UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUN BIOSPHERE

UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE (YBR) 1/25

LOCATION OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE • The YBR is located in South America (Ecuador), at the intersection of the Amazon, the Andes, and the equator. 2/25 • This makes the YBR one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

LOCATION OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE • The YBR is located in 3 provinces: Orellana, Pastaza and Napo. • The area of the YBR is about 2, 700, 000 hectares. FARMERS AND SETTLEMENTS WAORANI ETHNIC RESERVE YASUNI NATIONAL PARK INTANGIBLE ZONE QUICHUA COMMUNITY 3/25

TAGAERI - TAROMENANE INTANGIBLE ZONE • WAORANI ETHNIC RESERVE YASUNI NATIONAL PARK INTANGIBLE ZONE QUICHUA COMMUNITY 4/25 Protected area of great cultural and biological importance in which no type of extractive activity can be carried out due to the high value they have for the Amazon region

YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE STRUCTURE ALONG THE TIME 1930: BEGINNING OIL EXPLOITATION 1970: AUCA ROAD CONSTRUCTION 1979: CREATION OF THE YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK 1989: STATEMENT OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE BY UNESCO 2009: THE SECOND MAP OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES 2008: FORMALIZATION THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE BY THE MINISTRY OF ENVIROMENT 2006: THE FIRST MAP OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES STATEMENT OF THE INTANGIBLE ZONE (TAGAERI – TAROMENANE) 2009: PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL OF ZONIFICATION 2011: MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015: THE THIRD MAP OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND THREAT 5/25

ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE PEOPLE IN VOLUNTARY ISOLATION (TAGAERI TAROMENANE) SETTLERS FARMERS CULTURAL CONTEXT 2274 SPECIES OF TREES AND BUSHES. ANCIENT NATIONALITIES: WAORANI KICHWA SAPARA SHUAR ONE OF THE MOST BIODIVERSE PLACES ON EARTH. AN IMPORTANT REPRESENTATION OF TROPICAL FOREST AND SWAMP ZONES. 6/25 BIOLOGICAL CONTEXT A BIG VARIETY OF WILDLIFE: 204 SPECIES OF MAMMALS. 610 SPECIES OF BIRDS 121 SPECIES OF REPTILES. 139 SPECIES OF AMPHIBIANS. MORE THAN 268 SPECIES OF FISH.

2006: MAP OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES 7/25

2006: MAP OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES Objective: Assessing the accuracy of the threats map as a useful tool for understanding the impact of human activities on wildlife 8/25

2006: MAP OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES We used an independent set of field data about relative abundance of medium-sized and large mammals (≥ 1 kg), gathered in twelve study sites in Yasuní National Park. The threats level and mammal relative abundance were analyzed using linear regression. 9/25

2006: MAP OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES The threats faced by Yasuní are numerous. Among others, they include: • Invasion by indigenous and non -indigenous colonists • Illegal timber harvesting • Illegal hunting and fishing • Unsustainable subsistence hunting • Road construction • Oil industry activities 10/25

2006: MAP OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES Results: Threats are concentrated in the northwest section of the landscape. 11/25 Habitat with reduced impacts of human activities

2009: ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS IN BIODIVERSITY Objectives: To develop a spatial model that evaluates the pattern, extent and severity of human activities in the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve. Generate a visual tool to guide decision-making on conservation activities, monitoring and surveillance. 12/25

2009: ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS IN BIODIVERSITY Methodology: Workshops were developed with indigenous communities. Updated baseline cartography. Threats to be analyzed: • Commercial and subsistence hunting. • Illegal logging. • Oil exploitation. • Deforestation. The analysis was performed for each threat, using a linear regression valuing distance and severity 13/25

2009: ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS IN BIODIVERSITY Results: Commercial hunting Subsistence hunting 14/25

2009: ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS IN BIODIVERSITY Results: Illegal logging through rivers Illegal logging through roads 15/25

2009: ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS IN BIODIVERSITY Results: Deforestation. Oil exploitation 16/25

2009: ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS IN BIODIVERSITY Final Results: Very Low Very High 17/25

2015: UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE 18/25

2015: UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE What we are looking for? Sustainable management of the Yasuní Biosphere Reverse knowing the threats and opportunities. To become the map of threats as a tool of decision making for the park authorities on issues of control and surveillance, biological monitoring, tourism and environmental education to help preserve wildlife and indigenous peoples. 19/25

2015: UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE Primary information: • • • Land use and land cover Oil exploitation data Limits of indigenous territories Ecosystems map Digital elevation model Limits of national parks Patterns of deforestation Area of hunting Zones for illegal logging 20/25

2015: UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE Field information: Personal interviews with skateholders: • • • NAWE ( Waorani Nationality) AMWAE ( Waorani Women Nationality) FICCKAE ( Kichua federation) Yasuní National Park FEPP ( Ecuadorian Fund) FOCAO (Farmers and cattle rancher federation) • WCS Ecuador Biologists Waorani Nationality Yasuní National Park 21/25

2015: UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE Recorded information: During the interview the following topics were presented: New (2009 -2015) oil wells New (2009 -2015) oil spills New (2009 -2015) pipelines Number of families for each community (just for Quichua communities) Walking distance to hunt from a main road, a river or a community Principal markets for selling the wild meat 22/25 Oil exploitation Commercial and Subsistence hunting.

2015: UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE Recorded information: The size of the community 10 years ago, and the current size. The size of crops for each community Principal sites where the wood is going out. Walking distance for selective logging Principal access for logging (rivers and roads) 23/25 Deforestation. Illegal logging.

2015: UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE Working on: 1 2 3 4 24/25 • Develop a cost distance surface of the land use cover, to know the areas that need more concern. • Develop a cost path of the roads that are use for hunting. Making a difference between the commercial hunting and the subsistence hunting. • Working in a land use change to find the deforestation areas. • Developing a hydrologic model to know which rivers are going to be affected when a spill ocurre. THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE.

2015: UPDATED MAP OF THREATS OF THE YASUNÍ BIOSPHERE RESERVE THANK YOU Diana Paredes GIS Analyst WCS ECUADOR dparedes@wcs. org 25/25