of species endemism (or species found nowhere else on Earth).

Mantled howler monkeys by Darwin Martinez.

The mosaic’s forests are a genetic laboratory where unique species have evolved over time. The mosaic is home to 59 unique bird species one of the highest concentrations of endemic birds in South America - and 20 endemic species of amphibians and reptiles. Eighty-nine of these species are threatened and may vanish

Home to the Howler Monkey Tropical dry forests within the mosaic are home to the last remaining populations of mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in southern Ecuador.

Mantled howlers are found in lowland rainforests, cloud forests, mangroves, and dry forests in Latin America. The monkeys play an important role in their habitat, dispersing seeds from the plants they eat throughout the forest.

Photo by Darwin Martinez.

unless direct efforts are made to protect them.

Almost 20% of the plant species in the area are endemic. According to botanist Eduardo Cueva, there are several possible new plant species being discovered in this area, some of which could provide medicinal benefits to humans.

The Dry Forest Mosaic also hosts an important population of flagship species including the American crocodile (Cocodrylus acutus) and the mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata).

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as Vulnerable, appearing on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as hunting for the pet trade.

Mantled howler monkeys in southern Ecuador.

Photo by Darwin Martinez.

Yellow-rumped cacique. Photo by Charles Smith.

The Bosque Seco Mosaic is home to 59 unique bird species, one of the highest concentrations of endemic birds in South America.

LOCAL COMMUNITIES Partners in conservation Nature and Culture has created a co-management model with local communities, where management decisions are made together, and local people have the right and responsibility to conserve the forest.

We have helped 244 families with sustainable business practices as a mechanism for conservation by providing a much-needed source of income to a rural population with limited resources.

Community member harvesting palo santo.

Some communities are harvesting the oil from the fruit of the palo santo tree (Bursera graveolens) as an alternative income source that leaves the forest intact.

Product of the Forest “For us, the forest is fundamental to our survival. If there weren´t life in the forest, we wouldn´t be here... collecting the Palo Santo fruit helps us greatly; it´s important for us.” – Violeta Condoy

Community member in Nature and Culture’s La Ceiba Reserve in southern Ecuador.

Other communities harvest tara (Caesalpinia spinosa), a tree native to the dry forest. Communities harvest its pods, which are used as biodegradable alternatives to chemicals to tan leather. Oil extracted from its seeds is also used in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Additionally, around 94 families have learned, for the first time, how to domesticate native stingless bees to produce honey for local and national markets.

In the dry forests of Ecuador, palo santo trees have become a source of income for the local community.

Before Nature and Culture, palo santo trees were cut down for the use of their wood, creating an unsustainable practice that defaced the forest. Now, the community harvests the fruit of the palo santo whose essential oils are sold through sustainable production methods both in and out of country.

The palo santo tree has always been a part of these communities’ lives for years, but now it serves to augment their livelihood.

Children from a local community in Ecuador’s dry forest.

“For us, the forest is fundamental to our survival. If there weren´t life in the forest, we wouldn´t be here...”

Violeta Condoy

Photo by Radiaciรณn 4K.

APPENDIX Maps Lead Conservationist Biosphere Reserve The Mosaic Model About Nature and Culture

Ecuador’s tropical dry forest. Photo by Charles Smith.

PROTECTED AREAS IN THE MOSAIC

Nature and Culture conservationist Bruno Paladines.

LEAD CONSERVATIONIST Bruno Paladines, musician and nature-lover, has worked at Nature and Culture International for 20 years. Prior to joining Nature and Culture, he earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management at the Peoples’ Friendship University in Moscow. His interest in people’s relationship with nature led him to earn a master’s degree in human ecology at the Free University of Brussels.

Throughout his professional career, Bruno has developed a comprehensive holistic understanding of the different ways in which human beings relate to nature. This knowledge has been applied to protect, together with local communities, the tropical dry forest ecosystem in Ecuador.

One of Bruno’s goals is to strengthen sustainable development initiatives within the Dry Forest Mosaic. He hopes to demonstrate that alternatives sources of income can be generated by protecting forests.

For Bruno, empowering local communities with conservation ensures a lasting and effective conservation impact in our planet’s most threatened ecosystems.

“I believe it is crucial to understand humans’ relationship and connection with nature to find appropriate and effective conservation and management strategies that involve people in conservation.”

- Bruno Paladines

Nature and Culture’s biological research station in the Laipuna Reserve

BIOSPHERE RESERVE In 2014, the Dry Forest Biosphere Reserve was designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Spanning 1.25 million acres in the tropical dry forest, the Reserve is part of the Peace Forest Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, which includes the Noroeste Amotapes-Manglares Biosphere Reserve of Peru. Nature and Culture worked extensively with Ecuador’s national government and several non-governmental organizations to prepare the proposal for the Dry Forest Biosphere Reserve.

For the first time in Ecuador’s history, municipal and private reserves are considered its core conservation areas. These core areas span over 55,000 acres and include Nature and Culture’ private reserves La Ceiba, Cazaderos, Pisaca, and Laipuna. Thanks to the support of our donors, we have been managing these reserves for the past decade. Nature and Culture is now developing a detailed conservation plan alongside the Dry Forest Biosphere Reserve’s 100,000 inhabitants to ensure its ongoing protection.

Biosphere reserves are a significant conservation achievement because they remain under national jurisdiction but share their experience and ideas regionally and internationally within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Tropical dry forest in Nature and Culture’s Laipuna Reserve. Photo by Charles Smith.

THE MOSAIC MODEL Nature and Culture’s mosaics are managed by a team of conservationists and guided by a mosaic director. Mosaic conservation teams are experts in every meaningful aspect of their mosaic. Their charge is nothing less than strengthening the civil, political, legal, social, and economic systems that ensure benefits for both the natural ecosystem and the local people.

They use habitat information from Global Forest Watch to focus on preventing biodiversity loss and ensuring that native habitat is protected in the declared areas. As much as possible, these efforts are performed in collaboration with private owners and allied institutions within the mosaic.

To measure its work within the mosaics, Nature and Culture has adapted the Vital Signs methodology developed by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Vital Signs uses a rating system to galvanize ongoing efforts to ensure that protected areas and indigenous territories within each mosaic have: 1. Clear legal designations of protected areas and integration within the wider regional development and zoning plans; 2. Natural resource plans and the tools to implement them; 3. Governance mechanisms; and 4. Sustainable finance mechanisms.

Community member in Ecuador’s tropical dry forest. Photo by Darwin Martinez.

A strategy for building sustainable protected areas...

With Global Forest Watch data, Nature and Culture regularly monitors changes in natural land cover and vegetation—the key indicators of the effectiveness of our work and the health of the ecosystem.

Mosaic directors link people who care for their natural habitat to government compensation programs that pay them for conservation. We see more opportunities in this arena as the importance of incentivizing people to maintain natural habitat for carbon sequestration grows.

Finally, mosaic directors engage with infrastructure and development policies, forest restoration options, and community forest reserves.

Camera trap photo of a puma in the dry forest.

CONNECTIVITY In order for species to survive and thrive, they need habitat of sufficient size. Species also need migratory routes to ensure long-term survival. This concept of creating large-scale protected areas that provide connections to other protected areas is central to Nature and Culture’s strategy.

Towards that end, over the next five years your support will ensure that at least 50% of the natural habitat in 14-18 large-scale eco-regional landscapes is protected. Collectively these landscapes cover about 30 million acres of land that is home to millions of plant and animal species.

Better habitat connectivity will allow wildlife to migrate and disperse, boost biodiversity and resilience in degraded ecosystems, safeguard genetic flow between populations, and ensure species are better able to adapt to our changing climate.

“I believe Nature and Culture will be remembered in history as one of the few organizations who did the right thing, on the right scale, in the right place, and in time.”

—E.O. Wilson, Father of Biodiversity Science, 2-time Pulitzer Prize Winner

Nature and Culture founder Ivan Gayler in southern Ecuador.

ABOUT NATURE AND CULTURE Founded in 1997, Nature and Culture International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving biologically diverse landscapes in Latin America, in concert with local cultures, for the well-being of the planet.

We’ve successfully implemented a communitybased conservation model, resulting in the legal protection of more than 21 million acres of forest ecosystems and other habitat in Latin America.

Working primarily at the subnational level and in focused, ecologically important landscapes, we have offices located in and around the areas we protect, providing us the opportunity to partner with communities to provide long-term impact.

Nature and Culture safeguards diverse landscapes in Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, and Brazil

21,131,689 ACRES FOR THE PLANET Nature and Culture operates eight offices throughout Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico, and is expanding efforts in Colombia, Bolivia, and Brazil, where we work with trusted partners who share our values of community-based conservation.

In each country, you support local conservationists who have the technical expertise, cultural understanding, and long-term relationships with communities to effectively and efficiently save the planet’s most precious natural places.

Since 1997, our donors have saved 21,131,689 acres of endangered wild places in Mexico and South America.

ACTIVITIES ON THE GROUND A leader in community-based conservation

Community member in Ecuador’s tropical dry forest.

Nature and Culture conservationists and community members working in Ecuador’s tropical dry forest.

EFFICIENCY Each dollar you give is used to maximize conservation impact. Using cost-effective and efficient strategies, protected areas are created at an average cost of $10 per acre.

A community-based and entrepreneurial approach allows the organization to be strategic yet nimble and pursue a diversity of strategies to protect local, regional, and national parks in partnership with communities and governments.

Nature and Culture International holds high charity ratings.

Nature and Culture conservationist Fabiรกn Rodas in southern Ecuador.

Will you protect the tropical dry forest?

CONTACT US United States

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