Los Cedros, a protected forest reserve in the north-west of the country, is made up of highly fragile and threatened cloud forest. This area is home to spectacular biodiversity including the critically endangered brown-headed spider monkey, Andean bears and more than 400 species of birds. Los Cedros also safeguards the headwaters of four important watersheds, which are vital for species and communities downriver.
For years, Los Cedros has been threatened by mining concessions from companies ENAMI and Cornerstone which cover two-thirds of the reserve. These concessions would have dire consequences for Los Cedros, the biodiversity it contains, as well as nearby communities. In a bid to stop the concessions going ahead, local communities and organisations took their fight to Ecuador’s highest court.