What is the "Rio Guajalito" Protector Forest (BPRG)?
How is the weather of the BPRG?
What is the importance of the BPRG for the conservation of the flora and fauna?
List of the Birds of the BPRG!!!
What is the "Rio Guajalito" Protector Forest (BPRG)?
The area of the basin of the "Rio Guajalito", known as "Hacienda Las Palmeras", was unilaterally declared a scientific station and private reserve in 1978, by its owner Vlastimil Zak. His goal was to preserve the flora and fauna of the zone that was under strong pressures of deforestation and illegal commerce of species and to develop alternative sustainable ways for the people that live inside and around the reserve. Toward 1993 the Ecuadorian government declared the area as the "Rio Guajalito" Protector Forest (BPRG). The reserve was called Guajalito from the common name of the Masked Trogon (Trogon personatus).
Where is the BPRG?
BPRG (78°49' W, 0°14' S) is about 59 kilometers west of Quito on the old highway that connects Quito with Santo Domingo, Province of Pichincha, Northwestern Ecuador. It lies at an altitude between 1.800 and 2.400 meters in the western foot of the Atacazo volcano. BPRG has almost 500 ha of extension that includes the vegetation formations (Sierra et al., 1999) of low montane evergreen forest and montane cloud forest. It includes several streams and waterfalls that flow toward the Guajalito River.
How is the weather of the BPRG?
The climate is bimodal. The dry season extends from June to December and is characterized by mild precipitation that fluctuates between 40 and 100 mm monthly. The maximum temperatures in this season are 33°C at noon and the minimum 7°C at dawn. The rainy season runs from January to May and has an average monthly rainfall of 500 to 700 mm, reaching a high point of 900- 1.600 mm/month in February and March. Maximum temperatures of 17°C at noon and minimum of 10°C at dawn are reached. The yearly rainfall average is 4.760 mm with a relative humidity exceeding 80 % (data obtained between 1992 and 1999 in BPRG).
What is the importance of the BPRG for the conservation of the flora and fauna?
The "Rio Guajalito” Protector Forest is located in the contact area of three worldwide zones of endemism: Choco (EBA 041), Northern Central Andes (EBA 042) and Tumbesian Region (EBA 045) and, consequently, contains a high biodiversity of flora and fauna (Stattersfield et al. 1998). It is inside the Key Area for Threatened Birds of Chiriboga (EC 09), in fact, BPRG corresponds to the area described as "about 800 hectares of primary subtropical forest 'protected' by a private landowner." in the Key Areas book (Wege & Long 1995). It is in the boundaries of the first Latin America Important Bird Area of “Mindo”. Since 1983, the flora has been studied (V. Zak in prep) and the preliminary results of these investigations recognize approximately 2.800 species, of which 100 species are endemic of the area and 61 are new species for science. There are recent records of the Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), Andean Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), White-tail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Pacarana (Dinomys branickii), Dwarf Red Brocket Deer (Mazama rufina), Neotropical Otter (Lutra longicauda), and Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus). These species of mammals are cited in the Red Data Book of the Mammals from Ecuador of the UICN (Tirira, 2001) and/or in the list of the CITES. A long-term study of the birds of BPRG has as yet to be conducted. Between 1989–1990, a group of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology (WFVZ) and the Ecuadorian Museum of Natural Sciences (MECN) conducted observations and collections in the area (Marin 1993, Marin & Carrion 1994). Since 1995, essentially as part of several courses and research of the Life Sciences College, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) several systematic observations, mist-net capture and collections have been done.
Actually, the area is relatively well-protected from deforestation, even though there are several tries of invasion and a petroleum spill from a break of the Transecuatoriano Pipeline that contaminated the waters of the Guajalito River. The BPRG maintains its vegetation and the ecological stability in very good conditions. The actual activities of the BPRG focus toward the conservation of the forest and the species of flowers and wildlife. Some studies with forest native species of rapid growth have been realized with the intention of promoting a sustainable forestry culture in the nearby places. Additionally, teaching activities with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito take place, especially in the areas of Botany, Zoology and Ecology. Other universities, like the Universidad Catolica del Ecuador also realize studies in the zone.
The ecological tourism is still an incipient activity in the reserve, but that pretends to be encouraged as a way of helping and motivating the conservation and the interaction of the forest with the habitants of the surroundings.
BPRG is part of a unique ecological system because of its geographic location, temperature, humidity and precipitations. But, if this system is not attended and defended, it could be in danger of extinction. If more information about the area and its conservation is desired, communicate with the proprietor, Vlastimil Zak vlastimilz@mail.usfq.edu.ec.