Eco-Travel - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 65

Reserves & National Parks

E

cuador has 25 areas classified as protected, including
eight national parks, eight ecological reserves and a
combination of national recreation areas, biological or
fauna reserves and a geobotanical reserve. The head
agency in charge of these areas is the Ministerio del Ambiente (Inte-
rior), within the Ministry of Agriculture Department. Previously, the
National Park Service, INEFAN, administered the parks, though the
most useful information is now available through the Ministry of
Tourism (formerly CETUR). Main offices are located in major cities
and towns and are listed in the Visitors Information section of each
destination chapter.
Each park is different when it comes to tourism infrastructure, the
quality of trails, and the quantity and quality of information avail-
able at visitor centers. In addition, there are numerous private re-
serves throughout the country, many of which were acquired by
national and international nongovernmental organizations to pre-
serve areas rich in biological diversity. Often, they work in conjunc-
tion with local communities on development projects that include
ecotourism.

There has been discussion of privatizing Ecuador's national parks,
though that is unlikely to happen in the near future. As ministries
continue to shuffle about, phase out, and be created, there is some
confusion as to the future of current national parks. Protected areas
vary considerably with regard to enforced regulation and state of the
environment. Much of this has to do with their particular location as
it relates to colonization and industrial interests such as oil and tim-
ber. One thing, however, is for certain: These special places are in-
comparable and will continue to depend on the voice and dollar of the
ecotourist.