Source: AFP
A sprawling Ecuadorian forest reserve, home to toucans and the spectacled bear, is at the center of a tug-of-war between conservationists and miners.
A year ago, residents and environmentalists scored a hard-fought victory in a local referendum that banned all new metal mining in the Choco Andino Biosphere Reserve, a UN-designated biodiversity hotspot.
But they complain that the government has not shared details of how the ban will be implemented or whether new concessions have been granted since the referendum, which was voted by residents of the capital Quito and surrounding areas.
They also want clarity on what will happen to mining licenses that were still pending when the referendum was passed.
Source: AFP
“The concessions must be reviewed. Mining continues” despite the ban, biologist Inty Arcos, 45, a member of the Quito without Mining collective, which campaigned for the referendum, told AFP.
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“Miners continue to come in, illegal mining continues, the (gold) material continues to leave and this with all the anxiety (…) because there is also violence around mining, there are organized criminal groups,” he said.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment.
The cloud forest is a bird watcher’s paradise home to around 600 species of birds such as cotingas with their vibrant patterns and unique characteristics.
The sanctuary is also home to 270 species of mammals.
Source: AFP
“This is a paradise of great biodiversity. There are toucans, cotingas… There are also mammals like squirrels and spectacled bears,” said Rolando Garcia, 60, a resident of Mindo, northwest of Quito.
“Mining is not good, it destroys everything,” said the self-taught ornithologist, who makes his living giving birding tours to tourists.
About 21,000 people live within the forest area covered by the ban on new mining projects.
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“It’s not clear enough”
Maria Eulalia Silva, executive president of the Chamber of Mines, said a complete halt to mining made no sense in an area with poverty levels at 80 percent.
“You can’t talk about wanting to protect the environment while leaving communities without development opportunities. Poverty is also one of the biggest threats to the environment,” he said.
Source: AFP
He told AFP that companies that already had “mining rights do not need to withdraw from the area”.
“Those who had a mining license granted by the Ecuadorian state before the referendum can complete all phases of mining,” he said.
“The impact of the referendum is that there will be no new concessions” in the area where “there is small-scale mining and industrial mining in very early stages of exploration”.
Opponents of mining say they plan to appeal to the Constitutional Court to clarify the details of the ban, especially for projects that were still in the exploratory phase before the referendum.
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“Many claim that (the decision) is not clear enough,” says Teolinda Calle, of the collective Quito Without Mines.
With just two industrial gold and copper deposits — located in the Amazon — Ecuador’s mining exports hit a record $3.324 billion in 2023 and could rise to $10 billion (10 percent of GDP) in 2030, according to with the Chamber of Mines.
Source: AFP
Rich in gold, copper and silver, mining has become a strategic sector for the traditionally oil-dependent country, also known for its shrimp and banana exports.
But environmentalists and Choco Andino residents fear for its fragile ecosystems.
“You can see the hummingbirds, for example. Imagine the impact on these species, these tiny animals, of an explosion to break the rock or the opening of a road to allow large trucks and tractors to enter,” said Arcos .
Source: AFP
