Protecting Territories for Conservation and Climate Resilience

Location: Ecuador

Principal organisations: NES Ecuador led by ECOLEX

The Mojanda–Cajas Lake Complex, located in the Ecuadorian Andes, is an area of moorland with high value for conservation and the provision of ecosystem services. However, the development of anthropogenic activities and climate change are threatening the integrity of its ecosystems. The Autonomous Decentralised Municipal Government of Pedro Moncayo (GAD-PM) together with the Platform for Land and Sustainable Territories (ENI Ecuador), through ECOLEX, carried out a participatory process to promote territorial governance. The participatory process resulted in a declaration creating the Mojanda Conservation and Sustainable Use Area (declaración del Área de Conservación y Uso Sustentable - ACUS), via a municipal ordinance, which will help to conserve the ecosystem and maintain water sources that supply about 200,000 people.