— The Jocotoco Foundation, which now has 15 reserves throughout Ecuador that shield 10% of the planet’s fowl species, works with a variety of companions, together with native communities.
— Martin Schaefer, Jocotoco’s head, stated the group adapts its strategy relying on native circumstances and circumstances: “For each species, we analyse its threats, whether we, as Jocotoco, can make a difference and by how much. Then, we review what the best approach may be.
— Following Rhett Ayers Butler’s visit to Jocotoco’s Narupa Reserve in July, Schaefer spoke about the organization’s work, the global challenges facing wildlife, and the shifting tides of public perception towards the environment.
In 1997, ornithologist Robert S. Ridgely discovered a previously undocumented bird species, the Jocotoco Antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi), in the tropical montane forests on the Amazonian slope of the Andes in southeastern Ecuador. This ground-dwelling bird was immediately recognized as critically endangered due to its very small range and the threats to its habitat, which led to the establishment of the Jocotoco Foundation in 1998 and the subsequent purchase of land for the creation of the Tapichalaca Reserve.
Since then, Jocotoco has established a network of 15 reserves across Ecuador. Each reserve has been selected to protect areas that are globally significant for bird conservation, ranging from the lowlands of the Amazon rainforest to the Galapagos Islands. These reserves safeguard a vast number of regionally endemic and globally threatened plants and animals, including 10% of the world’s bird species.
Beyond preserving habitats critical for endangered bird species and other wildlife, Jocotoco has integrated ecotourism, community engagement and education, and scientific research and monitoring into its conservation strategy. The organization works closely with local communities to promote conservation awareness and sustainable practices. Additionally, its ecotourism programs generate employment opportunities and revenue for people living around their reserves.
Martin Schaefer, Jocotoco’s head, discussed the group’s adaptive approach with Mongabay: “For each species, we analyze its threats, assessing whether Jocotoco can make a difference and to what extent. Then, we determine the best approach. Sometimes, working with communities or local authorities to save threatened forests is most effective. In other cases, acquiring land to block logging roads of industrial timber companies is the better strategy. The approach depends on the specific threats to biodiversity.”
“In continental South America, habitat loss is the most significant threat, and we counter it by collaborating with communities or protecting land, whether it is ours or that of third parties,” he defined. “On the Galapagos, invasive species pose the greatest threat to native biodiversity. Here, we work with the authorities to control or eradicate invasive species such as rats or mice, which also damage crops.”
Schaefer, who joined Jocotoco in 2010 and has over 20 years of expertise within the Neotropics, says Ecuadorians are usually very supportive of conservation efforts. This help is obvious within the collective determination in a referendum in August to part out oil drilling in Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park and ban mining within the higher Chocó, in addition to an growing willingness to take heed to the nation’s Indigenous peoples.
Schaefer just lately spoke with Mongabay about Jocotoco’s work, the worldwide challenges dealing with wildlife, and the shifting tides of public notion in the direction of the atmosphere.
The interview has been flippantly edited for readability.
An Interview With Martin Schaefer
Mongabay: What led you to this work?
Martin Schaefer: I had at all times wished to contribute to a better trigger. Choosing to guard nature was a straightforward determination, as I’ve been impressed by nature since early childhood. Observing wild animals navigate their lives — typically fairly actually, as within the case of the massive migrations of birds or wildebeest — is a continuing supply of pleasure and marvel. The privilege of seeing many fantastic and typically grandiose locations has fueled my need to assist future generations witness as a lot of nature as I’ve been capable of.
Mongabay: You’ve overseen great progress because you joined Jocotoco. What have been drivers of this enlargement?
Martin Schaefer: As in every success, there are a number of drivers. First comes an exquisite staff of devoted folks, from park guards to workplace staff. Without such a staff, we might not have been capable of shield nature, not to mention develop our mannequin. Given the fast declines in wildlife and the well being of ecosystems, the will and imaginative and prescient to attain extra safety of nature was pure.
Second, we improved our mannequin of conservation to grow to be extra quantitative. This allowed us to speak higher what we might be capable to obtain.
Lastly, there was a possibility. Two many years in the past, folks and civil society at massive have been much less engaged in defending nature. They merely didn’t see the necessity for it. The fires in Australia, the Amazon, and California modified that dramatically. Now, everyone understands our want to guard nature, even when it’s simply out of self-interest to make sure our personal survival. Thus, by having a superb mannequin of conservation, Jocotoco was capable of develop its funding over recent years.
Mongabay: What is Jocotoco’s conservation mannequin?
Martin Schaefer: We give attention to extremely threatened species and ecosystems. For every species, we analyze its threats, assessing whether or not Jocotoco could make a distinction and to what extent. Then, we decide one of the best strategy.
Sometimes, working with communities or native authorities to save lots of threatened forests is best. In different instances, buying land to dam logging roads of commercial timber corporations is the higher technique. The strategy is determined by the precise threats to biodiversity.
In continental South America, habitat loss is essentially the most vital risk, and we counter it by collaborating with communities or defending land, whether or not it’s ours or that of third events.
On the Galapagos, invasive species pose the best risk to native biodiversity. Here, we work with the authorities to regulate or eradicate invasive species comparable to rats or mice, which additionally injury crops.
Mongabay: What is the function of ecotourism in Jocotoco’s mannequin? And what about conservation in Ecuador typically?
Martin Schaefer: Ecotourism is and has at all times been one necessary a part of our operations. For two causes: it brings in revenue, though that is usually modest. More importantly, it permits us to showcase how efficient we, Jocotoco, may be in defending nature. Nature heals by itself. All we have to do it’s to offer it an opportunity to take action. By having lodges in our reserves, Jocotoco permits guests to witness the fantastic habitats and species they in any other case not often encounter. For many Ecuadorians, it’s a uncommon likelihood to see the sweetness and variety of their environment. Thus, our mannequin has at all times been to welcome the general public, as you’ll be able to solely love what you realize.
I’d at all times encourage others to arrange ecotourism operations however would warning them in opposition to seeing such operations as a panacea. For too lengthy, conservationists believed the ecotourism can guarantee the long-term monetary sustainability of nature reserves. This is true in some spectacular websites, however not true for the various necessary places that don’t sport gorilla or tigers.
Mongabay: More broadly, you’ve been engaged on wildlife conservation points for quite a lot of years. In that point, what are the most important adjustments you’ve seen within the sector?
Martin Schaefer: One notably massive change is the perspective and notion of civil society in the direction of nature. Nowadays, most individuals in Ecuador are aware of local weather change, or reductions in water availability, and of air pollution. None of those have been necessary matters 20 years in the past. It could be very encouraging to see how we reply to those challenges as civil society. Today, individuals are keen to take actions.
At the identical time, I’ve seen an excellent discount in wildlife. Take bugs for instance. I’ve labored in websites, the place bugs declined by 57% in simply 9 years. Their numbers weren’t spectacular 9 years in the past, however these days you have to seek for them. While we can’t stem the tide, we will set up refuges that permit populations to build up once more.
I’ve additionally seen the globalization of wildlife commerce, take shark fins or physique elements of tigers, bears, and jaguars. By now, that commerce has reached essentially the most distant websites on the earth. This was not the case 20 years in the past. At the identical time, now we have additionally seen many success tales, such because the return of wolves and eagles in Europe after a looking ban. Thus, all of the adjustments testify to our means to affect the state of our world, for the higher or worse.
Mongabay: In August the folks of Ecuador voted to stop oil drilling in Yasuni. Is this indicative of peoples’ attitudes in the direction of nature? And what’s the local weather (political, financial, social, and many others) for conservation efforts within the nation?
Martin Schaefer: Yes, banning oil within the Yasuní has been a giant win. It exhibits folks’s modified perspective in the direction of nature. In the previous, we have been advised that there isn’t a different and that drilling would convey advantages to the communities (largely jobs) and to society at massive. The many oil spills confirmed, nevertheless, that the environmental and monetary prices (of cleansing up) have been by no means talked about and at all times outsourced to society.
Ecuadorians are very supportive of conservation efforts. This has been evident for a very long time. What is altering is that indigenous individuals are listened to greater than they have been prior to now. Often, they’ve spearheaded conservation efforts, and never simply within the Yasuni. Ecuadorians additionally voted in opposition to mining within the higher Chocó, a fragile ecosystem near Quito. Here, dozens to a whole bunch of threatened species happen. People are rightfully involved about how mining impacts the standard of their water provide.
With the recent election, the political and financial scenario is altering. However, environmental points will stay within the focus.
Mongabay: What are the primary points dealing with your reserves?
Martin Schaefer: Our reserves are very safe because of the safety afforded by our park guards. Rarely, can we speak with a neighbour who has been looking or reducing a tree. Typically, such conditions may be resolved.
Mongabay: When I visited Narupa, rangers advised me their strategy focuses on “the carrot” as an alternative of “the stick.” For instance, asking quite than telling group members to not poach. Is this particular to Narupa or a part of Jocotoco’s philosophy in navigating battle?
Martin Schaefer: This is a part of our wider strategy. People internationally dislike when somebody tells them what to do. Thus, we wish to enter right into a dialog first. To perceive the explanations for why they’re performing, typically in opposition to their very own long-term pursuits. More usually than not, you discover are folks conscious that their motion could hurt their atmosphere and the atmosphere of their youngsters, however typically they lack financial decisions within the short-term. Once you achieved engagement, it’s far simpler to debate potential options. Of course, we can’t clear up the worlds’ issues, however typically Jocotoco can contribute in a significant approach.
Mongabay: What are your ambitions for Jocotoco’s future?
Martin Schaefer: As lengthy as there are such a lot of issues that aren’t addressed, we wish to develop our mannequin. We began to work in Costa Rica and we want to additionally develop our cooperation with the nationwide and regional authorities inside Ecuador. I’m satisfied that private-public partnerships generally is a resolution to extend efficiencies in each sectors. It may additionally alleviate among the power underfunding of conservation.
We at the moment shield 10% of all of the species of birds on the earth. An ambition can be to convey this quantity as much as 15%.
Mongabay: What provides you hope?
Martin Schaefer: Hope is just not an exterior entity, however one thing we create with our personal actions day in, day trip. Thus, I’ve hope as a result of Jocotoco achieved a lot collectively, rather more than I had envisioned. Take the restoration of Floreana, 17,200 ha massive. In October we are going to attempt to proper the errors of the previous and eradicate the rats that the early settlers introduced. This, in flip, will permit to us to re-introduce 13 extinct species. Take a few of our park guards who almost single-handedly saved extremely threatened species. This all provides me hope as a result of they’re all inspiring.
Learn extra about Jocotoco here.
This article was republished with permission from the unique writer.
