Ecuador’s Yasuní Biosphere Reserve: a brief modern history and conservation challenges

Abstract

Ecuador's Yasuní Man and the Biosphere Reserve-located at the intersection of the Amazon, the Andes mountains, and the equator-is home to extraordinary biodiversity and a recently contacted Amazonian indigenous group known as the Waorani (or Huaorani). Relatives of the Waorani, the Tagaeri and Taromenane, still live in voluntary isolation deep in the reserve, with no peaceful contact with the outside world. The Yasuní Biosphere Reserve also sits atop large reserves of crude oil, Ecuador's chief export, and contains an abundance of valuable timber species. This volatile combination has led to intense conflicts, and subsequently, increased international interest and concern. To make the issues confronting Yasuní more accessible to a growing audience of interested parties, we synthesized information on the biological, social, and political issues of the region, providing a concise overview of its modern history and conservation challenges. We constructed a chronology of key events in the Yasuní region over the past century and a series of maps designed to guide readers to a better understanding of the area's complicated array of overlapping designations. Main topics of analysis and discussion include: the Waorani and their ancestors living in voluntary isolation, Yasuní National Park, illegal logging, missionary impacts, oil-development-related impacts and conflicts, and the Ecuadorian government's innovative Yasuní-ITT Initiative (ITT: Ishpingo-Tiputini-Tambococha).

Local institutions, actors, and natural resource governance in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and surrounds, South Africa

“…A myriad of parks and their surrounds continue to be the traditional homelands of indigenous and local communities worldwide (Brockington et al, 2006;Holden, 2007;Finer et al, 2009;Ellis, 2010;Coe, 2013). These areas are endowed with a variety of natural resources that are crucial for local residents" livelihoods (Brockington et al, 2006;Adams and Hutton, 2007;Thondhlana et al, 2012).…”

Cultivando las plantas y la sociedad waorani

“…El clima de esta zona es de tipo tropical húmedo (según la clasificación de Köppen), la temperatura varía entre 24 y 27 °C y el nivel de humedad es de 80 a 94% (Bass et al, 2010;Finer et al, 2009). El régimen de lluvias del 2011 alcanzó 3.755 mm, los meses más secos fueron entre junio y agosto con un promedio de 169,5 mm y entre septiembre a mayo el promedio de lluvias fue de 360,7 mm (datos de la Estación Científica Jatun Sacha) (Figura 2).…”

A Iniciativa Yasuní-ITT: uma análise a partir do Modelo de Fluxos Múltiplos

“…Por exemplo, o debate sobre a atividade da Petrobrás no Bloco 31, vizinho ao PNY, teve forte impacto na atividade da empresa no país (Leroy & Malerba 2005). Todavia, de todas as empresas petrolíferas a mais ativa no debate foi a Petroecuador, negociando, por dentro das agências governamentais, a possibilidade de licenciamento da exploração do campo ITT (Espinosa 2013;Finer et al, 2009).…”