On July 19 2007 the city of Loja (the provincial capital) passed a water tax for conservation of local "watershed" forests. The municipality of Celica had already passed a similar tax. This is the first time in the history of Southern Ecuador that a conservation tax has been enacted. Other municipalities plan to follow. This is a complete turn-around from the historical emphasis on deforestation.
This pro-environment attitude did not occur overnight. The immediate basis for the action was a study undertaken by Nature and Culture International with funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Overbrook Foundation. This study found that forty percent of some watershed cloud forests had already been converted to pasture, threatening the municipal water supply and causing water shortages. Funds for land purchase to protect the watershed were provided by The Boulder Community Foundation and NCI.
However the movement towards conservation had been brewing for many years. Nature and Culture International has contributed significantly to this evolution by integrating projects of ecosystem conservation, scientific research, environmental education, and sustainable development. There was a significant milestone reached over ten years ago when Nature and Culture International established the San Francisco Scientific Station next to the Podocarpus National Park. This faculty houses a major German research program for the study of tropical mountain ecosystems that provides an opportunity for Ecuadorian students to work alongside German students. Over the years this has resulted in a growing number of Ecuadorians earning degrees in biology and ecology-related science who have filtered into professional positions in the society.
From its beginnings in the year 1997, Nature and Culture International had developed an extensive program of environmental education. We worked to establish youth organizations, ecology fairs, and the promotion of special dates such as the World Earth Day. We encouraged the use of recycled and alternative materials. We engaged in a program to educate people about the protection of natural forests and the prevention of forest fires.
Nature and Culture International did not do this alone. We have worked closely with many other organizations to help change people’s attitudes towards conservation. The current movement towards conservation is the result of ten years of work. It will help protect the world's most biodiverse ecosystems.
