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Butterfly Monitoring Across Ecuador’s National Parks
With our partners at the University of Florida and Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, we are training park rangers across Ecuador’s extremely biodiverse National Parks to monitor butterflies and strengthen the protection of Ecuador’s National Parks and indigenous lands. By implementing biodiversity research focused on butterflies, we will expand the tools available to promote conservation at the national level with academic and government partners.
Impact
Location
The project was piloted in Yasuni National Park and is now expanding to Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve; these parks are located in the provinces Orellana, Pastaza, and Sucumbios in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and are recognized as some of the most biodiverse places in the entire world.
Impact
- Producing new data on climate change and deforestation and its effects on butterflies and biodiversity in the tropics
- Expanding research and capacities to better advocate for forest protection in Ecuador and the Amazon
- Strengthening institutional capacity in National Parks for biodiversity and rainforest conservation
- Creating engaging environmental education materials for tourists and decision-makers to take action to preserve Ecuador’s parks
- Informing local and global strategies to mitigate and reduce biodiversity loss
Project Overview
This project will provide technology and training to park rangers to empower them to conduct regular butterfly monitoring, produce important research, and advocate effectively for forest conservation both within and surrounding Ecuador’s National Parks. Training park rangers strengthens management of National Parks and creates opportunities for environmental education.
Why butterflies?
Butterflies act as an early warning or alarm system and are a strong indicator of overall forest health.
“Butterflies can be found just about everywhere, they’re incredibly diverse and they reflect what’s going on in other organisms.” (Keith Wilmott, project partner and director of the Florida Museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity.)
Insects are particularly sensitive to changes in the environment, from deforestation or pollution, for example, and their short life cycle makes them an ideal indicator of what’s happening in real time.
We will also engage government and academic partners to promote collaboration for conservation at the national level. Finally, butterfly monitoring and educational programming will strengthen community ecotourism as a key livelihood and create opportunities for local and indigenous communities to leverage data and training as tools to protect their lands.
Partners
- La Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
- Yasuni National Park
- Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
- University of Florida
Current Actions on the Ground
Equipment provisions
- Building of equipment and tools necessary for butterfly monitoring
Workshops for park rangers
- Monitoring days and conservation workshops with park rangers in Yasuni and Cuyabeno National Parks
Education material production
- Design and creation of environmental education materials
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Conservation Strategies for Long-Term Impact
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