Friday Foto

Friday Foto

Park guard station at Gueppi
Park guard station at Gueppi

Cofan rangers analyze a water sample at the Gueppi ranger station in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve in the Ecuadorian Amazon. / Guardaparques cofanes analizan una muestra de agua en la estación Gueppi en la Reserva Cuyabeno.

Northeastern Ecuador’s forests have some of the world’s highest species counts for plants and animals, are at the heart of the tropical Andes “hotspot” zone and are instrumental in Ecuador’s status as a mega-diverse country. However, their conservation presents a major challenge. Mining, petroleum exploitation, lumber extraction, mega-infrastructure projects and colonization are major threats, and even within national parks, agricultural expansion continues with little control.

A notable exception is forest within Cofan ancestral territory (CAT). CAT covers about 430,000 hectares (1 million acres) of some of the richest, best-conserved forests in Ecuador ranging from Andean highlands to cloud forest to tropical rainforest.

As a first line of defense, FSC trained and fielded a professional, effective force of Cofan rangers in 2003. This group, 60 members at full capacity, carry out on-the-ground protection and management of Cofan lands to ensure territorial security and zero deforestation. The Cofan Ranger Program (CRP) has trained over 100 Cofan men and women in the protection and management of Cofan territories, as well as people from other indigenous and non-indigenous groups.

ESPAÑOL

Los bosques del noreste del Ecuador tienen algunas de las cifras más altas del mundo de especies de plantas y animales, están en el corazón del "hotspot" andino tropical y son escenciales para la designación de "país mega-diverso" para Ecuador. Sin embargo, su conservación es un gran reto. La minería, explotación petrolera, extracción de madera, proyectos de mega-infraestructura y colonización son amenazas importantes, y incluso dentro de las reservas nacionales, la expansión agrícola sigue con poco control.

Una excepción importante es el bosque dentro del territorio ancestral cofán (TAC). TAC cubre alrededor de 430.000 hectáreas de bosques bien conservados y muy biodiversos en Ecuador, desde páramos andinos hasta bosque nublado y bosque tropical.

Como una defensa para este territorio, FSC entrenó y un grupo de guardaparques cofanes profesionales y eficaces en el 2003. Este grupo, 60 miembros en total, realizan la protección y manejo de tierras cofanes para asegurar seguridad territorial y cero deforestación. El Programa de Guardaparques Cofanes ha entrenado más de 100 hombres y mujeres cofanes en la protección y manejo de territorio cofán, además de personas de otras comunidades indígenas y no-indígenas.

Friday Foto

Image7
Image7

Rawr! Today's Friday Foto is a pic of a jaguar, caught by a camera trap in 2009 in Machintsaiqui in the Ecuadorian Amazon region.

Thanks to Cofán park rangers' efforts to patrol both Cofán ancestral territories and Ecuador's national parks, beautiful animals like these are less threatened by illegal poaching and their forest homes are kept intact. Keep our ranger program going by donating!

Friday Foto

In today's Friday Foto, Cofán women taking a Spanish course in Quito visit the Presidential Palace, among other historical sites, and pose with the presidential guards. Cofan women

One skill we have determined to be crucial for inclusion in conservation work and advocacy, not to mention communication with government entities and national institutions is the ability to speak Spanish. Beginning in 2007, our Spanish classes for women have involved study and taking classes in Quito, including excursions into the city so the women have the chance to use the language. These classes contribute to an increase in self-esteem and empowerment, and have resulted in the improved capacity and greatly increased participation by the women in Cofán politics and overall conservation management.

Friday Foto

grey-breasted mountain toucan
grey-breasted mountain toucan

Take a peek at this photo of a grey-breasted mountain toucan enjoying a snack in the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve, one of the areas patrolled by Cofán rangers, taken by Leo, an experienced Cofán ranger (and a good photographer!). This species of toucan is found in high, humid forest and has declined due to habitat loss.

Support the Cofán rangers and their work to save beautiful birds like this toucan by donating on our website.

Friday Foto

Today's Friday Foto features one of the Cofán's greatest assets in their constant battle to keep their territories pristine and protected: the children. We know that without a strong next generation of Cofáns to take over the management of over one million acres of forest, the vast expanses of trees, rivers, plants, and animals will not survive. Cofan kidsLook at those smiles!