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ECUADORLINE |
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ECUADORLINE |
NEWSLETTER June 2005 |
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Dear friends of Ecuador, | |
Ecuador´ s green province is losing in colour Wherever you take a look at, it is getting green and even greener. There are exotic plants that build a beautiful sea of colours together with the tropical wildlife. It seems like a pure idyll – except for the noising motor saw in the background which drowns out the chirping crickets and the singing birds. About 15,000 ha of the forest area in the province of Esmeraldas on the north of Ecuador fall victim to the logging process every year. This is seven trees per hectare in average. Within the next 15 years all timber wood stocks will be logged in Esmeraldas. The growing win of oil is another reason for the continuing loggings. That is why the region loses bit by bit its valuable primary forest and living space for countless habitants in the rainforest.
Until today only 30 per cent of the former forest stocks of Ecuador are conserved. In the whole of the country about 650,000 m2 are being cut every year which is more or less the same distance from London to Liverpool or from Frankfurt to Munich if you string all logged trees together. Thereby one of the worldwide richest biodiversities can be found in the tropical rainforests of Ecuador. Besides of the varied fauna we find the wood of over 60 tree species that are used for further processing, for example mahogany, teak or guajak are some of them. Since the 1960´ s we find a growing number of companies which settle down in the area of Esmeraldas in order to use the unique rainforest trees for their intentions. Also the big oil firms have conquered the area for their own profits. The main problem hereby, there are only few boundaries set for the companies within the logging of the precious trees. So far the Ecuadorian ministry of the environment provides only little amounts of money for sufficient checking. The exploitation of the natural treasures of Ecuador goes at the expense of flora and fauna, but also of the here living indigenes people who have been selling their land to foreign companies for many years because of not knowing what was going on. Yet they did not get an equivalent value for their properties. Huge parts of the area are reclaimed by the indigenes peo  ple, but this is a longsome process with an open ending! A regulation plan for legal lobbing is being made, but there is a lack of authority and stability within the responsible ministry of the environment which makes it difficult to struggle against economical interests of foreign trading partners. In addition to that the people of Esmeraldas depend on the work as tree fellers because until now there are no alternatives for them.
In cooperation with the GTZ (German Society for Technical Cooperation) and regional communities the international acting non-governmental organisation Conservación Internacional is in service in order to put the workers off illegal lobbing and replace their salaries with money received out of a fond. Having the aim to improve people´ s quality of life they also want to conserve the biodiversity. However there are many visible wounds and it will last some time to heal them properly. Many centuries of life have been destroyed already. Furthermore the monoculture on an area of 35,000 ha with a species called African palm ended up to be counterproductive because the non native tree causes an unbalance for the ecosystem. A new branch of hope is the sector of eco-tourism in Ecuador. The unique biodiversity of Esmeraldas is an important alternative to the forest lobbing and offers many chances in order to make the province known as a tourist destination and also to promote the economical situation. In the meanwhile 312,018 ha of the Ecuadorian rainforest is conservation area, with the help of international pressure the walk to talk is to come in the following years. In November 2004 for example the German government stopped its payments of 2,5 Million Euros to make the Ecuadorian ministry of the environment get active. If you are interested into this topic, we are happy to send you further details. You can also visit the english homepage from Conservacion Internacional or the Jatunga Sacha Fundacion. | |
Hats off! Panama or Ecuador hat, that is the question - Part 6 of our series about the foreign trade products of Ecuador A specialty of Ecuadorian export goods is the world-famous Panama hat. Because of its name you might guess something else, but the popular sun protector has been produced in Ecuador since 1630. In doing so, 90 per cent of the product goes to foreign countries, in particular intended for the United States and Europe.
Made out of toquilla fibre, one of the finest straws used in hats, which is growing in the coastal area of Ecuador, the handy straw hat is also called “Paja Toquilla“. Plaited by hand, the major part of the top-quality fibre is processed in Montecristi, the native city of the distinctive headdress. But also in the city of Cuenca you will find a big number of hat gimps that have been living there for many centuries. Through the trading harbour of Panama the “Jipi Japa” hat became widespread in other countries – therefore its name Panama hat is lasting until today. At first it was sold to gold diggers on its way to Northern America, later its quality for fashion was shown on the world exhibition in Paris in 1880 for the first time. The picture of the American president Theodore Roosevelt got known all around the world when journalists took photographs of him, wearing the straw hat at the completion of the Panama channel in 1906. Then the hat became a symbol for the constructors of the channel who protected themselves against the sun. Very important are refinement, closeness and quality of the processed fibres. Depending on the type of hat the making lasts from eight days to eight months. The nicer the bandings,  the more rounding a so called “Fino” gets and the more money can be demanded. Distinctive mark of a real “Ecuador hat” is the quality of straw and the patterns which make an original differ from a copy.
In foreign countries hat lovers pay several hundred US-Dollars in order to get an authentic one, in Ecuador you also get them for about five to eight dollars. There is a social unbalance between producers and traders because of the unequal distribution of winnings. Expellers pay only a few cents to the hat gimps to dispose the straw hats to other brokers and with increasing prices the hats finally reach their new owners worldwide. Therefore a rather exclusive product and not really suited for a brighter range of customers on the market. For the last few years the aid organisation PLAN has supported a cooperative of gimps whose aim is the sale of hats without brokers. Also more and more credits are agreed to hat producers by banks in order to buy new working machines. Obviously the ”Sombrero de Paja Toquilla“ has to find some new ways of going for its survival in the future. Please read more about the Panama hat. Would you like to get your own straw hat? As a starting point for trips to Montecristi we recommend you staying at Hotel Cabañas Balandra in Manta, as well we suggest you Hostería Mandála and Hostería La Barquita in Puerto López. New minister of tourism in the Ecuadorian cabinet
The „unseen people “in Spain On February 7th, Ecuador and Spain signed an agreement, which says, that from now on it will be easier for illegal immigrants from South America to get a stay permit in Spain. With the legalisation, clandestine employment is supposed to be antagonised. Also it will be afforded for immigrants to travel to their countries of origin or receive visits from their families. Some of the immigrants try to bring their family members to Spain, if they are able to legalise their stay.
The authentication has been lasting for three month and ended in May. About 140,000 Ecuadorians used the offer of the Spanish government during that time. In Spain the Ecuadorians present the biggest group of immigrants, followed by people from Romania, Marrokko and Colombia. The government of Ecuador evaluates that in the last two years round 80.000 Ecuadorians have immigrated to Spain, most of them illegally. The government of Spain arranged the authentication for people, who have been living and working in Spain for a longer time without possessing necessary papers for a legal status. This is the reason why every person has to proof the arrival in Spain before August, the 7th and with it a valid working contract. Airport of Quito will be closed overnightsBecause of construction work the airport Mariscal Sucre in Quito will be closed from May the 30th until the 11th of June from 11 pm until 6.30 am. Air passenger don not have to face with trouble as flights will be redirected in this period of time so there will be no missing flights. | |
Special South American Tours – Colors of EcuadorEcuador – first of all most people think mainly of the Galápagos islands if they hear Ecuador, but the little Andean state has to offer a lot more: near to the colonial capital of Quito, some of the highest active volcanoes of the world are situated; in the Andes you can see indigene people having a chat on one of the colourful markets; there is also wonderful beaches with many palm trees close to the Pacific Ocean where you can relax after an adventurous journey through the jungle in the Amazon area.The incoming agency SAT will be pleased to make bookings for you. Please contact us for further information or visit our homepage. We hope you will enjoy a lovely journey through the fascinating countryside of Ecuador. Itinerary: Quito - Otavalo – Riobamba - Cuenca – Guayaquil, you also have the possibility to go to the Galápagos islands Time of travelling: 8 days Dates: please visit our homepage This round trip can only be booked with the help of a travel agency. If you want to know more about it, please write us or just click here. Special Grayline – Top view over Quito
Please visit our homepage to get more information. Cultural offer from the Hotel Patio Andaluz in Quito Every Saturday the community of interests „Culture and Artists“presents an amusing night of theatre with dinner and wine. The play „A las 6 en la esquina del Bulevar“ („At six o’clock at the corner of boulevard”) is shown just now. Enjoy a wonderful evening with special dinner, good wines and a diverting play in which is spoken about interpersonal relations, feelings and the interests of a couple.
Price per person: US $ 25,00 If you are interested in this offer or if you need more information, please click here or contact us. Hacienda El Porvenir - Canopy Tour above the trees Enjoy the unique countryside of Páramo during your stay at the relaxing Hacienda El Porvenir that is situated in the Cotopaxi area.
In addition to that the neighbouring Hacienda Santa Rosa has something new for you to offer for a lovely day in the natural scenery. Here you will get the chance to hover over the trees, being secured in a seat on a wire rope. Also the guide that is with you will tell you about the fascinating ecosystem that you will get to know better with your flight over the tops of the trees. If you are interested in the Canopy Tour or need more information, see the special Hacienda El Porvenir or contact us and we will be glad to help you. Price per person: US $ 30,00 + US $ 5,00 (entrance to the natural reserve). | |
Rainforest: An island of orchids and plants in Puyo Ten years ago, the foundation Omaere set up the ethno - botanic and pedagogic park Omaere, which stands for “nature” in the language of the Huaorani tribe. The park is supposed to promote the awareness of the tropical rainforest. Hereby the main aim is the protection of the biological diversity in the region. It is situated close to the town of Puyo, the capital of the province Pastaza, eight hours away from Quito. It counts 16 ha, is located on 900 until 960 metres and extends along the river Puyo.
There, visitors have the possibility to discover over 1,500 plants, which are also used as medical plants. Furthermore, you can find uncountable extraordinary orchids and so this place promises to be an interesting destination. A visit takes two hours and abducts all guests into another world, walking on the 2,5 kilometres long way. The indigene Teresa Shika guides through the park and approximates the variety of this unique flora.  She explains the effect of medical plants, which have been used by indigenes people for many generations. It is said, that there exists a plant against every kind of sickness in the tropical rainforests. After the tour, visitors have the chance to buy medicaments, like dragon blood or other biologics, which contents leaves from unique trees. Dragon blood is used to medicate scurvy or air dressing and also diarrhoea.
Another attraction is the collection of orchids in mini dimension, which only can be seen with a loop. Beyond this, you can find more than 300 species of orchids in Omaere. Every walkabout through the park offers the possibility to see a multiplicity of arachnids, locusts, frogs, multicoloured butterflies, chafers and much more. After the two hours tour, in most cases visitors feel a little bit bushed due to the humid and warm climate. Nevertheless, they are really happy and satisfied having seen such a rich nature. Rainforest: Oil production in the reserve of biosphere One of the places with the highest biodiversity worldwide is located close to the rivers of Tiputini and Napo in the rainforest of Ecuador, near to the border of Peru. In the Yasuni National Park we find between 4000 to 5000 different tree species, about 500 different fish species, round 600 species of birds and 120 types of mammalians. Thus, the Yasuni National Park has the biggest biodiversity in Ecuador. For protecting this variety, the UNESCO declared the park as a reserve of biosphere.
However, the main part of worldwide attention is not reached by the exceeding biodiversity, but by intentions of the Brazilian oil corporate group Petrobras that is operating in the area of the Yasuni reserve. Now, Petrobras wants to expand and enlarge its work in the region. They already have started with the construction of a 35,6 kilometres long street, directly in the area of Yasuni. The street will open up intact rainforest in order to exploit more oil. So far the “WestLB – Pipeline” works with an efficiency of  only 50%, therefore more possibilities are to be used by the companies to improve economical profits.
With the road construction, Quichuan communities that live along the river of Napo are threatened. Also the living space of the Huaoranis tribe is in danger. The Indigenes are frightened, that because of the new street settlers and poachers will come to their area. Unfortunately the plans from Petrobras are not the only threat in the Yasuni Park. Close to the Petrobras oilfield, the Canadian group Encena is preparing some seismic tests for finding oil reserves down under. Easterly from the Petrobras oilfield resides the so-called ITT block, where the biggest oil reserves of Ecuador were verified. In the meanwhile Indigenes and ecologists are warning that the street is only the beginning of new road makings in the Yasuri Park. If you are interested to know more about the oil company aims or the Yasuni national park, click here or contact us. Highlands: Discover the enchantments of the Tsáchila culture When you come to discover the beautiful natural landscape in the highlands of Ecuador, you might get to know the hardly noted culture of the Tsáchila. Right in the city of Santo Domingo de los Colorados, which is three hours away from Quito by bus, in the province of Pichincha, an interesting indigenous community lives: the “Colorados”, (that means “red”) due to the red colour of their hair, obtained through the spread of some red seeds of a plant named achiote on their heads.
Dressed up in their traditional clothes, the native members of the Tsáchila community guide national and foreign visitors to an unforgettable experience through a natural path surrounded by a lush vegetation in which small birds nest in. The Colorados believe that all birds and wild animals hold special signs, such as the Mapichu bird that calls everyone´ s attention because it hardly ever sings, and when it does, it is to announce someone´ s pregnancy. Then, the  adventure continues with a great display of good energy! In a shawl straw-roof hut the native guide performs a traditional ritual which, according to the Tsáchila culture, renews your energy. It includes some native herbs concoction, traditional chants, black stones and some medicinal plants. Through this long-established practice the Colorados ensure long life and prosperity. After that, nearby, you will find another rustic cabin with handicrafts made up of seeds and native plants and other local ancient devices. It is also possible to know more about the Tsáchila culture through its amusing music. The Tsáchila dancers enjoy the melodies coming out from the appealing sound of the drums and women, wearing colorful skirts, bright adornments on their bodies and hair bands flying on the air dance with great joy.
Get closer to the fascinating culture of Tsáchila and relax in the middle of nature! Just contact us if you want to know more. Galápagos: Tourism: boon or bane? For quite a long time the Galápagos islands have not been an intact paradise only. Daily flights connect the Archipel with the continent, new airports and scores of cruise liners were built, so they can bear up against the umpteen tourists. The rules of the national park help to control the stream of visitors and to keep low damages, but there is not enough personal. In 2005, in total 140 guards work on the islands, one year ago the number of guards rested with 225.
Some of the tasks for the persons in charge in the future will be the regulation of tourism, but also the control of immigration by Ecuadorian people from the continent. Many Ecuadorians from the mainland come to the islands, hoping to find work there. Now 23,242 people live legally on Galápagos, in addition to that there are about 3,500 to 4,000 people that live without permission of stay. In 1959, big parts from Galápagos were declared as a national park. With this declaration also measures for saving the endangered plants and animals began. The Charles Darwin Foundation was founded by the UNESCO and also the ”World Conservation  Union” (IUCN) works together with the Ecuadorian national park office. The aim is the protection and also more awareness of the unique ecosystem, which can be realised by scientific research and additional work. The local population is being informed about the sense and the advantages of nature conversation. This is very important, since the surrounding sea is part of the national park and conflicts came up with fishermen whose main interest is earning enough money and not the conservation of the environment. The Charles Darwin Foundation tries to explain the importance of the complex ecosystem to local fishermen in order to work together in the future.
We only can hope that their work is successfully and that they take new actions for protecting and bewaring this region. If only the “fast buck” counts and the Archipel will not be saved enough, “Noah’s Ark of Galápagos” might disappear soon. Click here to get more information about the work of the Charles Darwin Foundation or contact us. | |
By bike (Katharina Scheremet, Ravensburg) Baños is situated submontane of the Vulcan Tungurahua and is obtainable in three or four hours from Quito. The town does not have many objects of interests, but it is pleasing in Baños for relaxing and recuperating.
We arrived Friday night and stayed for the first night in the hotel “Mirador de San Francisco”, straight to the terminal. The next morning, first we were looking for a nice breakfast and it was a hard decision, because there are so many possibilities with good breakfast, like fresh fruits, muesli and eggs. Then we checked in in our new, quite comfortable hostel “Isla de Baños”, where we rent bikes for the day. Now our tour started along the Río Pastaza in direction to Río Negro. The route mainly went downhill and we were glad about having checked the gadflies before. Our first stop was a canyon, which you can cross in a creel. Along the way, we had an impressive view over the river and a waterfall. We co  ntinued
our route and visited the greatest waterfall of the superior Pastaza, the
Pailón del Diablo. It is really awe-inspiring, how the waterfall
finds his way into the deep canyon. After a three hours ride, we arrived
in Río Negro and ate in a typical Ecuadorian restaurant: rice with
meat. Back, we went with a friendly Ecuadorian, who told us the whole story
about the valley in only 30 minutes. We passed the evening in one of the
hot springs and then we searched a restaurant for dinner. On Sunday we walked
up to the cross Bellavista, where we had a marvellous view over Baños
and the mountains. After a pause with fresh water, we returned to Baños,
passing cows on the way. On a Sunday there are many people in the town and
so we enjoyed the lively atmosphere with all the musicians and people. Unfortunately,
we had to go back to Quito, the week- end passed fast, but I hope I can
return to Baños one day.
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... that most of the Galápagos islands have more than one name, an English
and a Spanish one? | |
ecuadorlineis a tourist information service about Ecuador. Many tourist enterprises support and finance our promotion and information job. Our main objective is to benefit the sponsor companies as well as the country itself.Our services: - Callcenter in Germany and delivery of information material free of charge - Route planning for individual travellers - Help with reservations - Information about hotels, lodges, haciendas, and cruises through Galápagos Islands - Suggestions for trips in Ecuador and useful links on our web site - Organisation of press trips - Photo archives Your suggestions to improve our Newsletter are welcomed. We also thank you for your comments about our web page. | |
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With best wishes from Quito, |
Top topic
The
new president Alfredo Palacio has built his new cabinet. After the deposition
of the former president Lucio Gutiérrez, Palacio strikes a new
political path. Of particular interest for Ecuador is the new minister
of tourism María Isabel Salvador Crespo. The tourism sector brings
out a more and more important source of income for the little Andean state.
After studying law the new politician has been working for more than15
years in the tourism sector. She has been active in some consultative
committees and also in other companies and associations in the tourism
field. Some of them are Air France, IATA, FIASEET, ARLAE and the Ecuadorian
chamber of tourism Pichincha CAPTUR. 
From
May, 25th, you have the possibility to enjoy the view over Quito in a
completely new way. Situated on an altitude of 4.000 meters the trip in
the new built cable car offers a spectacular view over the whole city.
Starting from “Cruz Loma”, one of the mountains surrounding the capital,
you surely will make an exciting experience. The trip in the 16 cabins
takes eight minutes and is US $ 3,50 per person. After your arrival on
the top, there is an amazing view over Quito and all its surrounding volcanoes
waiting for you. Why not enjoying a little Páramo walk before having
lunch on top of Quito? 