Joint promotion of Sumaco eco-route with Ecuadorian Environment Ministry and CORPEI

(Quito, March 26, 2010).- The presentation of the Guide to the Sumaco Eco-Route took place in the city of Quito in the presence of Environment Vice Minister Guido Mosquera. The guide aims to stimulate eco-tourism in the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve (RSB) given the region’s rich fauna and flora. Over 6,000 plant species and 330 species of birdlife have been reported.

The Guide to the Sumaco Eco-Route was developed by CAF through the BioCAF Program with the support of the Ecuadorian Environment Ministry and the National Biotrade Program of the Export and Investment Promotion Corporation (CORPEI), with specialized technical assistance from the Geology, Volcanology and Geodynamics Center of San Francisco University. The publication, which is targeted at local and foreign visitors, aims to promote conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems, natural resources and biodiversity through environmentally sustainable practices.

CAF director-representative in Ecuador Hermann Krützfeldt said the objective of the CAF Environmental Strategy was to reaffirm and strengthen the institution’s commitment to the environment by supporting conservation and sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystems in shareholder countries. The priority for the multilateral organization is to stimulate ecotourism activities, an example being CAF’s interest in the RSB eco-route as a way of strengthening initiatives developed by local communities which play an important role in the provision of tourism and environmental services, he added.

The Sumaco Biosphere Reserve located on the eastern slopes of the Andes has a total area of 996,436 hectares and covers parts of Napo, Orellana and Sucumbíos provinces. Its route of approximately 220 km crosses several climatic zones and plant formations, ranging from paramos (high plateau) to piedmont forest. This ecological variety has contributed to the high level of biodiversity along the route because each climatic zone has its own set of species.

The guide describes the eco-route Quito, Papallacta, Baeza, Hollín, Guagua Sumaco and Pacto Sumaco, along with information on the Sumaco Napo Galeras National Park which includes the summit of Sumaco volcano. The publication will be distributed by CORPEI and the Environment and Tourism ministries to tourism operators in Napo province, travel agencies in the country's main cities, and in national and foreign tourism forums, among others.