In one decade, farmers in the Intag Valley in Ecuador went from clearing to conserving and restoring forests. Intag’s dense cloud forests were cleared rapidly in the 1970s and ‘80s for agriculture and ranching. Soon after, landholders experienced severe declines in water quality, seasonal droughts, and declining soil fertility. The future of farming was uncertain, and communities faced an environmental crisis. A local NGO, Defensa y Conservación Ecológica de Intag (DECOIN), helped people make the critical connection between healthy forests and clean, abundant water. Funded through international donations and partnerships with international NGOs, DECOIN sought to improve water resources and conserve forest biodiversity. They helped 38 communities establish small-scale watershed reserves, introducing communal land arrangements and the practice of forest restoration using native species.

Type of Case
Printed publication (book, sourcebook, journal article…)

Publisher
Forestoration International

Region
Americas

Biome
Temperate, Tropical

Forest Type
Degraded forest

Primary Designated Function
Protection of soil and water