With the support of Conserva Aves and other partners and donors, the Mashpi Amagusa Reserve was able to expand its area through the purchase of 39 hectares of land, allowing for greater connectivity and protection of biodiversity in the Andean Chocó.
Credit: Mashpi Amagusa Reserve
Photograph of the Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, located in the western foothills of the Ecuadorian Andes.
With the support of Conserva Aves and other partners and donors, the Mashpi Amagusa Reserve was able to expand its area through the purchase of 39 hectares of land, allowing for greater connectivity and protection of biodiversity in the Andean Chocó.
Conserva Aves is a regional Initiative to create and expand subnational protected areas in Latin America. It is led by the American Bird Conservancy, the National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, and the Network of Environmental Funds in Latin America and the Caribbean (RedLAC).
The reserve is located in Mashpi Pachijal, an Important Bird Area located in the northwestern part of the province of Pichincha in Ecuador. This area has an extension of 37,070 hectares, which includes important extensions of the montane forests of the Chocó biogeographic region, standing out in a landscape of high agricultural production.
Within this key area for birds, there is a private reserve of 82 hectares called “Mashpi Amagusa”, which aims to protect the habitat of more than 500 species of resident and migratory birds that take refuge there. Managed by Sergio Basantes and Doris Villalba, Mashpi Amagusa is home to endangered species such as the Orton’s Guan and the Purple-legged Partridge Pigeon, as well as endangered species such as the Chocó Guan and the Bullfrog.
The word mashi in Kichwa means friend. And the word pi in Tsafiki means water. Together, they form the word mashpi. The word amagusa comes from two Spanish words, ama which means love and gozar, a verb often used to describe the love one feels for nature, to enjoy nature.
Conserva Aves, through the American Bird Conservancy, has also supported the reserve’s capacity building, including the design and launch of a website to position the reserve and promote its environmental, social and financial sustainability through services that raise awareness among tourists, including tours for birdwatchers, photographers and other nature lovers.
“When you visit Mashpi Amagusa, we want you to make lifelong friends with the birds and love nature”. Sergio Basantes and Doris Villalba, founders of the Mashpi Amagusa Reserve. To learn more about Mashpi Amagusa, please visit https://mashpi-amagusa.com/
Currently in the tropical Andes, the Initiative is supported by a $12 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund and is accelerating its efforts to contribute to the ambitious 30×30 goal of protecting 30% of the planet’s marine and terrestrial areas by 2030.