Mindo Cloudforest Foundation has been leading the implementation of South America’s first birders’ route, La Ecoruta el Paseo del Quinde, for the last 5 years. A grant from the Butler Foundation (USA) is funding the architectural and contents design of the ‘Cloudforest Interpretive Center’ to be built at one end of this route. The intern will work as support staff, designing of content for the Interpretive Center.
The birders’ route, El Paseo del Quinde, is the keystone of Ecuador’s National Strategy for Avitourism. This strategy was published in 2006 by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism and describes how Ecuador can increase its market participation in this form of eco-tourism. The government contracted this strategy after analysis by CORPEI (Public/private Corporation for exports and investments) determined this was a market niche wherein the country has comparative advantages and an active industry in formation. This prior analysis and the strategy were paid for by funds from the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands. MCF co-authored this strategy with CORPEI. It is precisely designed to give rural communities an active role in these new economic opportunities while helping preserve local biodiversity.
For the in-Canada component of this project intern will be placed with Forestry Program at Ecology Action Centre in Halifax, NS and focus on researching forestry policy in various jurisdictions to assist with recommendations for Nova Scotia.
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