Buenaventura

This reserve is managed by Fundación Jocotoco; it is located in an area of low-altitude cloud forest in south-western Ecuador. The avifauna is one of the richest in the country, with 41 bird species of conservation concern. Buenaventura is the only protected area with a population of the endangered El Oro Parakeet Aratinga orcesii.  There are also large numbers of endemic and endangered plant species present.

 

Very little of this habitat remains intact and 20 years ago Buenaventura itself was reduced to isolated forest patches among pasture. The reserve has been created by buying parcels of land and restoring their forest cover, with a target size of 4,000 ha – sufficient to support a viable parakeet population. So far some 1,200 ha has been secured. The World Land Trust restoration ecology programme is contributing to the effort both through the Scottish and Southern Energy tree-planting and the Carbon Balanced work.

There are two carbon sequestration sites at Buenaventura:

• The first Carbon Balanced project was established here in 2005. It involved the purchase of a 10 ha extension to the reserve, taking it down-slope and so incorporating slightly dryer habitat with its distinctive avifauna. The grazing land was then planted up with a range of native species. Over the 20 year project duration this will result in the sequestration of an estimated 1,420 tonnes of CO2. Ongoing work involves monitoring at 5-7 year intervals to check actual carbon stocking against the initial estimates.
• In 2007, the Carbon Balanced programme was then instrumental in driving forward the purchase of the 45ha Rodas Property at Buenaventura. With the backing of funds from Carbon Balanced supporters, the World Land Trust was able to commit to this acquisition, made by FundaciÓn Jocotoco. Originally intended to form the site of a new Carbon Balanced project, the land parcel was eventually acquired using the World Land Trust Ecuador Fund. More details of the rich array of species supported at the site can be found on the World Land Trust Ecuador Projects site.
  
  The contributions originally intended to fund carbon sequestration at the Rodas land parcel are now allocated to the exciting new Carbon Balanced project at Rio Canandé. Please visit the new Rio Canandé project page for further information. The World Land Trust thanks its supporters for their invaluable funding support that has not only guaranteed the preservation of the Rodas property, but also helped in establishing the new Rio Canandé project.

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Reserve Map