Intag In Peril
Donation protected
Overview
The principle purpose of DECOIN (Defensa e Conservación Ecológica de Intag) is to conserve the Intag region in the Tropical Andes, the
most threatened and bio-diverse region in the world. Since 1995, DECOIN has been working with communities to protect 27,000 acres (12,000 hectares) of this beautiful land.
Since local drivers of deforestation come from the nearest communities, DECOIN aims to tackle the sources of deforestation such as cattle ranching, expansive agriculture, and more recently large scale mining, through a combination of measures. It works to empower and educate local communities to protect their own natural resources. Over the past 22 years, DECOIN has helped create 41 community-owned watersheds and forest reserves.
One of DECOIN's many forums on water and biodiversity
In June of 2017, DECOIN was selected as one of only fifteen recipients of the United Nations’ Development Program “Equator Initiative” award , being recognized for its innovative conservation work.
The goal of this fundraiser is to expand existing community reserves and add 23 new ones in the next five years, continue providing safe drinking water, and keep mining from destroying Intag’s social and environmental richness. To achieve this goal, DECOIN must raise $15,000. The breakdown of these funds is as follows:
$4,000 for community patrolling of their forest reserves
$3,500 for environmental education
$2,500 to continue offering legal defense to small communities
$2,000 to continue educational video production
$3,000 for administrative costs
In Detail
The Intag region lies in the Imbabura province of northwest Ecuador within the Tropical Andes; the most bio-diverse of the world’s hotspots. The region is still rich in tropical cloud forests; a unique, extremely threatened ecosystem. 90% of Ecuador’s cloud forests have already been been lost and the rate of deforestation in Ecuador is the highest in South America at 1.7%.
The principle local drivers of deforestation are unsustainable land use through agriculture expansion and illegal logging. The majority of people living in Intag are small scale subsistence farmers and ranchers with low rates of education and low incomes. Although living beside cloud forest, many have little experience of it and view the forest not as a natural resource to be protected, but as a possible source for expanding their economic activities. The rate of deforestation has greatly slowed due to DECOIN’s environmental education programs at schools and in general with the local population, as well as with the creation of community-run reserves.
External drivers of deforestation include mineral extraction, land trafficking and infrastructure development in the form of road building. Specific to this region, there is a long-term threat of copper mining, which is at advance exploratory stage. If successful, a preliminary environmental impact study suggested there would be major environmental and social impacts, including relocation of four communities, massive deforestation and contamination of rivers and streams with heavy metals, and impact to endangered species. Already, 104 species of animals threatened by extinction have been identified in the proposed mining area, including some that are already critically endangered.
Recently rediscovered Longnose Harleqiun Frog in Junin's community reserve
DECOIN is currently working to educate the local community on the real impacts of a large-scale mine. They also provide legal support to community activists fighting against the mines and create alternative sustainable economic activities, such as shade-grown coffee and community eco-tourism. Their work with local government has created policies that help protect the environment, including the risks of mining.
In the long term, DECOIN hopes to create a collective environmental awareness to defend and protect their natural environment.
To learn more about DECOIN, visit www.decoin.org or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/decoinorg
For more information on the mining threats, visit www.codelcoecuador.com
Email us at [email redacted]
The principle purpose of DECOIN (Defensa e Conservación Ecológica de Intag) is to conserve the Intag region in the Tropical Andes, the
most threatened and bio-diverse region in the world. Since 1995, DECOIN has been working with communities to protect 27,000 acres (12,000 hectares) of this beautiful land.
Since local drivers of deforestation come from the nearest communities, DECOIN aims to tackle the sources of deforestation such as cattle ranching, expansive agriculture, and more recently large scale mining, through a combination of measures. It works to empower and educate local communities to protect their own natural resources. Over the past 22 years, DECOIN has helped create 41 community-owned watersheds and forest reserves.
One of DECOIN's many forums on water and biodiversityIn June of 2017, DECOIN was selected as one of only fifteen recipients of the United Nations’ Development Program “Equator Initiative” award , being recognized for its innovative conservation work.
The goal of this fundraiser is to expand existing community reserves and add 23 new ones in the next five years, continue providing safe drinking water, and keep mining from destroying Intag’s social and environmental richness. To achieve this goal, DECOIN must raise $15,000. The breakdown of these funds is as follows:
$4,000 for community patrolling of their forest reserves
$3,500 for environmental education
$2,500 to continue offering legal defense to small communities
$2,000 to continue educational video production
$3,000 for administrative costs
In Detail
The Intag region lies in the Imbabura province of northwest Ecuador within the Tropical Andes; the most bio-diverse of the world’s hotspots. The region is still rich in tropical cloud forests; a unique, extremely threatened ecosystem. 90% of Ecuador’s cloud forests have already been been lost and the rate of deforestation in Ecuador is the highest in South America at 1.7%.
The principle local drivers of deforestation are unsustainable land use through agriculture expansion and illegal logging. The majority of people living in Intag are small scale subsistence farmers and ranchers with low rates of education and low incomes. Although living beside cloud forest, many have little experience of it and view the forest not as a natural resource to be protected, but as a possible source for expanding their economic activities. The rate of deforestation has greatly slowed due to DECOIN’s environmental education programs at schools and in general with the local population, as well as with the creation of community-run reserves.
External drivers of deforestation include mineral extraction, land trafficking and infrastructure development in the form of road building. Specific to this region, there is a long-term threat of copper mining, which is at advance exploratory stage. If successful, a preliminary environmental impact study suggested there would be major environmental and social impacts, including relocation of four communities, massive deforestation and contamination of rivers and streams with heavy metals, and impact to endangered species. Already, 104 species of animals threatened by extinction have been identified in the proposed mining area, including some that are already critically endangered.
Recently rediscovered Longnose Harleqiun Frog in Junin's community reserveDECOIN is currently working to educate the local community on the real impacts of a large-scale mine. They also provide legal support to community activists fighting against the mines and create alternative sustainable economic activities, such as shade-grown coffee and community eco-tourism. Their work with local government has created policies that help protect the environment, including the risks of mining.
In the long term, DECOIN hopes to create a collective environmental awareness to defend and protect their natural environment.
To learn more about DECOIN, visit www.decoin.org or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/decoinorg
For more information on the mining threats, visit www.codelcoecuador.com
Email us at [email redacted]
Organizer and beneficiary
Carlos Zorrilla
Organizer
Anna Learis
Beneficiary
