Integrated Ecological Lifestyle Model in Intag
´El Milagro´

Nestled in the cloud-forested mountains of the region of Intag on the
western slopes of the Ecuadorean Andes, is a burgeoning project to create
and demonstrate a replicable ecological lifestyle to local, national and
international visitors and regenerate a precious cloud forest ecosystem.
With support from the Sloth Club in Japan (www.sloth.gr.jp), the Rainforest
Information Centre in Australia (www.forests.org/ric) and a growing number
of volunteers and individual supporters, the Integrated Ecological
Lifestyle Model project in Intag has been developing steadily over the past
year.
The region is world famous as a hotspot of biological diversity - one of
the 10 most threatened on the planet - and is a vital area to protect. The
region of Intag has also become famous as a place of fierce resistance to
destructive industrial development processes, like mining. Through the
efforts of local grassroots activists and international networks there has
been great progress in developing alternative, ecologically benign projects
to help local people raise their income and standard of living while
reducing destructive development activities and threats.
It is also an area of inspiring political progressiveness. The entire
population of Cotacachi (of which Intag is part) is invited by the local
government to have a strong voice in the policies which affect them. One
result of this political process is the declaration of the entire area as
an 'Ecological County'. The strict set of environmental ordinances which
lay the foundations for a very green future in this ecological jewel.
Promoting ecological understanding and lifestyles is the probably the most
urgent action to continue the progress so far. Most farmers and colonisers
still subsist from extremely destructive practices - clearing and burning
to grow marginal crops on extremely steep (erosion prone) slopes. Like
other extremely threatened or already degraded areas of Ecuador, most
people have no idea or information about sustainable land use practices.

Demonstrating Solutions.
The Integrated Ecological Lifestyle Model project in Intag hopes to provide
an ecological example, based on permaculture design principles and
experimenting with easily replicable and inexpensive ecological
technologies from compost toilets, simple hydro-electric systems, solar
cookers and dryers and biogas digesters. It is a place where international
volunteers and visitors are invited to teach and learn and practice
sustainable systems with local community groups. The vision is also of
planting and maintaining permaculture gardens and collecting and
distributing organic non-hybrid seeds to local people and reforesting
degraded parts of the 35 ha of land that is part of the project so far.
Volunteers can take part in this and have the opportunity to expand the
project by investing in the purchase of neighbouring properties.

The Place
Two hours on a local bus from the market town of Otavalo (two hours from
Quito), you reach the tiny village of Pucara (a prominent pre-Incan
civilization site scattered with sacred mounds or 'Tolas'). From here you
look out to the 350 ha cloud forest reserve of 'La Florida' and in this
direction begin a 20 minute steep descent on foot. The Tuabunche river
forms the lower boundary of the land and is one of its greatest features,
flowing fresh and pure water from the Cotocachi-Cayapas biological reserve.
 
Progress so far
As of December 2000, the land has around one hectare planted out with a
range of plants and fruit trees. As well as fruit and vegies, about 500
coffee seedlings have been planted as part of the organic shade grown
coffee project that has received so much support from friends in Japan. A
local person, Luis Hidalgo, (and family, Mercedes, Clavers and Fernando) is
employed to maintain the plants and the property itself. A horse (Yogi)
keeps the grass down on the hectare of pasture and produce compost for the
garden. A water pipe system has been installed to provide a permanent water
supply to the house and garden from the permanent small stream that runs
through the property.  A greenhouse has been built to bring up native and
fruit trees for resforestation efforts.
Building of a central house is now complete, with the sugar cane grass roof
and mud walls. The construction of the 'round' house follows ecological
guidelines of using as many local materials as possible (mud walls, stone
floor in kitchen and grass roof). Cormac, from Ireland, has come to Ecuador
especially to help with this building project and has done a wonderful job!
Other volunteers who have helped with this project include two friends from
Japan - Taku and Kensuke who helped Luis with the gardens, and a New
Zealand couple, Hans and Mikaela who have, along with Shine and Shannon,
helped create a basic permaculture design.

Funding and the Future
The approach to funding with this project is to keep things small and
simple and create systems that are not expensive and easily replicable.
Volunteers, especially those who can teach appropriate technologies, are
particularly sought after to share their knowledge and vision. The initial
land purchase was helped by ecological friends from the Sloth Club in
Japan. The deedholder and project manager of the Rainforest Information
Centre, Anja Light, has been paying for the permanent local worker, house
construction and other infrastructure (from funds raised from forest CD
sales in Japan).
The long-term vision includes the gradual expansion of the project site by
encouraging visitors to buy neighbouring parcels of land for reforestation,
while focussing on the central land area for self-sufficiency production.
At between US$100 and US$200 per hectare - people can easily afford to
invest in a personal stake in the protection and regeneration of cloud forest!
People living on neighbouring land usually hope to sell so they can move to
an urban city. Others would like to stay in the area but are willing to
take on different non-destructive farming practices. The neighbouring
virgin cloud forest of 'La Florida' is a seed bank of native species that
should be allowed to reclaim its borders - it is with this ultimate vision
that the Integrated Ecological Lifestyle Model in Intag was born.

If you would like to find out more, volunteer or visit this project, please
contact:
alight@ecuanex.net.ec