Ecuador: Condor Bioreserve Fees from Water Users in Quito Flowing to River Stewardship Projects
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South America Conservation Region: Northern Tropical Andes Ecuador: Condor Bioreserve Fees From Water Users in Quito Flowing to River Stewardship Projects Ecuador’s 18,871-foot Antisana Volcano last erupted in 1802. Its glacier-covered peak is part of the Condor Bioreserve’s Antisana Ecological Reserve, a major water source for Quito. ©TNC o say Quito is a thirsty city is an understate- In 2000, the Conservancy teamed up with the U.S. ment. Every month, residents and businesses Agency for International Development and in-country T of Ecuador’s capital city drink and wash with partners to create a Quito-based water conservation fund. about 4.5 billion gallons of water. That’s enough to fill The aim is to collect payments from water users and almost 15,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. channel the money to watershed protection. The fund With people from the countryside steadily migrating to goes by FONAG, a Spanish acronym for Fundación para the metropolitan region of 1.5 million, that use isn’t expect- la Conservación del Agua. ed to drop anytime soon. Such an escalating need spurred A 1999 change in Ecuadorian law allowed for the cre- The Nature Conservancy to study the effect of this seem- ation of FONAG because the legislation opened the door ingly unquenchable thirst on the source—the rivers of the for government organizations such as utilities to invest in mountainous Condor Bioreserve that flow west toward private financial mechanisms. An independent financial Quito. The 4.8 million-acre bioreserve, made up of six manager and a board of governors oversee FONAG. protected areas, is some 37 miles east of Quito. It is The Conservancy donated the initial $1,000 and invited named after Ecuador’s national icon—despite the fact major water users to the table. Regular contributions that only about 80 condors are left in the entire country. from the local water company, electric company and the the Central Valley. Studies show that about 80 percent of Quito’s water comes from protected areas. The rest comes from freshwater springs near the city. More Watershed Protection To put more of its money where its mouth is, the Conservancy is dedicating $55,000 of U.S. AID funds over a two-year period to watershed conservation. Quito’s water and electric companies and the breweries are matching that amount. That means, initially, $110,000 will be avail- able for conservation work in up to four watersheds in the Ecuador’s capital city of Quito relies on the rivers flowing from the Condor Bioreserve for 80 percent of its water. © TNC Condor. Choices include the Antisana in the Antisana Reserve and the Oyacachi, Papallacta and Quijos in Cayambe-Coca Reserve. National Brewery have boosted the fund to $1.4 million. FONAG’s open governance structure encourages broad- Before FONAG was created, Conservancy partner based stakeholder participation. But payments are volun- Fundación Antisana studied the Condor Bioreserve and tary so success depends on willingness to pay. That’s why made recommendations about how money from the fund anybody making payments to FONAG can join the board could be spent to protect watersheds. Suggestions included: individually or elect a representative, as is the case with a small irrigation water user group. ❖ Researching the hydrology of the reserve to fully under- The goal with FONAG is to generate at least $350,000 stand the effect of pipelines and dams. For instance, in interest annually to pay for water conservation projects. Cayambe-Coca and Antisana, both ecological reserves Interest from the fund is used for conservation measures within the Condor, are made up of high-altitude Andean to preserve rivers flowing from the mountains of the Condor grasslands and cloud forests, which retain humidity and Bioreserve. For instance, the Conservancy and its partners regulate water flows. As snows from glaciers in are ironing out a master plan for the Antisana watershed. Cayambe-Coca, Antisana and Cotopaxi melt, the water Its aim is to reduce overgrazing and burning of croplands is slowly released from soil and vegetation and feeds and pastures, both of which cause erosion that pollutes rivers, lakes and various wetlands. and degrades water sources. The same kinds of efforts are ❖ being coordinated in the communities of Oyacachi and Compensating the original landowners for their loss of Papallacta, both in Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve. title when the government’s Ministry of Environment Right now, the catch is that this trust fund money can created the Condor Bioreserve. Continuing conflicts be spent only on two of the Condor’s 28 watersheds, the mean those people need to be reimbursed somehow. Oyacachi in the Cayambe Coca Reserve and the Antisana For instance, if their land was put into a conservation in the Antisana Reserve. Why? Because they are deemed easement, it would encourage farming practices that most critical to Quito’s water needs. But growing con- would protect watersheds. sumption, expected to increase 50 percent by 2025, means ❖ Hiring park guards and coordinating environmental the water company is seeking other sources within protect- workshops to teach improved farming practices that ed areas. The South American continental divide cuts would prevent erosion and pollution by controlling through Cayambe Coca Reserve. Rivers to the west flow illegal logging, hunting, fishing, burning of grasslands, to the Pacific, while rivers to the east drain to the Atlantic. overgrazing and trash disposal. The Conservancy’s goal is to raise significant amounts of money from private donors to add to the $1.4 million water conservation fund. That way, money would be available for contact information conservation work in more than just those two watersheds. Anna Gibson As Quito continues to sprawl throughout its high Andean South America Conservation Region valley, the water and electric companies continue to plan 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100 more pipelines, dams and hydroelectric projects. Arlington, Virginia 22203-1606 Besides being used for drinking and generating elec- phone: (703) 841-4109 email: [email protected] tricity, river water sustains trout farms and irrigates nature.org crops, especially the burgeoning cut flower industry in 09/04.