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Ing. Salomón Larrea
MINISTRO DE AGRICULTURA Y GANADERÍA
Ing. Roger Delgado
DIRECTOR EJECUTIVO DEL INDA
I,
, am entirely opposed to and wish to protest the awarding of lands within
the Maquipucuna Reserve to shady economic interests. Mr. Salomon Larrea,
the lands that belong to Maquipucuna Reserve were bought by legitimate
owners in order to protect a natural human heritage. Four percent of
all bird species in the world are found in Maquipucuna and 10% of all
the plants in Ecuador are protected there. Moreover, dozens of endangered
animals and plant species, which are listed in the red book of the IUCN,
are found in Maquipucuna as well.
The Maquipucuna Foundation not only protects the area within the confines
of the reserve, but actively implements economic alternatives to deforestation,
in turn generating sustainable job opportunities and supporting the
development of local communities.
Thousands of Ecuadorian children; thousands of ecotourists that visit
the region; many renowned scientists; hundreds of volunteers from many
countries; friendly Governments; Embassies; the World Bank; the Global
Environment Facility (GEF); SKAL –the biggest international association
of tourism professionals; the Ecuadorian Ecotourism Association, ASEC;
hundreds of people who consume Choco-Andes coffee, organic jams, and
other products from the conservation projects of the region; and National
Geographic and the Discovery Channel have not been mistaken in recognizing,
and applauding, the innovative conservation model of the Maquipucuna
Reserve.
Mr. Minister, put an end to this wrongful course of
action.
I ask you, Mr. Salomón Larrea, Minister of Agriculture, to stop
these abuses against the Maquipucuna Reserve. Do not allow INDA (Instituto
Nacional de Desarrollo Agrario) to award land titles illegally within
the Maquipucuna Reserve. Those who would receive this illegally-granted
land are known to have personal economic interests, with audacious ambitions
that run counter to conservation and community development objectives.
What is perhaps worst of all, Mr. Salomón Larrea, is that by
illegally awarding lands within the reserve, you would endanger neighboring
communities to the Maquipucuna Reserve, which are among the few communities
in our nation to have accepted and embraced the global challenge to
responsibly pursue economic development in a truly sustainable fashion.
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