Who we are

Zanja Arajuno Ecological Center

We are an Andean-Amazonian family that through self-management takes care of a portion of the planet to show that a more balanced life is possible, in respect and harmony with nature through community participation.

Zanja Arajuno is an ecological center that works 100% by self-management in research, volunteering and environmental education, formed by a multidisciplinary group of professionals linked to the conservation of the Amazon.

This is a 52-hectare private ecological reserve located in the upper Amazon.

Why is it important?

Of all the provinces in the Ecuadorian Amazon region, the provinces of Orellana and Pastaza are among the most biologically diverse in the world. In these eastern tropical forests there are about 150 species of amphibians, some of which are in danger of extinction.

A special feature of the site is that it is geographically located in the buffer strip that connects with the OGLAN ecological corridor (coming from the Arajuno mountainous area), which is ecologically important in biological and scientific terms due to the diversity of ecosystems it possesses, mainly because of the water sources that surround it. Zanja Arajuno has an evergreen piedmont forest that is home to species unique to the region. Such is the case of remnant populations of the frothy harlequin amphibian Atelopus spumarius, a species that has been recorded and investigated for several years in Zanja Arajuno by biologist Diego Acosta. This species is considered a biological indicator and it is evident that these populations are at serious risk of extinction due to the destruction of their habitats.

Pastaza is home to 7 of the 11 indigenous peoples and nationalities of Ecuador, which provides a unique cultural richness and diversity in the Amazon region. The relationship with the Mariscal Sucre Community has favored the expansion of territorial zones with possibilities for eco-tourism intervention.