Jatun Sacha Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Jatun Sacha Foundation is a private Ecuador
ian Non profit NGO (nongovernmental organisation) founded in 1985.
The purpose of this organisation is outlined on its website as:
The name Jatun Sacha
is derived from the local Quichua (Kichwa
) language, variably translated as , "big forest", "big jungle".
, which range in size from around 4 square kilometres to just over 25 square kilometres. Each reserve has an associated Biological station with infrastructure to support volunteers who come to help with such tasks as reforestation
, environmental education
at nearby schools and research into sustainable agricultural practices. Volunteers may also assist with scientific studies of the local flora and fauna undertaken by biologists at these stations - the facilitation of scientific research being another function of the biological stations-. Of the reserves, two are located east of the Andes
, one in the Amazon basin
, two in high altitude ecosystem
s in the Andes mountains, two in the west of the country in more coastal ecosystems, and one station on the Galápagos islands
. These reserves include:
Amazon Reserves
Andean Reserves
Coastal Reserves
Galápagos Reserve
(WWF), the World Conservation Union
(IUCN) and Conservation International
(CI), while volunteers are found and placed independently or through volunteer organizations such as their New Zealand based partner organisation, the Global volunteer network
.
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
ian Non profit NGO (nongovernmental organisation) founded in 1985.
The purpose of this organisation is outlined on its website as:
- "Foundation Jatun Sacha is dedicated to the conservation, investigation and management of ecologically important habitats, environmental education and community development."
The name Jatun Sacha
Jatun Sacha
Jatun Sacha is best known as the name of a biological station established in the Ecuadorian Amazon in 1985, the Jatun Sacha Biologial Station...
is derived from the local Quichua (Kichwa
Kichwa
Kichwa is a Quechuan language, and includes all Quechua varieties spoken in Ecuador and Colombia by approximately 2,500,000 people...
) language, variably translated as , "big forest", "big jungle".
Network of biological reserves
The Jatun Sacha Foundation is an Ecuadorian non governmental non profit, private organization. It was legally established in 1989 by Ministerial Agreement No. 270 from the Ministry of Agriculture, Jatun Sacha mission is to promote the conservation of the Ecuador's biodiversity, through technical training, scientific research, environmental education programs at national and international level, sustainable management of natural resources, community development, and the training of leaders with ethnic and gender participation. A major part of this foundation's http://www.jatunsacha.org/ function is the ownership and management of biological reserves which are found throughout EcuadorEcuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, which range in size from around 4 square kilometres to just over 25 square kilometres. Each reserve has an associated Biological station with infrastructure to support volunteers who come to help with such tasks as reforestation
Reforestation
Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation....
, environmental education
Environmental education
Environmental education refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably. The term is often used to imply education within the school system, from primary to...
at nearby schools and research into sustainable agricultural practices. Volunteers may also assist with scientific studies of the local flora and fauna undertaken by biologists at these stations - the facilitation of scientific research being another function of the biological stations-. Of the reserves, two are located east of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, one in the Amazon basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
, two in high altitude ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s in the Andes mountains, two in the west of the country in more coastal ecosystems, and one station on the Galápagos islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
. These reserves include:
Amazon Reserves
- Jatun Sacha Biological Station
Andean Reserves
- Guandera Biological StationGuandera Biological StationThe Guandera Biological Station was established in 1994 and is situated in the northern inter-Andean valley of Ecuador. The station is managed by the Jatun Sacha Foundation and is located in Ecuador's Carchi Province.....
- La Hesperia Biological Station
Coastal Reserves
- Bilsa Biological Reserve
- Congal Biomarine StationCongal Biomarine StationThe Congal Biomarine Station is a protected nature reserve created in 2000 and is located in southwestern Esmeraldas Province, close to the town of Muisne in northwestern Ecuador...
Galápagos Reserve
- San Cristobal Biological Research Station
Affiliated organisations
The foundation works cooperatively with many other conservation groups such the World Wide Fund for NatureWorld Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
(WWF), the World Conservation Union
World Conservation Union
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges." The organization publishes the IUCN Red List, compiling information from a network of...
(IUCN) and Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
(CI), while volunteers are found and placed independently or through volunteer organizations such as their New Zealand based partner organisation, the Global volunteer network
Global volunteer network
The is a private NGO based in Wellington, New Zealand and offers volunteer opportunities in community projects throughout the world. GVN’s vision is to support the work of local community organizations in developing countries through the placement of international volunteers...
.