IPSI Case Study Summary Sheet
Basic Information
Title of case study
Tree Microrefugia and Community-based Conservation in Tropandean Mountainscapes:
A Bio-Cultural Approach for Heritage Management of “El Collay” Protected Forest in Southeastern Ecuador
Submitting IPSI member organization(s)Neotropical Montology Collaboratory, Department of Geography, University of Georgia

Other contributing organization(s) (IPSI members and/or non-members)

Author(s) and affiliation(s)Fausto O. Sarmiento, University of Georgia; Alexandra Vázques, Latin American Future Foundation (FFLA) andEl Collay Commonwealth; Gloria Aguilar, Environment Department, Municipality of Gualaceo, El Collay; RachidCheddadi, Université de Montpellier; Mark Bush, Florida Institute of Technology; Mario Donoso, Catholic
University of Cuenca; Estefanía Palacios, University of Georgia; Inhye Kong, University of Georgia
Format of case study (manuscript or audiovisual) Manuscript
Language
EnglishKeywords
Microrefugia, Community-based Conservation, Ayni, Minga, Tropical Andes, El Collay
Date of submission (or update, if this is an update of an existing case study)
19 February 2018
Web link (of the case study or lead organization ifavailable for more information)

Geographical Information
Country (where site(s) or activities described in the case study are located – can be multiple, or even “global”)
Ecuador
Location(s) (within the country or countries – leave blank if specific location(s) cannot be identified)Azuay and Morona Santiago Provinces
Longitude/latitude or Google Maps link (if location is identified)
https://www.google.com/maps/@-2.7924889,-78.4914278,9z
Ecosystem(s)Forestx
Grassland
Agricultural
In-land water
CoastalDryland
Mountainx
Urban/peri-urban
Other (Please specify)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area
The ‘El Collay’ Commonwealth of southeastern Ecuador comprises six autonomous, decentralized governmentsthat have formally agreed to collaborate in the maintenance of rural livelihoods for food sovereignty andsecurity. Spanning both highland and lowland communities, the strategy includes the conservation of thecommunity protected forest of ‘El Collay’ in addition to OECMs.
Description of human-nature interactions in the area
Through the use of fire and grazing, the original montane tropical cloud forests have been modified into the socioecological production landscapes (SEPLs) of today. In so doing, the bioengineers of antiquity created “hybrid” systems. Butwith the importation of post-colonial exotic species, many systems have been transformed into “novel” ecosystems, i.e. if
abandoned, they would not revert to a natural state through ecological succession.

Contents
Status (“ongoing” or “completed”)
Completed
Period (MM/YY to MM/YY)
Rationale (why activities or policies described, or information shared in the case study are needed)Forest clearance and vastly increased fire activity induced by human actions throughout the Holocene probably
caused large areas to transform from Andean forest to the grassland páramo of the northern Andean
highlands. Nevertheless, the ancient history of the area is still uncertain, and its future remains a mystery.
Objectives (goals of activities or policies described, or of producing the case study)
The ‘El Collay’ biocultural territorial planning initiative aims to provide a secure cultural and financial basis forfuture biodiversity conservation. Ensuring the cultural revival of indigenous practices and a comprehensivemodeling scenario whereby ethnotourism, ecotourism and agrotourism could secure consistent,
communitarian revenue flow to help maintain the larger ‘El Collay’ Protected Forest’s long-term refuge
condition in an exemplary Socio-Ecological System of the production mountainscape.
Activities and/or practices employed

An interdisciplinary group of scientists and conservation practitioners are experimenting with new approachesof political ecology and critical biogeography, to add the SES component to the development of management
strategies for ‘El Collay’. Key strategies include using Payment for Environmental Services and Complex
Adaptive Systems methodologies to ensure protection of the existing reserve.
Results
The new designation effectively protects the longest conservation corridor along the Andean flanks and serves to integratemanagement efforts across this vast landscape. The renewed focus on biodiversity has also added many new species
records for the region, including newly discovered endemic amphibians.

Lessons learned (factors in success or failure, challenges and opportunities)
While biodiversity conservation is the main goal of the ‘El Collay’ Protected Forest, a renewed emphasis on
cultural ecosystem services is needed to connect the lifescape of ‘El Collay’ with the needed protection ofthese species amidst climate change.
Key messages
To secure the long-term goal, aside from the signed commitment from the local GADs, civil society andcommunity groups need to be energized and funded. Likewise, we still need to work to mobilize international
resources and secure matching grants or endowment funds that would allow the maintenance of ‘El Collay’
Protected Forest for perpetuity.
Relationship to other IPSI activities (if the case study is related to any other IPSI collaborative activities, case studies, etc.)
This case study originally appeared in the Satoyama Initiative Thematic Review v. 4.
Funding (any relevant information about funding of activities or projects described in the case study)
We are grateful for the support received by the VULPES (Project ID: ANR-15-MASC-0003) and the University ofGeorgia OIE-OVPR GRCC program. We also thank the Montology Initiative of the Latin American and CaribbeanStudies Institute (LACSI) with the grant NRC-Title VI-(ED/NRC/P015A140046).

Contributions to Global Agendas
CBD Aichi Biodiversity Targets (https://www.cbd.int/sp/targets/)
The table below shows based on the self-evaluation by author(s).  and  indicates the “direct” or “indirect” contributions to theCBD’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets respectively to which the work described in this case study contributes to.

Strategic Goal AStrategic Goal B

Strategic Goal CStrategic Goal DStrategic Goal E







UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs)
The table below shows based on the self-evaluation by author(s).  and  indicates the “direct” or “indirect” contributions to theSDGs respectively to which the work described in this case study contributes to.
