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Fundación Jocotoco has just inaugurated its seventh habitat reserve by purchasing about a two square mile area of high quality deciduous forest in the Tumbesian region of south west Ecuador. This has been made possible by donations received from its UK Partner, the World Land Trust, and the American Bird Conservancy (with an especially generous donor) and the Western Alliance for Nature (WAN) Foundation in the US.
The new reserve is at Jorupe, a few km north east of the town of Macara which is near the Ecuador/Peru border. It supports many endemic and rare species of plants and animals, including populations of numerous globally threatened birds, such as the Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaner. This location has convenient access for educational purposes and for visitors. It is also quite close to the existing Jocotoco reserve at Utuana, as can be seen in the map below.
Location of Jorupe and Utuana reserves (highlighted in yellow).
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The Tumbesian forest, - a dry habitat type which extends from south west Ecuador into northern Peru, is dominated by statuesque Ceiba trees. It is a conservation priority because much of it is already cleared or badly degraded. The 'Artists for Nature' Foundation visited this region last year and has now published the book "Treasures of the Forgotten Forest". This was featured in BBC Wildlife Magazine (August 2004) and at the British Birdwatching Fair 2004. Some of the paintings featured were done in what is now the Jorupe Reserve.
The Jocotoco Foundation is a member of "Bosques sin Fronteras" which is a consortium of NGOs from southern Ecuador and northern Peru working to improve conservation in the Tumbesian region.
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Read about Fundación Jocotoco's other reserves in Ecuador
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