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OMERE WIKI is an Ecuadorian based environmental group currently seeking status as a Foundation.
In this proposal funding is solicited for the initial stages of the El Chaco Project. This is the establishment of a tree nursery for reforestation of the 15 hectares which currently comprise the reserve, the employment of a permanent warden who will maintain the tree nursery and carry out the reforestation work. The nursery will be producing plantable trees in about a year after it has been established. However a portion of the reserve is suffering from soil erosion and requires immediate reforestation. We thus also seek funding for the purchase and planting of tree seedlings.
The longer term aims of the project, which are to preserve and reforest the entire El Chaco valley, an area of about 100 hectares, are also outlined.
3 HISTORY
4 CLIMATE
Weather records began in May 1997. During this month minimum temperatures ranged from 10.5 to 15 C and maximum temperatures from 15 to 22.5 C. The rainfall for May was 83mm. Rain falls throughout the year except for a dry season from June to September. Morning mists, even during dry spells, would indicate that cloudforest vegetation may have previously existed on the now deforested higher slopes.
Only preliminary studies have been carried out to date, and most of this section is based on casual sightings. It is however intended to circulate updates to the species lists given below as further studies are carried out. We hope that in circulating this proposal, biologists will be stimulated to visit the reserve.
5.1 MAMMALS
Among the mammals rabbits (Sylvivagus brasiliensis) and Paramo fox are frequently seen in the area. There is also an unsubstantiated report of an ocelot with cubs seen five years ago.
5.2 BIRDS
The open areas of the valley sides support relatively few bird species which include Great Thrush, Rufus Crowned Sparrow and Eared Dove. However to judge from the calls heard, a rich bird fauna exists in the forest of the ravines and valley bottom. Most of this bird fauna remains unstudied but many of the calls heard are recognised as those inhabiting the forested Mazan reserve, near Cuenca. Of considerable interest was that Andean Condors are occasionally sighted in the valley. In September 1996, an immature individual was observed to alight briefly on the slope of the north east corner of the lower property and from July to August 1997 an adult individual was regularly sighted. As is usual for montane forest and sub-paramo habitats, there are many species of hummingbirds present. Also of considerable interest is that the Unicolored Tapaculo is present in El Chaco. This species occurs on the Western and Amazonian slopes of the Andes, and this may prove to be the first record from the Inter-Andean Valley. Croton seeds form a principal food source for the endangered Yellow Cheeked Parrot. According to ornithologist Francisco Sornoza, who is currently studying this species, the Croton trees of El Chaco would support a flock of this migratory species for about a month. This species occurs on the western slopes of the Andes, but it is not known yet if flocks visit El Chaco.
LIST OF BIRDS RECORDED FROM EL CHACO
Suprisingly no Gastrotheca have been heard calling, although it is likely that this species may exist higher up in the valley. Species of Colostethus and Atelopus may have inhabited the valley previously, but these species have become extinct or rare throughout the Andes in recent years. Nevertheless they should be looked for in the forest patches higher in the valley.
5.4 FLORA
The vegetation consists of forest and scrubland in the ravines and in the valley bottom, while the valley sides are largely deforested and consist of a species poor grassland. Higher up in the valley however more extensive areas of scrub and forest extend up the valley sides. The limited studies carried out to date suggest that the fauna and flora of El Chaco may prove to be distinct from nearby reserves such as Pasachoa. El Chaco is at a relatively low altitude compared to other protected Andean forest remnants and thus may represent a habitat class which is even more endangered. The most notable feature of the El Chaco forest is the presence of a species of Sangre de Drago tree (Croton sp.) (Plate 1 d). Sangre de Drago is known from the Oriente (the Ecuadorian Amazon) and from the western slopes of the Andes. However there were no previous records from the Inter Andean Valley. The El Chaco Croton resembles the species which grows on the Pacific slopes of the Andes, although it is possible that it may prove to be an undescribed species. Sangre de Drago produces a red latex which has medicinal properties, and products are currently undergoing medical trials in the USA.
Probably the greater part of the forest is secondary in origin, to judge from the relatively small size of the trees. The dominant tree in the higher and more humid reaches of the valley is Croton. Large trees, and remnants of the original primary forest, however occur on the more inaccessible slopes in the upper reaches of the valley.
The ravine in the valley bottom is virtually unexplored, being only accessible in a few places. Due to inaccessibility, the flora has probably been little affected by human activity. Being perpetually humid, the ravine has a rich flora of mosses, ferns and gesneriads, and the trees are hung with mosses, lichens, ferns and bromeliads. Lower in the valley there are many bare rocky cliffs. These are clothed with lithophytic vegetation such as the bromeliads Pitcairnia and Tillandsia and the orchids: Pleurothallis and Epidendrum. The list of plant species given below is very preliminary and is based on photographs identified in the National Herbarium, Quito.
LIST OF PLANTS RECORDED FROM EL CHACO
The environmental change due to human activity varies along the length of the valley, being great near the valley mouth, and considerably less at the head of the valley. The lower reaches of the valley have been deforested for a long time, probably many centuries, and are devoid of natural vegetation. In this zone the soils are badly eroded, the topsoil on the valley sides has been lost, revealing a compact nutrient poor clay. Erosion in this zone has been compounded because some of the property owners have sold topsoil by the truckload to nearby brickworks.
Further up the valley, at the commencement of the lower property, soil erosion has been much less, the underlying clay is exposed only in a small area on the slope in the north western corner of the lower property. Nevertheless soil erosion remains a problem, during heavy rains landslides are frequently observed on the deforested valley sides. Erosion is occurring on the slope at the southern end of the lower property, this area is in need of immediate reforestation and is discussed in more detail below. Travelling further up the valley the climate becomes noticeably more humid, the vegetation richer and problems of soil erosion less.
While impacts from agriculture in the valley are relatively low, only small extensions of land are cultivated for maize, beans etc., and currently few cattle and horses are grazed, the main impact on the vegetation has been from deliberate burning. It is fire, rather than any other activity, which has prevented forest regeneration in the area. During the dry season from June to October, fires rage on the mountain slopes and trees that have taken decades to re-establish are wiped out in a few hours.
One of the property owners in the valley has planted an area of about 15 hectares with Eucalyptus. This is by far the most commonly used tree for reforestation in Ecuador. This tree grows rapidly and gives a quick yield of timber, however does little to protect the soil. Its intense demand for water dries out the soil and toxins in the leaf fall suppress the native vegetation.
7 PREVIOUS REFORESTATION WORK IN EL CHACO
Attempts have been made to reforest the two properties which comprise the reserve for the past ten years, but with varying degrees of success. Firstly, in spite of the considerable propaganda produced at that time by organisations such as MAG (the Ecuadorian Ministry of Agriculture), the Municipality of Quito, Fundacion Natura and also by foreign based aid organisations, it was very difficult to obtain native species at affordable prices for reforestation, or even for that matter alien species, other than Eucalyptus. The first reforestations were carried out with alien species, Pinus radiata and Cupressus, and later on with the few native species available such as Aliso, Chaulan, Jacaranda, Acacia, Capuli and alien broad leaved species as Grevillea, Callistemon etc. These trees were obtained from the government run MAG and INIAP nurseries, which unfortunately now do not exist.
In spite of logistical problems, in that the trees had to be brought in on horseback, as there was no access road to the valley at that time, the greater part of the pastures of the two properties were planted with trees. Success however was limited because many of the trees were destroyed by fires started deliberately on the neighbouring properties. Nevertheless there were certain successes. The Cupressus windbreak along the northern boundary of the lower property (Plate 3 b) is nearly completely intact, the tallest now reaching more than 3m in height. The establishment of this windbreak will facilitate the establishment of more sensitive native species behind. A paddock in the north western corner of this property which is suffering from soil erosion was successfully established with Guaba (Inga sp.) This native leguminous tree is ideal for regeneration of eroded grasslands. The tallest individuals now reach 2m in height and their nitrate rich leaf fall is starting to modify the soil structure. One of these trees is illustrated in Plate 3 a.
Isolated trees, some of which surpass 1m in height, have survived on the slopes. Many Callistemon (Australian bottle brush) trees have survived. Although these are not native to Ecuador, they were deliberately chosen because they are easy to establish and form an important source of nectar. Some of the larger individuals are now constantly in flower and attract many species of hummingbirds.
Trees have fared rather better on the upper property, where there are many pines now exceeding 3m in height.
8 PROPOSAL FOR CONTINUATION OF THE REFORESTATION PROGRAMME
This tree nursery will be primarily for propagation of species which are native to the valley, our genetic resource being the forest remaining in the valley bottom. In this way we aim to restore an authentic native forest to the valley sides. It is probable however that many species which previously occurred here have become extinct and we may also consider propagating species from nearby forests such as Pasachoa. Some tree species are now represented by only a few remaining individuals which grow in inaccessible areas on the valley slopes or in the bottom of the ravine. Serious expeditions will have to be mounted to reach these specimens.
Much of this work will be experimental in nature, establishing a methodology for propagation of these species. In many cases seeds can be gathered and germinated, and others may be propagated by cuttings. The young trees will be grown on in plastic bags until large enough to be planted. Some species may be difficult to germinate. This is the case with the only individual of Chinchinal (a species of Acacia) we have found in the valley. No seeds that we have planted have germinated. However careful weeding around the base of this tree has promoted a dense growth of seedlings which later can be transferred to pots. Sangre de Drago (Croton) seeds are relatively easy to collect, although very few seedlings of this species have been seen in the valley. Priority will be given to increasing the forest cover of this species.
In addition to trees, it will be important to establish species capable of controlling soil erosion. In nearby forests such as Pasachoa, a bamboo of the genus Chusquea is one of the first plant species to regenerate forest clearings caused by landslides. This bamboo quickly establishes a continuous mat of vegetation which prevents further soil movement. Chusquea has probably been eliminated from El Chaco due to fire. The reintroduction of this species will be desirable for the stabilisation of soil in the ravines running down the valley sides and thus form the first stage in succession to climax forest.
Some areas of the two properties are currently grazed by horses and llamas. However it is not intended to eliminate grazing animals entirely from the reserve as the maintenence of grazed areas will be essential to act as firebreaks. The creation of a mosaic of forest and pasture will help to minimise damage to the forest in the case of fire in the dry season. While single trees can be planted in these pastures (protected by fences while young), it is intended to regenerate a continuous forest canopy and understory in the ravines and on the valley sides.
9 FUTURE AIMS OF THE EL CHACO PROJECT
While the current proposal is to preserve the forest and to reforest the cleared areas of two properties, totalling 15 hectares in the El Chaco Valley, it is hoped to greatly extend this project in the future. We intend to seek funds to purchase and preserve the remaining land in the valley. This land will be owned and administered by an Ecuadorian based foundation which is currently being established. Purchasing approximately 100 hectares of land, will enable the entire watershed of the valley to be preserved. At the head of the valley, the forest is considerably more intact, having suffered less from human interference. It is not intended however to purchase properties in the lower part of the valley, below the northern boundary of the lower property, as this land is severely degraded and has little conservation value.
It is hoped to work directly with the Municipality of Quito, who has already designated the area as an Ecological Reserve. As Quito continues to expand into the Tumbaco valley, there will be a greater need to retain and restore natural areas such as El Chaco. Being situated close to Quito, reached in half an hour by car, there is great potential for establishing educational facilities in order to promote the need for conservation, the establishment of a botanical garden and demonstration models of more sustainable forms of agriculture based on the Permaculture system. El Chaco will be the nearest and most accessible forest reserve to Quito.
We also hope to attract researchers from foreign and Ecuadorian universities as the reserve will offer a great opportunity to investigate and develop methods of forest regeneration. It will also be important to maintain an ongoing programme of fauna and flora monitoring as it will be of considerable interest to document the extent of recovery of biodiversity as tree cover is re-established in the valley.
10 BUDGET
This budget is for the first two years of the reforestation programme
Wooden poles (Eucalyptus) $500
Boards, for staging $450
UV resistant plastic $350
Shade cloth $450
Nails and wire $100
Transport of materials to site $100
Equipment for nursery:
Black plastic bags $200
2 Wheelbarrows $100
Miscellaneous, buckets, spades, pruners rooting powder etc. $200
Plant and seed collecting expeditions:
Logistic costs for seed and plant collecting expeditions (petrol, equipment etc.) $500
Labour: The work will be undertaken by the warden, however two labourers will be required for two weeks for construction of nursery $250
TOTAL $3,200
C) PURCHASE OF TREES FOR IMMEDIATE REFORESTATION WORK
Purchase or 1,000 trees (Inga, Acacia, Jacaranda) $1,500
Transportation to site $50
Fencing of gully (posts, barbed wire) $250
TOTAL $1,800
D) BIOLOGICAL PROGRAMME
Herbarium fees etc. $200
Food and transport for visiting biologists $400
TOTAL $600
GRAND TOTAL $9,200
This project has already received a donation of $700
TOTAL FUNDING SOLICITED $8,500
