Community and Conservation

The Oyacachi community is nestled in a deep valley in the eastern range of the Andes Mountains. The community is located in Ecuador’s Napo province, within the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve.

The Reserve, known for its soaring plateaus and expanses of wetlands, is a Ramsar-certified conservation area. Its pristine springs supply water to Ecuadorian communities as far away as Quito. 

An indigenous community lives in the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve:

The Kichwa (or Quichua) make up the community of Oyacachi, found on the east slope of the Andes. Their principal activities are: livestock (production of meat, milk and cheese), ecotourism, wooden handicrafts and fish farming. The Kichua-speaking community has roots deep in Inca history. The community is believed to have descended from two distinct groups: the Parios and the Aigaje. Historians speculate that the Parios migrated from modern-day Peru, while the Aigaje settled in the valley to escape the Inca conquest of nearby Cayambis and Caranquis. During the bloody expansion of the Inca Empire during the YahuarCocha War, the Parios and Aigaje enjoyed the tranquility and security of Oyacachi valley.

Read more about the Oyacachi community at this site