'1 81 5 North Lynn Street The Arlington, Virginia 22209 Nature (703)841 -4860 Conservancy Fax: (703)841-4880 A Fax: (703) 841-1283 Latin America Progmn PARKS IN PERIL, SECOND YEAR EVALUATION 1992 USAID/The Nature Conservancy COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT #LAC 0782-A-00-047-00 October 19, 1992 Submitted by: Latin America Division Recycled Paper THE NATURE CONSERVANCY LATIN AMERICA DIVISION PARKS IN PERIL PROGRAM PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK EVALUATION REPORT Hugo Arnal ARLINGTON - VIRGINLA 1992 I- ~TICOITUCTION.- . , 6. Podocarpus National Park is the newest protected area in Ecuador as it was established in 1982. The park is located in the southern region of the country, near the Peruvian border. Politically, it's-situated in the provinces of Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe. Covering an area of a little more than 146,000 hectares, this park protects the headwaters of four important basins: Catamayo, Chinchipe, Zamora and Nangaritza. The altitudinal range of the park lies between 1,000 and 3,500 meters above sea level (mad) with a vegetation that includes different types of wet communities: Premontane wet forest, lower montane wet forest, montane rain forest (cloud forest) and montane moist forest. Less important dry vegetation types are found in the western lower slopes in areas of rain shadow. The fauna of the park is poorly known and only very, conspicuous species have been registered: mountain deer, mountain tapir, spectacle bear, cougar, Andean cock-of-the-rock, trogons, toucans, parrots, among others. The park holds a small population of campesinos and indigenous people in its periphery and a floating variable population of miners in its core. The campesinos groups are distributed in the northern sector near the rivers Sabanilla, Romerillo and Bombuscaro, in the eastern slopes and in the southern sector of Loyola and Numbala. The campesinos aren't located within the park limits but their landholdings occupy part of the area. The campesino economy is based on the traditional land occupation, the "Finca". Extension of these small farms varies from 4 to 10 hectares in sectors with subsistence farming and up to 200 hectares in sectors supporting livestock grazing. The indigenous community belongs to the Shuars Family. They occupy the eastern flank of the park, near the middle Nangaritza River. These group depend upon the park resources for their living, mainly through hunting and gathering. Miners and their associated activities represent the most serious threat to the park. Most of the park area has been granted in mining concessions. At least three companies have formal agreements with the Ecuadorian Government and one of them is firmly established in the San Luis zone. There have been recorded up to five hundred mine workers in this sector. In other zones, like in upper Sabanilla River, small groups of miners work illegally. Other threats to the park are the opening of a new road connecting the villages of Zamora and Valladolid, the construction of a big tunnel for water transportation toward Loja, poaching and gathering of rare and/or endangered species (particularly orchids and cascarilla), potential invasion by squatters, lack of personnel and budget and the nullification of its park status. The master plan for this area was written in 1982. Since then it has not been reviewed. To date, there is no topographic map of this park at a proper scale. The official map was drawn before the creation decree, using an hydrologic base chart without altitude lines. It's very imprecise. In the map, the park does not have a polygon with vertexes defined by accurate coordinates. Many names that appear in the map are not known in the park area. As a result, a new map is urgently needed; this is another reason for the study on border design that will be mentioned below. Podocarpus' Report, Page 1 '1 d itr '4 Thele is not a specific legislative instrument to reinforce the protection of this park. Borders have not been demarcated and the number of posts or guards houses is very limited. Because there is no specific scientific research program for the park, a formal list of conflicts or threats has not been elaborated. It's evident that gold mining is the main threat but perhaps many others are waiting for identification. The same situation occurs for monitoring activities, as it will be explained later. There is no official monitoring program for the park resources. To plan the month or week activities, the park personnel do not have regular meetings. The visit frequency of the manager to remotely located Park Guards is very low and much lower still are the visits of representatives from the central office in Quito. Strategic planning for the park is poor and it seems that MAG works responding to emergency situations. Park Guards are not well equipped. Supplies traditionally came late and the quality has not been the best for the regional weather. A remarkable point to mention is the excellent relationship between the Superintendent and the Park Guards. He gives a very strong moral support to his personnel. To evaluate the progress of the annual work plan in Podocarpus National Park as well as the general impact of the Parks in Peril Project, a visit to the area was conducted from June 21 to 25, by a team including the following persons: - Mr. Ron Ruybal, Environmental Officer, USAID - Quito - Mr. Fausto Maldonado, USAID - Quito - Prof. Luis Suirez, ECOCIENCIA - Lic. Luis ZGiga, Fundacidn Natura - Paulina Arroyo, Fundaci6n Natura - Lic. Char Guenero, Fundacidn Ecoldgica Arcoiris - Ing. Yolanda Celleri, MAG - Ing. For. Santos Caldercin, MAG - Biologist Hugo Arnal, TNC Before the field trip, Hugo Arnal met with Fundacicin Maquipucuna, the National Park System Director, Dr. Sergio Figueroa, and other NGOs and GOs in Quito that have been involved with the park. Also, a meeting was held with the Administrative Director of Fundacidn Natura (FN), Mr. CCsar Chevasco, who manages the PIP local fund. As the work plan for this park was officially approved by USAID-Quito by the beginning of April, AID funds arrived in Ecuador a few days before the evaluation. This means that the evaluation will inevitably reflect a delay in the implementation of the work plan. Two additional factors contributed in a minor degree to that lag. First, Biologist Cecilia Pacheco, formerly FN Conservation Officer for this park, was replaced by Biologist Paulina Arroyo as she left for her postgraduate studies. Second, the inner administrative processes of FN and MAG. Podocarpus' Report, Page 2 II- TECHNTCAL ASPECTS . , -,. 7% 4 i - - Achievements *. Ti According to the 1992 work plan, FN should contract 5 Park Guards and the Superintendent Assistant. To date, only the Superintendent Assistant is hired. His name is Forester Eduardo Calva. Mr. Calva has been living in Zamora and working in the adjacent park area since last March. According to the Park Guards and other government employees, he is doing a very good job and is very enthusiastic about his responsibilities. He seems to have a proper relationship with the peasants (campesinos) and locals. This is the first time a professional has been visiting the park most of the days. The personnel that remain to be contracted, five Park Guards, have submitted their curricula to MAG. We can expect those new guards to start working soon. Training activities directed to the communities have not started as the funds to support this part of the work plan came late from AID-PIP. Additionally, FN is waiting for the results of a study on "Conservation Curricula" to design the content and the program of the workshops. However, FN has recently exhibited a film about Podocarpus National Park for the public of Loja. The Governor of Zamora, the evaluation team and many local authorities from Loja and Zamora were present at the exhibition. FN developed a two days Wilderness Interpretation Workshop for the Park Guards with the help of a Peace Corp volunteer and Fundacidn Ecol6gica Arcoiris (FEA). This event was completed at the Cajanuma Visitors Center. Two Interpretative Trails have been designed and constructed by a Peace Corp volunteer with help from FN and FEA. One of the trails is designed for children while the other is long and steep, more proper for adults. Thanks to the support provided by TNC, Fundacidn Ecol6gica Arcoiris carries out an intense Environmental Education Program for scholars. Almost weekly, during the academic period, groups of students from Loja visit Cajanuma. ECOCIENCIA, from Ecuador, and Wildlife Conservation International are supplying FEA with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. This is the most important equipment for working in that remote area. In addition to the above mentioned program, TNC has granted US$ 12,750 to FEA for improvements to the Visitors Center and trails in Cajanuma. This activity is considered a high priority due to the increasing local demand for recreation and education. More than a recreative investment, this contribution must be considered because of its protective significance. The artistic work for the exhibitions is being developed by professionals of the local university. The evaluator had the opportunity to examine part of this work. Additional US$ 3,000.00 were provided to FN for improvements to the guards house. New field equipment for the park personnel has been partially bought by FN with funds coming from the debt swap. The equipment will be given to the central offices of MAG in Quito. However, it's not clear when the equipment will arrive to the final users: the Park Guards. Other field equipment for the guards, provided by FN months ago, is still in the Podocarpus' Report, Page 3 office of Zamora. The furniture for the Romerillos Altos post is also stored in this same place.