2024 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

18th Edition

Phase 6 of 7

Publication Preparation 08/09/2024 - 15/10/2024

Process phases

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Province of Azuay: Ecological and Participative Restoration of Wetlands, through the application of physical and biological rehabilitation techniques

Official proposal

17/05/2024 17:23

In the Province of Azuay, an Andean territory of Ecuador, the threat of disappearance of the San Martín, Zhogra and Busa wetlands, located in the cantons of Girón and San Fernando, has been warned for 40 years. The population has observed various environmental problems in the area, such as the low quantity and quality of water that is difficult to access, invasive vegetation, accelerated eutrophication, change of land use, among others. These challenges, together with a series of socio-economic difficulties, have had a significant impact on the quality of life of the population, which has exacerbated unemployment and migration.

Faced with these problems, the fundamental purpose of this project is the restoration of wetlands, with the main objective of recovering their ecosystem services, which include access to quality water, climate regulation, drought and flood mitigation, provision of natural resources, biodiversity, among other aspects. Both social and governmental actors are committed to the Environmental Management Plan and environmental education programmes.

In order to recover these environmental services, the Prefecture of Azuay implements technical rehabilitation interventions and community awareness-raising activities, which improve agro-productive practices and mitigate socio-economic problems.

To improve access to quality and quantity of water, specialised machinery is used to remove invasive vegetation and sediments, which are reused in lake protection strips. In addition, water troughs and physical and biological fences were constructed to restrict the entry of livestock and pollutants. These measures contribute to ecosystem rehabilitation, increased biodiversity and hectares of land under sustainable management.

In order to ensure the sustainability of these interventions, a strategy of community empowerment in wetland restoration and management is implemented. During this process, there has been a change in the attitude of the population, who have identified opportunities to improve their quality of life. Two assemblies have prioritised the use of the participatory budget to develop productive activities derived from the recovery of lakes, such as the production of handicrafts with totora reeds, the promotion of ecotourism, and the adoption of silvopastoral practices.