Congal Biomarine Station
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| Congal Biomarine Station | |
|---|---|
| Location | Southwestern Esmeraldas Province, near Muisne, Ecuador |
| Established | 2000 |
| Website | Official website |
The Congal Biomarine Station is a protected nature reserve created in 2000 and is located in southwestern Esmeraldas Province, close to the town of Muisne in northwestern Ecuador. The Congal Reserve is managed by the Jatun Sacha Foundation and features beach, estuarine, mangrove, wetlands and humid tropical forest habitats, accounting for the region's high biodiversity and local endemism. The station was founded by the Quiroga family in partnership with conservationist, Arlo Hemphill.
The Reserve is part of the Western Ecuador Chocó-Darién biogeographical region, considered one world's biodiversity hotspots, where less than 24.2% of original primary forest cover remains. The Chocó-Darién intact mangrove habitats are also considered among the most important in the world, providing multiple environmental and social benefits. Additionally, Congal is part of the Mangrove Wild Life Refugee of Muisne and is in the buffer zone of the Mache Chindul National Ecological Reserve. The Reserve influences over 500 square kilometres of publicly owned mangroves and was the first mangrove reserve of it kind created in the Muisne area.
The reserve is on the mainland, across the estuary of the Muisne River from the community of Muisne. The Reserve also pursues the creation of the first large coastal marine reserve in mainland Ecuador. In this area it is possible to find coral reefs, humpback whale breeding and calving waters, sea turtle nesting beaches extensive mangrove wetlands and both sandy and rocky shoreline.
Objectives
The Reserve's purpose is to develop projects in the fields of coastal ecology, marine conservation, organic and environmentally friendly aquaculture, farming and forestry. These projects, once tested, may be applied in local communities to provide sources of income and to reduce the pressure on already overexploited and threatened natural resources.