Sumak Kawsay in Situ: Science and tourism on the edge of the Andes.
People are an integral part of any journey. No journey is complete without them. Although people often cause trouble, nature itself rarely does — unless a swarm of insects invades the car or it rains for weeks on end. However, although problems usually originate from people, they also make travelling a special experience.
Encounters with new people, large and small projects, and spectacular hospitality make travelling an adventure. In the Places of the Future series, we will present some surprising and memorable projects, we’ve come across along our journey.
We spend a lot of time travelling in nature and looking out for animals, so most of the projects focus on nature and species conservation in harmony with tourism. These are all places that should be visited, and we hope to revisit them at some point.
Because they all show one thing: there is another way.
The 300-year-project
If we only consider a project’s impact over 30 years, the next generation may benefit from it, but after that, its effects will definitely be over. Nature recovers quickly, but biodiversity does not. This is why Henry and his family are planning for the next 300 years. He won’t live to see the end of it, unless he finds the fountain of youth on the 96-hectare property, but he is happy to work for the benefit of future generations.
The property is located at an altitude of just under 1,400 metres on the Ecuadorian Andes. The view stretches from the El Altar and Tungurahua volcanoes to the Amazon rainforest and from Llanganates National Park to Sangay National Park. In the middle of this corridor, unspoilt nature thrives. This is thanks to a private initiative.
At the end of the 1990s, the family cultivated much of the land using traditional methods: They planted lulo, a very popular citrus fruit in South America. However, before they could clear more land to expand cultivation, young Henry approached his parents with a strange idea. What about protecting the forest and focusing on tourism and science? He had clearly been watching too much National Geographic on TV.
Almost 30 years later, researchers and experts from elite US universities come to sleep on mattresses in his jungle camp.
Sumak Kawsay in Situ – the good life on site
Sumak Kawsay in Situ is a biodiversity paradise, and, unlike in the lowlands of Ecuador, visitors won’t be swarmed by mosquitoes, which is very pleasant. There is plenty to discover. Tourists can bathe in crystal-clear streams, enjoy a clay cure for their skin, listen to a live frog philharmonic orchestra, trudge through the forest in rubber boots in search of animals, and enjoy delicious dishes prepared by Mama Gloria.
Scientists enjoy a prime-location laboratory with a forest view instead of white walls, exploring new paths and repeatedly discovering new plant and animal species. A mere half a hectare is home to 145 different plant species, offering plenty to see. Therefore, the hope of finding the fountain of youth here is high. Nevertheless, it is already a source of life as it is the water source of the Amazon basin.
The Amazon’s dilemma: water and oil
A large proportion of the water that feeds the Amazon originates in the Ecuadorian Andes. The Anzú River flows through Sumak Kawsay and into the Napo River, one of the Amazon’s largest tributaries, before travelling over 6,000 kilometres to reach the Atlantic Ocean.
However, this water is constantly at risk of pollution from illegal mining, waste, and oil extraction. Access to raw materials is easier at the edge of the Amazon basin, so the risk of pollution is high. Yet many people depend on clean water reaching them, from Ecuador to the Atlantic coast. This is not an easy endeavour.
The region is rich in oil. We have also benefited from this. In Ecuador, the state regulates the price of diesel, which costs the same at every petrol station: just under 50 US cents per litre.
However, it is the black gold that attracts companies. They buy (or take over) land, build infrastructure for oil production, and set fire to it. It’s a surreal image: red flames in a green labyrinth. Pollution is not their problem; it all flows away — what’s gone is gone. The people, animals and plants living along the next thousand or so kilometres of the river have to find out for themselves where they can get clean water.
An amphibian catalogue as a weapon
The wild and winding Anzú River still flows through the gorges of Sumak Kawsay, from where the water has a long journey ahead. The family has managed to fight back against the oil giant. In order to do so, they have compiled the region’s first amphibian catalogue. Over 72 species were recorded, clearly demonstrating the loss that would result from oil extraction.
The catalogue became a treasure. One that took effort to compile. A treasure that ultimately weighed more than money. A small victory for nature.
A birthday present – for us
We came across Sumak by chance. Michi saw a spot on Google Maps and we thought it was a good idea to check it out.
The whole family was gathered around the table — it was Mama Gloria’s birthday! As warm-hearted as they are, they invited us to join them for lunch. It was our second lunch that day, and we didn’t want to be rude, so we forced our full stomachs to take in some more food. The food was delicious, but it was just too much for us.
Henry then showed us around. Although we couldn’t stay in the Land Cruiser — you have to walk the last 15 minutes — they convinced us to stay for a few days. We slept on the top floor in a double bed and were lulled to sleep and woken up again by the sounds of animals.
Our aim was to see snakes, as there are said to be many there. We weren’t lucky, but there were plenty of frogs, rivers and adventures. Four days later, with full stomachs and feeling rested, we sadly said our goodbyes. But one thing is for sure: it won’t be our last visit to Sumak Kawsay in Situ.
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