Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve
Encyclopedia
The Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve is a 2000 acres (8.1 km²) certified conservation area on the North-Western slopes of the Andean mountain range
and is located 52 km from the Ecuadorian capital city of Quito
. The lodge
itself comprises guest rooms, 10 km of walking trails and the four storey
geodesic dome
, which contains a restaurant, viewing platforms and further accommodation. The Reserve was first established in 1991 by a British/Columbian couple. The area won the Audubon Christmas Bird Count
for the Americas in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
in the Tandayapa Valley region. Over the 19 year period since its purchase, the reserve has been added to with further purchases of land for conservation
, expanding the reserve to 2000 acres (8.1 km²).
In 1991 construction on the Eco-lodge began, starting with the central geodesic dome
, designed by local architects and Richard Parsons. This proved to be difficult in construction due to the carefully measured glass panels
and precise wood fittings required. Guesthouses
have also been added to the reserve, examples being the 'German House', 'Trailhead House' and 'Glorias' Honeymoon House'.
During its time as a functioning lodge
the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve has been officially certified through Rainforest Alliance
and Smart Voyager as an Eco-lodge. The Bellavista Reserve is also a founding member of the Network of Private Protected Forests of Ecuador
of Ecuador, and is itself located on the North-Western slopes of the Andean mountain range
, situated at 2000 metres altitude. It is located approximately 52 km from Quito
, the central plaza
of which is at 2800 metres altitude. Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve is in the northern section of the Andes which runs through Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador and consists of two parallel ranges, the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental.
s of Ecuador, also termed the pre-montane/subtropical rainforests, cover the slopes of the Andean mountains from about 900 meters to about 2500 meters. They are forests of high biodiversity, with a variety of little-studied wildlife and plants. The cloud forest
is a cool and humid environment with frequent canopy level cloud cover.
The Bellavista Reserve is situated at the southern edge of the Chocó/Andean biodiversity hotspot
areas which stretch from south western Colombia
to northwestern Ecuador
. The existence of the hotspots lead to the Bellavista Reserve being declared part of the Mindo Area of International Importance for Birds, the first area so designated in South America, by Birdlife International in 1997.
The New York Botanical Gardens wrote that the diversity of epiphytes ("air plants" that grow on other plants) is higher in the cloud forests of Ecuador, Colombia and Peru than anywhere else on the planet.
Many Orchid species are also found in the Bellavista Reserve. Orchids produce elegant shapes and many species are highly fragranced and the coloured. Orchids belong to the famous Orchidaceae
family. These plants grow in both east and west tropical and subtropical zones of Ecuador, and only a very few are able to grow in mild or cold zones.
The majority of orchids live on trees, as epiphytes, where they can comfortably receive heat, light and moist tropical air; others prefer rocks semi covered with moss
, and other orchids grow only at ground level, as they grow under a tree's shade.
Within Ecuador 4200 species of Orchid have been found, this is more than 10% of all Orchid species worldwide.
The Bellavista Reserve is home to a huge variety of bird species. Hummingbirds are seen particularly often in and around the reserve, with sighted species including the Green Violetear, Buff-tailed Coronet
, Sparkling Violetear, Gorgeted Sunangel
, Andean Emerald
, Purple-bibbed Whitetip
, Speckled Hummingbird
, Booted Racket-tail
, Violet-tailed Sylph
and Purple-throated Woodstar
. Species such as the Tanager-finch
, Giant Antpitta
, Swallow-tailed Nightjar
, Plush-capped Finch, Beautiful Jay
, and White-faced Nunbird
are also seen, as well as the Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan
and Toucan Barbet
. The Andean Cock-of-the-rock
is also frequently spotted at the nearby Lek, where the males and females gather to breed.
Mammals seen in the reserve area include the endangered Spectacled Bear
, as well as the puma, Andean coati
and tayra
.
available for students and scientists to study all aspects of the cloud forest ecosystem
. The Bellavista Reserve is currently used as an active research base for the Payamino Project, which was initiated in 2002, through a partnership between San Jose de Payamino (an Indigenous
community in the Ecuadorian Amazon
), Zoos Go Wild and Aalborg Zoo
, in order to protect the wildlife and culture of the area.
The project is supported by a number of high profile universities including Glasgow and Manchester in the UK and Aarhus and Aalborg in Denmark. These universities run expeditions and field courses and also have post-graduate students carrying out research. The number of studies taking place in the area has grown recently to now cover the birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals of the Payamino area.
Ornithological surveys
have been conducted in the area since 2000 and have so far registered more than 260 species of bird. To date, amphibian surveys have revealed that the area has at least 60 native species of frog
. The Chairman of the project is Dr Richard Preziosi of The University of Manchester.
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
and is located 52 km from the Ecuadorian capital city of Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
. The lodge
Lodging
Lodging is a type of residential accommodation. People who travel and stay away from home for more than a day need lodging for sleep, rest, safety, shelter from cold temperatures or rain, storage of luggage and access to common household functions.Lodgings may be self catering in which case no...
itself comprises guest rooms, 10 km of walking trails and the four storey
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
geodesic dome
Geodesic dome
A geodesic dome is a spherical or partial-spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles on the surface of a sphere. The geodesics intersect to form triangular elements that have local triangular rigidity and also distribute the stress across the structure. When...
, which contains a restaurant, viewing platforms and further accommodation. The Reserve was first established in 1991 by a British/Columbian couple. The area won the Audubon Christmas Bird Count
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
for the Americas in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
History
In 1991 the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve was first founded by British/Columbian couple Richard and Gloria Parsons, with the purchase of a 136 acre (0.55037296 km²) area of cloud forestCloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
in the Tandayapa Valley region. Over the 19 year period since its purchase, the reserve has been added to with further purchases of land for conservation
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
, expanding the reserve to 2000 acres (8.1 km²).
In 1991 construction on the Eco-lodge began, starting with the central geodesic dome
Geodesic dome
A geodesic dome is a spherical or partial-spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles on the surface of a sphere. The geodesics intersect to form triangular elements that have local triangular rigidity and also distribute the stress across the structure. When...
, designed by local architects and Richard Parsons. This proved to be difficult in construction due to the carefully measured glass panels
Flat glass
Flat glass, sheet glass, or plate glass is a type of glass, initially produced in plane form, commonly used for windows, glass doors, transparent walls, and windshields. For modern architectural and automotive applications, the flat glass is sometimes bent after production of the plane sheet...
and precise wood fittings required. Guesthouses
Guest house
A guest house is a kind of lodging. In some parts of the world a guest house is similar to a hostel, bed and breakfast, or inn whereas in other parts of the world , guest houses are a type of inexpensive hotel-like lodging...
have also been added to the reserve, examples being the 'German House', 'Trailhead House' and 'Glorias' Honeymoon House'.
During its time as a functioning lodge
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve has been officially certified through Rainforest Alliance
Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is a non-governmental organization with the published aims of working to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. It is based in New York City, and has offices throughout the...
and Smart Voyager as an Eco-lodge. The Bellavista Reserve is also a founding member of the Network of Private Protected Forests of Ecuador
Geography
The Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve is located entirely within the Pichincha ProvincePichincha Province
Pichincha is a province of Ecuador located in the northern sierra region; its capital and largest city is Quito. It is bordered by Imbabura & Esmeraldas to the north, Cotopaxi & Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas to the south, Napo & Sucumbíos to the east, and Esmeraldas & Santo Domingo de los...
of Ecuador, and is itself located on the North-Western slopes of the Andean mountain range
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, situated at 2000 metres altitude. It is located approximately 52 km from Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, the central plaza
Plaza
Plaza is a Spanish word related to "field" which describes an open urban public space, such as a city square. All through Spanish America, the plaza mayor of each center of administration held three closely related institutions: the cathedral, the cabildo or administrative center, which might be...
of which is at 2800 metres altitude. Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve is in the northern section of the Andes which runs through Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador and consists of two parallel ranges, the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental.
Wildlife and ecosystem
The cloud forestCloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
s of Ecuador, also termed the pre-montane/subtropical rainforests, cover the slopes of the Andean mountains from about 900 meters to about 2500 meters. They are forests of high biodiversity, with a variety of little-studied wildlife and plants. The cloud forest
Cloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
is a cool and humid environment with frequent canopy level cloud cover.
The Bellavista Reserve is situated at the southern edge of the Chocó/Andean biodiversity hotspot
Biodiversity hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” , revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in...
areas which stretch from south western Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
to northwestern Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. The existence of the hotspots lead to the Bellavista Reserve being declared part of the Mindo Area of International Importance for Birds, the first area so designated in South America, by Birdlife International in 1997.
The New York Botanical Gardens wrote that the diversity of epiphytes ("air plants" that grow on other plants) is higher in the cloud forests of Ecuador, Colombia and Peru than anywhere else on the planet.
Many Orchid species are also found in the Bellavista Reserve. Orchids produce elegant shapes and many species are highly fragranced and the coloured. Orchids belong to the famous Orchidaceae
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
family. These plants grow in both east and west tropical and subtropical zones of Ecuador, and only a very few are able to grow in mild or cold zones.
The majority of orchids live on trees, as epiphytes, where they can comfortably receive heat, light and moist tropical air; others prefer rocks semi covered with moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
, and other orchids grow only at ground level, as they grow under a tree's shade.
Within Ecuador 4200 species of Orchid have been found, this is more than 10% of all Orchid species worldwide.
The Bellavista Reserve is home to a huge variety of bird species. Hummingbirds are seen particularly often in and around the reserve, with sighted species including the Green Violetear, Buff-tailed Coronet
Buff-tailed Coronet
- Introduction :The Buff-tailed Coronet, Boissonneaua flavescens, is a species of hummingbird from the family Trochilidea. It is found in Colombia,...
, Sparkling Violetear, Gorgeted Sunangel
Gorgeted Sunangel
The Gorgeted Sunangel, Heliangelus strophianus, is a species of hummingbird. It is found in Colombia andEcuador....
, Andean Emerald
Andean Emerald
The Andean Emerald is a species of hummingbird found at forest edge, woodland, gardens and scrub in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru. It is generally fairly common. It is green above and white below. Some subspecies have a blue crown.-External links:* on the Internet Bird Collection...
, Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Urosticte benjamini, is a species of hummingbird. It is found in the humid Chocó in Colombia and Ecuador....
, Speckled Hummingbird
Speckled Hummingbird
The Speckled Hummingbird , is a species of hummingbird. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.-External links:* on the Internet Bird Collection*; pbase.com...
, Booted Racket-tail
Booted Racket-tail
The Booted Racket-tail is a species of hummingbird. It is found in the Andean cordillera of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela; Venezuela also has a population on the northern coast.-Description:...
, Violet-tailed Sylph
Violet-tailed Sylph
-Brief Description:The Violet-tailed Sylph, Aglaiocercus coelestis, is a species of hummingbird. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador. Males average around 7 inches,, in height, while females average around 3.8 inches...
and Purple-throated Woodstar
Purple-throated Woodstar
The Purple-throated Woodstar, Calliphlox mitchellii, is a species of hummingbird, and it is one of the four Calliphlox genera, the woodstars. The species is found in Colombia and Ecuador, and a minor localized population in Panama, 600 km from its main species distribution.- External links :* on...
. Species such as the Tanager-finch
Tanager-finch
The Tanager-finch is a songbird species. In the recent past usually placed in the Emberizidae family, it actually seems to be, as its common name implies, a kind of tanager . But its precise affinities are unclear. It is placed in the monotypic genus Oreothraupis.It is found in Colombia and Ecuador...
, Giant Antpitta
Giant Antpitta
The Giant Antpitta is a perching bird species in the ground antbird family . Like the other antpittas, it might warrant splitting off into a new family....
, Swallow-tailed Nightjar
Swallow-tailed Nightjar
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.-References:* BirdLife International...
, Plush-capped Finch, Beautiful Jay
Beautiful Jay
The Beautiful Jay is a species of bird in the Corvidae family. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.-References:...
, and White-faced Nunbird
White-faced Nunbird
The White-faced Nunbird is a species of puffbird in the Bucconidae family. Its genus Hapaloptila is monotypic....
are also seen, as well as the Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan
Plate-billed Mountain-toucan
The Plate-billed Mountain Toucan is a species of bird in the Ramphastidae family. It is found in humid montane forests growing on the west Andean slopes in north-western Ecuador and south-western Colombia at a wide range of high, mountain altitudes...
and Toucan Barbet
Toucan Barbet
left|250pxThe Toucan Barbet, Semnornis ramphastinus, is a distinctive bird found in humid forests growing on the west Andean slopes in north-western Ecuador and south-western Colombia. While it remains fairly common locally, it has declined due to habitat loss and trapping for the cage-bird...
. The Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
The Andean Cock-of-the-rock is a medium-sized passerine bird of the Cotinga family native to Andean cloud forests in South America. The plural is Andean Cocks-of-the-rock...
is also frequently spotted at the nearby Lek, where the males and females gather to breed.
Mammals seen in the reserve area include the endangered Spectacled Bear
Spectacled Bear
The spectacled bear , also known as the Andean bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the last remaining short-faced bear and the closest living relative to the Florida spectacled bear and short-faced bears of the Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene age.The spectacled bear is a...
, as well as the puma, Andean coati
Coati
Coatis, genera Nasua and Nasuella, also known as the Brazilian aardvark, Mexican tejón, hog-nosed coon, pizotes, crackoons and snookum bears, are members of the raccoon family . They are diurnal mammals native to South America, Central America, and south-western North America...
and tayra
Tayra
The tayra , also known as the Tolomuco or Perico ligero in Central America, and San Hol or viejo de monte in the Yucatan Peninsula is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family Mustelidae. It is the only species in the genus Eira...
.
Current research and conservation projects
The Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve has its own research stationResearch station
A research station is a station built for the purpose of conducting scientific research. Research station sites might include outer space and oceans. Many nations have research stations in Antarctica; Showa Station, Halley and Troll are examples...
available for students and scientists to study all aspects of the cloud forest ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
. The Bellavista Reserve is currently used as an active research base for the Payamino Project, which was initiated in 2002, through a partnership between San Jose de Payamino (an Indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
community in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
), Zoos Go Wild and Aalborg Zoo
Aalborg Zoo
Aalborg Zoo is one of Denmark's biggest zoos and is located near the center of Aalborg.Every year, Aalborg Zoo is visited by around 375,000 guests...
, in order to protect the wildlife and culture of the area.
The project is supported by a number of high profile universities including Glasgow and Manchester in the UK and Aarhus and Aalborg in Denmark. These universities run expeditions and field courses and also have post-graduate students carrying out research. The number of studies taking place in the area has grown recently to now cover the birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals of the Payamino area.
Ornithological surveys
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
have been conducted in the area since 2000 and have so far registered more than 260 species of bird. To date, amphibian surveys have revealed that the area has at least 60 native species of frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
. The Chairman of the project is Dr Richard Preziosi of The University of Manchester.