Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
portation infrastructure from the 1960s and 70s paralleled a growth
in oil exploration and land cultivation for export products. Currently,
a small percentage of these forests are protected in areas such as
Machalilla National Park. Here, coastal scrub, deciduous trees, and
cacti meet the Pacific Ocean.
Mangrove Forests
Ecuador's mangrove forests, once plentiful in every far north and
southern estuary along the coast, have been damaged by the shrimp-
farming industry. These incredibly productive “swamps” are the life-
support system for the coastal marine ecosystem. Mangrove forests
provide habitat and nutrients for the entire food chain, and the trees'
roots provide structure and organic soil for other coastal marine
plants. They also provide habitat for fish and other marine life, as
well as the only nesting sites for a variety of seabirds.
Mangrove Deforestation
The rate of mangrove deforestation for shrimp farming cur-
rently threatens Ecuador's entire coastal ecosystem, in-
cluding other fishery species that do not live directly in the
mangrove estuaries. It also affects the subsistence liveli-
hood of local people. Ironically, the shrimp-farming indus-
try is also destroying itself, as it relies upon shrimp larvae
caught from natural stocks in tidal estuaries. In addition,
an incredible volume of “unwanted” aquatic wildlife entan-
gled in the nets is destroyed. Disease in shrimp farms also
cuts into profitability. While the productivity of shrimp
farming and the affected ecosystems continue to decline,
hard-currency profits go directly to Western investors.
Meanwhile, a few jobs are created for the locals, but wages
are meager. It is well worth visiting some of the remaining
intact mangrove ecosystems. The marine wildlife is abun-
dant and efforts to preserve these areas are increasingly de-
pendent on the collective voice of tourists and conservation
organizations. Supporting places like Bahía de Caráquez'
organic shrimp farm - the first in the world - will also
greatly benefit responsible economic growth.
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