A glance of nature in masterpieces
The
Wild Gye
Initiative
Where Biodiversity and the City Collides
Latin-American cities will phase the strongest urban immigration from all world regions with almost 80% urbanized by 2030 (World Urban Prospects, 2014). Some cities will struggle to provide enough space for citizens while providing enough natural space for biodiversity. Cities in Ecuador are phasing over-solving nature conservation problem due to its rapid population increase of at least 70% of its total population moving into cities for the next decade (INEC, 2010). Human pressure such as urban sprawling, limestone mining, agricultural expansion, illegal settlement, poaching and illegal logging, invasive and introduced species have threatened local biodiversity. Additionally, the lack interest and funding for nature conservation and urban ecology research has reduced any potential opportunities towards more comprehensive and inclusive urban planning and development.
Guayaquil is the economic capital and most populous city located in one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth. The city is considered "The Pacific Pearl" for Ecuadorians due to its abundant beauty and rich historical natural resources. This tropical humid city is compound by an unimaginable biodiversity (genetic, species and ecosystems). Its biodiversity importance relies on the geographical location pinpointed within the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena Biodiversity Hotspot, one of the most important natural areas for conservation in the region due to its high levels of endemism and species richness. The city is found immersed in the bioregion of the Gulf of Guayaquil´s (southeast), which is influenced by the most affluent river on the western coast of South America and; strongly influenced by the Chongon - Colonche Coastal Mountain Chain (west) that provides the altitudinal biogeographical differences.
Figure 1: Map of the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena Hotspot Biodiversity Region. Source: Atlas for the End of the World, 2017.
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Figure 2: Map of South American Endareger Ecosystems.
The Two most important ecosystems in the northwestern South America are located in Guayaquil and categorized as Critically Endangered. Source: Ferre-Paris, et al. 2018.
DOI: 10.1111/conl.12623
The city´s ecosystem complexity is manifested by 14 types of terrestrial and aquatic (freshwater and marine) ecosystems those which covers roughly 240,202.68 ha being the Tropical Dry Deciduous Lowland Forest (42%) and the Jama - Zapotillo Mangroves Forest (27%) with the biggest extension (Municipio de Guayaquil, 2015). Guayaquil´s Biodiversity is highlighted by more than 1000 vascular plants, almost 330 birds; 40 reptiles and amphibians, 70 mammals those which (40% are Bats); and unique marine species such as the Bottle-Nose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus); and an incalculable terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates. Due to its natural attributes, different conservation approaches have been implemented in the city´s natural areas. The city has 5 different types of protected and environmental management areas covering 101.577,26 ha (See Figure 2). Additionally, international programs such as RAMSAR wetland convention (3), Important Bird Areas (5) and Important Bat Areas (1) are added in the equation for conservation units. The current Municipality of Guayaquil are developing other legal conservation units.
The City of Guayaquil is the perfect case of urban sprawling in a highly densified country.
What threatens Guayaquil´s Biodiversity?
The major threat to biodiversity in Guayaquil relies on the lack of knowledge. A common recall, nature in cities has always been considered as an obsolete, undermined and noteworthy space in the middle of a forefront urban modernism. Natural spaces in Guayaquil phase the most critical and powerful threat: "unknown". The lack of simple knowledge breaks into the ignorance or lack of interest of the people to acknowledge what benefits can be provided by biodiversity. Guayaquil as a city has been developed a sociocultural behaviour enemisting nature and becoming more grey lovers", with fancy and massive buildings that encourage people to be internalized in this concrete and tasteless flavour of life. Due to this generational behavior and atipical decision, our environment have had no pertinent respect and value. Therefore, this lack of empathy towards nature has influenced in our extractivist driven economy which has promoted limestone mining, agricultural and aquacultural expansion, illegal settlements and unregulated industrialization and development, leading to an extreme land transformation, degradation, and deforestation. Additionally, more site specific threats such as bushfires, illegal logging, wildlife poaching, and vandalism rise towards natural spaces impacting unvisible areas where the common cititzen are not aware of.
Even though our past have forced the reshaping of our urban mosaic, future threats are under their way. The new airports is activating engranaje of machinery which will be undertaking the removal of an area of a biological corridor which connects the "Cordillera Chongon Colonche" refugia of heavily affected species the Jaguar (Panthera onca centralis) and the Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus guayaquilensis).
The City of Guayaquil is the perfect case of urban sprawling in a highly densified country.
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We have asociate with researchers, municipal funcionaries, NGOs, printing and digital marketing companies to generate scientific research and provide photograpic and media documentation in order to promote landscape and urban ecology ecología urbana, and integrate urban develop- ment strategies for the conservation of Guayaquil ́s Biodiversity.
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