The Archidona canton has taken a significant step in the management and conservation of its natural heritage with the approval of the ordinance that creates the Guacamayos – Inchillaqui Area of Conservation and Sustainable Use (ACUS)—an initiative that protects key ecosystems, safeguards water resources, and promotes responsible land use.
The creation of this ACUS represents a milestone for the canton’s environmental management and reinforces the commitment of local authorities to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
A Territory of Life for Biodiversity
The Guacamayos – Inchillaqui ACUS is located in a transition zone between Andean and Amazonian ecosystems, giving it high biological and ecological richness.
The montane and foothill forests found in this area play a fundamental role in protecting springs, rivers, and streams that supply water to communities and ecosystems downstream.
As part of the studies carried out in the territory, 249 bird species were recorded through monitoring conducted in the Munay Suyu, Wayra, and Wambula sectors by their communities, confirming the area’s importance for regional biodiversity conservation.
A Process Driven from the Territory
The creation of the ACUS is the result of a technical and institutional process led by the Municipal Decentralized Autonomous Government (GAD) of Archidona, with technical support from BYOS Soluciones Ambientales.
This process also received support from Conserva Aves, a regional initiative led by American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC), which promotes the creation and strengthening of conservation areas led by communities and local governments along bird migratory routes across Latin America.
In Ecuador, implementation is carried out by Aves y Conservación and the Sustainable Environmental Investment Fund (FIAS), with the valuable support of the Bezos Earth Fund.
Thanks to this support, it was possible to strengthen technical studies, conduct biodiversity monitoring, and promote training and awareness activities in the territory.
From Technical Work to the Approval of the Ordinance
The process included the collection and analysis of environmental and territorial information, the delineation of the conservation area, and the development of field activities aimed at documenting the biodiversity present in the territory.
Subsequently, the proposal was reviewed by the technical units of the Municipal GAD of Archidona and analyzed by the Environment, Tourism, and Production Commission of the Municipal Council.
Finally, on March 4, 2026, the Municipal Council approved the ordinance that formalizes the creation of the Guacamayos – Inchillaqui Area of Conservation and Sustainable Use, consolidating this territory as a new conservation area at the local level.
