The 250 hectare Congal Station is located in the Muisne County, Esmeraldas Province, and is part of the Western Ecuador Choc�-Dari�n region, a "Biodiversity Hotspot" where less than 24.2% of the original forest cover remains. The intact mangrove habitats of the Choc�-Dari�n in Esmeraldas are also considered among the most important in the world, providing multiple environmental and social benefits. With both marine and terrestrial habitats, the island is home to animals as varied as three-toed sloth, paca and armadillo, as well as bottle-nosed dolphins, swimming crabs and frigatebird colonies.

The area features primary tropical rainforest, beach, natural regeneration, mangrove, estuarine habitat, wetland and wet tropical forest, diverse habitats which account for the regions high biodiversity and local endemism. The mangrove ecosystem in particular has been heavily impacted by commercial aquaculture, urban sprawl and heavy extraction of its natural resources over the last couple of decades, and the Congal Station's goal is to provide alternatives to destructive practices, both on the industrial and community levels.

:: Congal Reserve Programs

Center for the Investigation of Sustainable Aquaculture

In collaboration with Lisamar S.A., a local aquaculture company, our partner is creating a model sustainable aquaculture farm on Congal. Using best management practices and integrating aquaculture into natural systems through the use of mangrove biofilters and vegetated pond walls, Congal is to serve as an example of responsible aquaculture. The farm is also used as a research station for producing alternative species and developing new environmental technologies. In order to produce alternative income sources for local communities and for Ecuador's aquaculture industry, as well as to lessen the dependence on monoculture, alternative species are being researched at Congal.

Additionally, the Congal Research Station focuses on the management of shellfish harvests by local gathering communities. Cockles have traditionally been collected from the mangrove ecosystem of Ecuador for generations and are one of the primary sources of income for people of that area. However, the people who collect these cockles are subject to extreme poverty and are victimized by disappearing mangrove habitat, profiteering middlemen, depletion of cockle resources through over harvesting and poor management, and the lack of access to reliable markets. Congal Station is working directly with women groups and community leaders to develop management strategies, and introduce the concept and use of mangrove reforestation and cockle pens. By focusing on the women of the communities, Congal Station hopes to positively impact the diversity and productivity of shellfish resources and restore the mangrove ecosystem.

Mangrove Research and Restoration

Working with all seven native mangrove species, as well as associated ferns, trees and epiphytes, the staff of Congal is working to restore degraded mangrove habitat and develop techniques for successful reforestation. Researchers, students and volunteers wishing to work at the Congal Station will be able to participate in a number of conservation, research and community activities, learning while they are providing an important service/research. Projects include mangrove and tropical humid forest reforestation, community outreach and direct involvement on the local school, child care, health care centre, construction of station facilities, monitoring and management of aquaculture and forestry systems, organic gardening and biological inventories.

Mangrove and upland reforestation - Mangrove reforestation is carried out at various barren or sparsely vegetated mud flats and in abandoned aquaculture ponds using mostly three of the five Ecuadorian mangrove species. Depending on seed and land availability reforestation is carried out most of the year together with community women's groups. The goal is to restore former mangrove ecosystems so that these continue producing environmental and social benefits for all its inhabitants.

Forest nursery - Different native species such as palms, Spanish cedar, balsam, mahogany, laurel, and bamboo, as well as an assortment of fruit trees, are being planted. These plants will be used to develop pilot projects for reforestation that will demonstrate the efficiency of local species among introduced species and regenerate a former cattle farm (Chontaduro section) to a similar previously forested ecosystem. Mangrove as well as forestry reforestation will also be used for carbon sequestration research projects.

Biodiversity Inventories - In order to better understand Congal's ecosystems and to better appreciate what is being conserved, biodiversity inventories will be conducted periodically. These inventories will include vascular plants, birds, crustaceans, fish, and mangroves.

Ecological Aquaculture Ponds - Within Congal, aquaculture ponds are being managed organically without the use of antibiotics and chemicals. Through the use of fish polyculture and the introduction of native plankton, an attempt is being made to bring ponds as close to functioning ecosystems as possible. To further enhance ecological function, mangrove trees will be planted on the banks and on islands within the ponds.

Community Development

In order to improve social conditions of poor surrounding communities, the Station staff aim to participate in and improve the current health, child care, formal and informal education and cultural initiatives. Additionally, it looks forward to evaluate and propose the new projects that have been defined by the community as priorities for their development. Researchers, students and volunteers have been working with the community, teaching English at the child day care center, cocoa nursery, and in community mingas.

All projects developed at the Congal station are intended to be applied on the land of interested community members. The goal is to empower local people so that they evaluate community participation, and also propose their own productive projects, in order to improve their living standards. The integration of various projects and people from abroad in the communities also aims to provide basic or specialized skills through proper training, and raise awareness on world issues.

:: Goals of the Congal Research Station

Encourage the conservation and investigation of coastal ecosystems.
Restore degraded mangrove wetland and coastal hardwood hammocks, as well as create mangrove biofilters for the cleansing of aquaculture effluents.
Develop and implement sustainable and organic practices for shrimp aquaculture.
Develop methodologies and protocols for the sustainable production of aquaculture alternatives to shrimp on both the community and industrial levels.
Educate regional aquaculturalists and local communities on successful methodologies.
Provide local communities with the capacity to self-manage coastal resources and provide them with sustainable economic alternatives.

To apply for this program, click here.