The strategy of SACRED PLACE is to link the conservation of natural resources with improved production, so farmers directly benefit from the initiatives conservatory. An example for the successful implementation of this strategy is the Project THE SACRED PLACE.
Here, water is pumped from a protected forest reserve, El Bosque, 26 estates through a water system built by the community and now owns and runs the community. Many other individuals and organizations are exploring, encouraging and implementing best alternative land use. An association of apiculteros promotes beekeeping as alternative use of grazing land is economically viable. Some landowners also make efforts to integrate arbocultura (fruit trees and coffee) in a naturalized landscape and encourage forest regeneration in some parts of their land. Sacred Place creates an incentive for land owners with tourist facilities to protect natural features and species originate. With better processing and marketing, there is potential for more cattle of the existing agricultural products. This could instead reduce the pressure on marginal lands. For example, as the consumer's sense of responsibility grows, some Americans and Europeans are creating market demand for organic coffee or fair trade coffee, where producers receive a larger share of profits. This market can possibly help coffee growers earn more than Vilcabamba currently in the domestic market. With sugar, may be similar opportunities. Also the potential benefits of some natural products of the land (eg honey, indigenous herbal medicine, tea and food) could be further developed. Moreover, the benefits of tourism opportunities are very important. The most obvious possibilities are basic services such as room and board. However, visitors may also stimulate the development of more creative services.

 

 

Ingapirca Ruins

 

One of the most interesting places we can see in this country are the ruins of Ingapirca that are located in the province of El Canar, northwest of the city of Cuenca. These ruins are a very important place that meant the occupation of the Incas in Ecuador. In this archeological site are among others the remains of a cemetery and a solar observatory.

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Here we see the ancient Temple of the Sun in elliptical structure which is at the center of the ruins and was built with cut stone blocks, coupled with a natural mortar, where he performed rituals and ceremonies to worship the sun. We also observe Ingapirca Castle is situated on a hill and has patios, rooms, bathrooms and cellars. According to studies Ingapirca also believed to be a fortress was a religious and administrative center.

We may also visit the ruins next to the Archaeological Museum, where objects found in excavations and ceramic handicrafts, gems and jewels, which indicated the presence of cultures like the Inca and Canari. These ruins are an interesting place to visit and learn more about the lifestyle of the Incas.

Vilcabamba, Ecuador village where people live to 140 years

history of a people of Ecuador, called Vilcabamba, where many people live to 120, 130 and, in some cases 140 years.

 The population of between 2,500 and 3,000 people, has the highest longevity rate in the world.

One of the phenomena that most struck me is that the elderly do not undergo special care to extend their life. "Smoke, drink alcohol, have his teeth, graying hair is not ... and most unbelievable, is they read without glasses, "he said.

However, Coler not outlined any theory about the reasons for such longevity: "You do not really know what happens."

"There (Vilcabamba) there are many who believe that the cause of longevity are UFOs. A lot of people mad and millionaire "

the hypotheses that are water, healthy food and a microclimate determined the reasons for such life expectancy.

"There are many places that have microclimate and not live as long. If the question is to eat healthy, why fewer people lived long before, when there were so many pollutants? The water is very similar to that of some mineral waters sold in Argentina. "

"Science progresses by leaps and bounds. Until the 19th century, life expectancy was 35 years. With antibiotics, the situation changed. It is also possible to consider a future where medicine does not have to hold in confidence all the time 'police', which unfortunately is the one that works. Could also be something else with this type of study. "

the belief that the people of Vilcabamba are wiser for the sake of living longer: "I do not have any special wisdom. They are very simple, field. They have no consciousness of it. "

Vilcabamba Naturist Guide

 

Mapa de Vilcabamba Loja EcuadorArriving by road from Loja, Vilcabamba Valley glimpses appear when it reaches the top edge Malacatos Valley. In descending the town of San Pedro de Vilcabamba, a panorama of the valley opens up. The valley floor is a patchwork of sugar cane and corn fields, mixed gardens, small gardens and bamboo groves. The city of Vilcabamba is in the center of this patchwork, with his place at an altitude of 1560 m. Most of the slopes that rise from the bottom of the valley, are below 2000 m. The highest is 2200 m. Grass field overlooking the tracks, crossing almost geometrically in the footprints of cows, donkeys and horses. In the southeast, rising from behind these slopes, are the mountains. These mountains, reaching an elevation of 3700m, are within the western part of the Podocarpus National Park.
Weather

Vilcabamba's climate is subtropical, sometimes called proudly by local people "eternal spring." At lower elevations, the temperature varies between 13 and 24 º C, with an average of 20 º C. In this climate, papayas, bananas and custard apples flower at the side of blackberries and oranges.

Vilcabamba, Loja EcuadorRainfall: The contrast between the rainy and drought is surprising. For example, the storm total for the month of February is normally around 140mm, while the rain in August reaches only 15 mm. The rainy season begins in October or November, but during these months, there are still many days without rain. Most annual rainfall of 800mm in the valley, falls in the months from December to April. During these months, a typical day begins with a warm sunny morning. The clouds will develop during the afternoon, bringing heavy squalls for two or more hours. These showers in the afternoon, are often accompanied by lightning and thunder. To give an idea, Vilcabamba has about 200 days without rain per year and during drought, prolonged periods of blue sky are typical. A dark storm can reach across the valley, while the other side is sunny and hot. Hikers are often surprised at the rapid changes of time.

The landscape in the dry and rainy season: The landscape of brown hills and dry during the drought of Vilcabamaba-where only cacti, acacias and some plants grow-contrast much with the lush green landscape during the rainy season. With the rains, the slopes rise with herbs and many other varieties of plants, shrubs and trees that are at work to produce new leaves and flowers.

Microclimate

The climate varies with altitude. In the lowest levels of the valley, the core temperature during the year is about 20 º C. At 3000m, the core temperature is closer to 10 º C. Also the number of storms increases with altitude, at least up to 2500m. Microclimate within the valley are also created by differences in topography and vegetation type. Within quite small areas, temperature, wind and humidity can be very different from those of the surrounding inclinations. For example the gullies on the slopes are often colder and wetter than the slopes around them.

Rivers and Water
Ríos de Vilcabamba, LojaThe rivers of Vilcabamba are both vital and destructive, a source of entertainment and frustration for local people and tourists. The rivers are the sources of water supply and maintain more than a dozen irrigation projects covering hundreds of hectares of land. Many people bathe and clean their clothes in the rivers, they picnic and swim or float in the deepest sections. But the rivers are also associated with irregular and sudden floods. The extremes in its characters are related to the nature of rivers and climate. The water quality of Vilcabamba has been identified as a reason for health and longevity of the local population. As the rain that feeds the source of the rivers of Vilcabamba, filtered through the thick mats of the moor, take water minerals, including manganese, magnesium, selenium and zinc. Among other benefits, manganese in water is a chelating ligand. Is chemically bound with metals, including toxic heavy metals like lead and mercury, and they are neutralized and expelled from the body with ease. This may be the explanation for the low concentration of heavy metals in the bodies of old people of Vilcabamba. A healthy portion of calcium and magnesium in the bodies of the elders of the valley is also attributed to water and is associated with reduced risk of osteoporosis. Water is assumed that the Iron has additional medicinal benefits.

Human influences

Along the valley, in some cases right next to the border of the Podocarpus National Park, the landscape has changed in a huge way by human activity. Changes introduced by humans began with the pre-Inca settlement, but has increased extremely in the last decades. While the valley is still an attractive environment, the changes have generally reduced biodiversity (the variety and abundance of species of plants and animals). This is not because of deliberate destruction. It is the efforts of people to survive and to improve their welfare, many people fully understand the environment of the valley and has a strong relationship to this. Until relatively recently, Vilcabamba was quite isolated. Before the construction of the road between Loja and Vilcabamba, the 50km journey on horseback from Loja, was very long and hard. At this time, the population in the valley was still small enough to hold onto first place in the fertile land in the valley and this is where the farms were concentrated. The legal pursuit of new land for settlement, combined with land reform in the early 1970s, had the effect of attracting new settlers possession divided among several people and the activity spread over a larger area of land. This resulted in a flood deforestation on the slopes because agriculture is extended upward by the slopes. The valley has had emigration for more than 20 years and in recent years, the local population declined because people leave for economic reasons. The current population of the valley is about 7000 people. Agriculture and livestock remain the foundations of livelihood for 75% of the inhabitants of the valley. Most of the remaining 25%, work in tourism. A relatively new trend is the purchase of land by people who live and work in other places and visit their property in the valley to rest and vacations. For this reason, the increased land costs.

Agriculture, livestock, and reforestation
Agricultura, ganado y reforestación, Vilcabamba Loja EcuadorMost families maintain vegetable gardens, often near their homes. These are small gardens, mixed cultures, as shown in the photo on the right. Most of what is grown is for family use (subsistence agriculture), although some products are also for sale in local markets. In larger areas of land in the valley on the slopes or even irrigated crops are also grown alone, particularly sugar cane and corn. There are also coffee plantations in the valley, often planted among other trees. Most of the hillside land is devoted to grazing cows, mules and horses. Because tourism, horses are more important in Vilcabamba in the surrounding valleys. Reforestation efforts have been modest and have been used mostly plant species are not native. In particular, eucalyptus and pine have been planted in small plantations. Eucalyptus, native to Australia, grows very fast, is not sensitive to soil type and can be planted even on steep inclines. But there are drawbacks in the use of introduced species: eucalyptus releases chemicals into the soil that inhibit growth of other plants. However, providing an option to control soil erosion, as well as a source of timber demand to compensate indigenous forests. Some efforts were also planting local species of alder along the rivers to stabilize soils.

Environmental Impacts

The original vegetation covering the largest part of the valley bottom and lower inclinations, was tropical dry forest. The tropical dry forest in Vilcabamba was due to the aridity of the valley on all sides and a very pronounced drought. In this type of forest, many species lose part or all of their leaves during the drought. At higher elevations, the forest gave way to shrubs and even ground up pasta. Many believe that the tree huilco was a dominant species prior to deforestation, although a dispute over the question if it were native in this area or if it was introduced by the Incas. While leaving no primary forest that has not been disturbed, there are areas of small trees including huilco.

Please visit the links below to learn more about the systems and plant species in Vilcabamba:

Guía Naturista VilcabambaThe clearing of land for timber, agriculture and pasture logically led to the extinction of endemic species. It also led to the introduction of alien species and changes in species composition. Exotic species are not limited to those that were introduced for agriculture purpose. Many species were introduced as a "byproduct" of human activity. The acacia, for example became widespread with the introduction of cattle. While the Vilcabamba valley has a relatively wide bearing base, a large part of the land is steep inclines. Soils are thin on steep ground and the risk of erosion is high. Erosive forces include heavy rains during the rainy season, but also the hot, dry winds during drought. According to many surveys and land classification systems, one covered with an undisturbed vegetation is usually best for these areas. But because of the poverty of the people, even very steep inclines are grown in the valley or clear for pasture. Practices to minimize erosion (eg terracing or planting windbreaks) are not used much. But these problems are not unique in Vilcabamba. In all parts of the Ecuadorian Andes demonstrate the consequences of deforestation and erosion is experienced.