The Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE) officially declared the Machay Wildlife Refuge (RVS) as part of the private sub-system of the National System of Protected Areas of Ecuador. This new RVS is located in the parishes of Río Verde and Río Negro, in the Baños de Agua Santa canton, Tungurahua province, and covers an area of 1,164.898 hectares. The forests in this conservation area protect countless plant species, about 17 species of amphibians, 27 species of mammals, and around 98 species of birds, including a significant number of endemic and threatened species, many of which are new to science.
The declaration of the Machay Wildlife Refuge represents a strategic step forward in the efforts to conserve cloud forests and contributes to effective connectivity between Llanganates and Sangay National Parks, as well as to the network of reserves of the EcoMinga Foundation—specifically between the Cerro Candelaria Wildlife Refuge and the Naturetrek Reserve. It also strengthens the collaborative work with conservation partners in the Llanganates-Sangay Connectivity Corridor, with whom biodiversity conservation actions are implemented and sustainable use in the region is promoted.
The declaration of the Machay Wildlife Refuge consolidates long-term conservation strategies, improves the technical management of the area, and enhances financial sustainability mechanisms. Additionally, Machay contributes to national targets, particularly the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
To mark this milestone, the EcoMinga Foundation and MAATE, with support from the Conserva Aves Initiative, held an official event to celebrate the new Machay Wildlife Refuge and pay tribute to the park rangers and forest guardians of the area, recognizing their essential role in conservation, monitoring, and environmental education. Their daily commitment is key to ensuring the sustainability and resilience of ecosystems in the territory.
Conserva Aves Initiative
This new refuge was established under the framework of the Conserva Aves Initiative, led by American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC). In Ecuador, it is implemented by the Sustainable Environmental Investment Fund (FIAS) and Fundación Aves y Conservación, in collaboration with the EcoMinga Foundation – Network for the Protection of Threatened Forests. It is also supported by the Bezos Earth Fund.
Conserva Aves is an initiative that supports Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant communities, NGOs, and grassroots organizations in the creation, expansion, management, and sustainability of subnational protected areas in key sites for birds (e.g., Key Biodiversity Areas – KBAs) across Latin America and the Caribbean.
EcoMinga Foundation – Network for the Protection of Threatened Forests
EcoMinga is a nonprofit Ecuadorian NGO dedicated to protecting areas of high endemism and biological diversity through the creation of a system of private protected reserves focused on conserving globally threatened species.
Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE)
MAATE’s mission is to ensure the quality, conservation, and sustainability of natural resources through effective governance, planning, regulation, oversight, coordination, and environmental and water resource management, with the participation of public, private, and community organizations and citizens, guided by the principles of respect, integrity, responsibility, and transparency.
With this declaration, Ecuador reaffirms its commitment to biodiversity, strengthening partnerships to protect the country’s strategic ecosystems.
