Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve
| Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve | |
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| Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul | |
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IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)
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| Location | Esmeraldas and Manabí provinces, northwest Ecuador. |
| Nearest city | Quinindé |
| Coordinates | 0°28′38″N 79°47′08″W / 0.477186°N 79.785615°WCoordinates: 0°28′38″N 79°47′08″W / 0.477186°N 79.785615°W |
| Area | 119,172 ha (460.13 sq mi) |
| Designation | Ecological reserve |
| Created | 9 August 1996 |
The Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve (Spanish: Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul) is an ecological reserve in the provinces of Esmeraldas and Manabí, Ecuador. It protects a mountainous area in the transition from tropical rain forest in the north to dry forest in the south. It contains the Cube Lagoon, whih has been designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance.
The Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve protects the forests of the Mache Chindul mountain range on the coast of Ecuador. It has an area of 119,172 hectares (294,480 acres). Elevations range from 200 to 800 metres (660 to 2,620 ft). The Mache Chindul range is a massif on the coastal plain west of the Andes. The massif is the northern extension of Ecuador's coastal range. It is isolated from the Andes, which are about 100 kilometres (62 mi) to the east,
The reserve is very near the coast a few kilometers south of Muisne. It holds the sources of the Coaque, Cojimies and Cheve rivers in Manabí, and Muisne, Atacames and Tiaone rivers in Esmeraldas. It contains the Laguna de Cube (Cube lagoon), which has been designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance due to its biodiversity, ecological functions and environmental services to the local population.
The reserve may be reached by driving north along highway 20 from Quinindé for about 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the entrance of La Laguna. From there a dirt road leads 17 kilometres (11 mi) west to the Cube Lagoon. In the winter the road is only passable to all-terrain vehicles. The reserve includes a large area of forest that has traditionally been home to Chachi and Afro-Esmeraldas communities, who practice sustainable exploitation of the forests resources. Land near the reserve is used for cattle pasturage and cultivation of sugar cane.
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