Forest Protection Program (Sociobosque) and REDD

active

The basis of the project is the Programa Socio bosque (PSB), which was launched in 2008 on the initiative of the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment and was financed exclusively from Ecuador's own resources until 2011. PSB pays incentives for forest protection to indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian communities and private forest owners under certain conditions (e.g. land titles must be available). This offers an economic alternative to illegal timber use. Although the incentives are relatively low (currently an average of around USD 5 / ha), they are of considerable importance for improving the socio-economic situation of indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian communities in particular. PSB concludes 20-year contracts with the individual partners, i.e. communities or private individuals, and compliance with these contracts is periodically monitored before the next instalment is paid. The aim of the Forest Protection and REDD program is to expand and consolidate forest protection activities in Ecuador as part of a national REDD strategy. The program works at the field level in six provinces of Ecuador (Esmeraldas, Morona, Napo, Zamora Chinchipe, Santa Elena and parts of Pastaza). With the available funds of the project, a total of up to 257,000 additional hectares can be placed under protection. Furthermore, the forest control service is being strengthened in the performance of its tasks (particularly by equipping it with infrastructure and materials).