Yanacocha

Yanacocha is only 15 km from the Ecuadorian capital of Quito, on the slopes of the volcano overlooking the town. At 3,500 m altitude it is the highest WLT carbon sequestration site in the upper montane forest zone.

 

The reason for working here is its importance for biodiversity and, being so close to Quito, its value for environmental education. Most of the known population of the Black-breasted Puffleg, Eudocnemis nigrivestris, a critically endangered hummingbird, is found in this reserve. Another seven bird species are of conservation concern and both Puma and Spectacled Bear have been recorded. The reserve carries an exceptional montane flora while the Polylepis forest is considered an endangered habitat, critically reduced by fires and wood-cutting. The area is in one the main watersheds supplying water to the city. The Black-breasted Puffleg is the official emblem of Quito and the reserve is a city heritage site.

 

The area itself covers 27 ha, including 6 ha of forest bought with the parcel but protected by a ravine, and thus excluded from calculations. Some eleven hectares are open pasture and are being replanted with a mix of native species, including Polylepis incana. The remainder is degraded woodland that is now protected and being allowed to recover, assisted by some enrichment planting. Despite the altitude, the carbon sequestration potential is good. The reforestation gives some 4,200 ‘Kyoto compliant’ offsets, and the forest rehabilitation will absorb another 5,000 ‘Kyoto non-compliant’ tonnes of atmospheric CO2.

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Reserve Map