Ecuador’s Los Cedros Forest and Guayaquil Green Spaces Advance Community Ecotourism

The Los Cedros Protected Forest in the Cotacachi municipality of Imbabura Province is being promoted as a model of sustainable, community‑based tourism. Over 40 participants explored interpretive trails, visited a scientific station and exchanged knowledge with local residents who shared ancestral practices for forest stewardship. The initiative highlights the integration of biodiversity conservation, indigenous cosmovision and income‑generating activities such as local gastronomy and small‑scale production, aiming to position Los Cedros as an international responsible‑tourism destination.

In the coastal city of Guayaquil, six protected forest hills—including Cerro Blanco, Cerro Paraíso, Prosperina and Cerro Azul—serve as vital green lungs and host rich wildlife. Environmental groups see strong potential for ecotourism, yet the areas receive limited institutional support and face pressure from urban expansion. Activist Aníbal Rivera of the Madre Vida collective noted, "It is a very good place for nature lovers, but it really needs more promotion and better maintenance." Efforts to develop hiking, bird‑watching and recreational pathways remain largely volunteer‑driven, underscoring the need for greater public investment to preserve these natural assets.