About the Threat
HABITAT FRAGMENTATION AND Deforestation
This pristine primary cloudforest is being divided into separate land parcels for sale, which are quickly being snapped up — more than a third of the original forest has been sold since early 2024! Without immediate intervention, the remaining 90 hectares (ha) of forest could be subdivided this year and sold off, leading to significant habitat degradation and changes along any new boundaries between land parcels (edge effects).
If the remaining forest is sold to developers, the biodiversity of the area, which includes more than ten threatened species, would be severely impacted. This is true even if only parts of it are sold to developers: in particular, if a parcel of land at the farthest end of the forest is bought by a developer, they would likely demand an access road be built that would cut through all sections of the forest — including those currently protected. Once a road exists, habitat degradation is inevitable.
This is already an extremely fragile ecosystem, supporting very high biodiversity within a relatively small area. Many amphibian and bird species here have limited ranges and are highly specialized, meaning they depend on very specific environmental conditions and cannot easily adapt or relocate when those conditions change.
The development of this land would also sever a critical ecological corridor between existing protected plots, further isolating wildlife and threatening their long-term survival. The land available for purchase is adjacent to the Mindo-Nambillo Cloudforest Reserve, as well as 30 ha of forest already protected by TiME’s partner Nuestra Tierra Aldea Creativa. It is therefore a critical part of a larger ecological corridor that allows for the movement of wildlife between protected areas.
Why Vote for This Habitat
About this land
Purchasing this untouched primary forest would protect this irreplaceable habitat for numerous threatened species before it is permanently altered. The land is located in Ecuador’s Chocó Andino Cloudforest, a globally recognized Key Biodiversity Area. This land purchase would extend an area already under the protection of NTCA, preventing further habitat fragmentation and maintaining connectivity for wildlife.
These species have all been directly observed on the land:
- Critically Endangered Ecuadorian White-fronted Capuchin (Cebus aequatorialis)
- Endangered Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori)
- Endangered Darwin Wallace Poison Frog (Epipedobates darwinwallacei)
- Vulnerable Pinocchio Rain Frog (Pristimantis appendiculatus)
- Vulnerable Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus)
- Vulnerable Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)
- Vulnerable Andean Wax Palm (Ceroxylon echinulatum)
- Near Threatened Olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina) — discovered as recently as 2013!
- Near Threatened Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens)
- Near Threatened Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan (Andigena laminirostris)
The land to be purchased is essentially its own gorge with a small river, Río Roberto, running through it. Protecting this habitat would also preserve the water supply for communities downriver and ensure that the forest can continue to act as a natural carbon sink, removing carbon emissions from the atmosphere and helping to reduce global warming.
- Backed by: Scientific advisory committee
Cost of Land Purchase
Total Amount requested
$105,000 USMinimum purchase
$40,000 USSize of suggested purchased land of this application
50.0 haMinimum size that can be purchased
20.0 haLocal Partner NGO
Nuestra Tierra Aldea Creativa (NTAC)
Nuestra Tierra Aldea Creativa (NTAC) is committed to conserving the biodiversity of the Choco Andino Cloudforest through an integrated approach that recognizes the profound connection between human and ecological wellbeing.
Registration status at the national level
Fundación (NGO) in Ecuador, RUC: 1793220395001
Governance and management structure
There are four directors responsible for strategic decision-making, fundraising, operational oversight, and day-to-day management. Three advisors provide strategic guidance and fundraising support.
Conservation Plans
The long-term conservation plan focuses on permanent protection, active management, and research. Following the planned purchase, the land will be formally registered as a protected area — Servidumbre Ecológica (Ecological Easement). This will be followed by a comprehensive management plan, including the installation of signage and boundary demarcation. Our team will hire one ranger to monitor the land and patrol for illegal activities/entry. We are also exploring options to use new acoustic technology to help monitor the forest.
The land will serve as a permanent base for academic research and citizen science. We are partnering with international and local researchers to study its biodiversity, and have begun engaging the local community through workshops and citizen-science initiatives to promote conservation.