Inspired by the lyrics of the song “El Cóndor Pasa” by Simon & Garfunkel, the title of today’s blog reveals our mission last Saturday, reforesting Antisana National Park!
High up in the air, Andean condors glide majestically in circles. Imponent Spectacled Bears feed on Chupalla plants amidst golden paramo grasslands. Elusive pumas lie in wait for their prey, hidden in elfin forests. Welcome to Antisana National Park – coronated by the snow-capped Antisana Volcano (5.750 m) and home to some of the most emblematic species of Ecuador. The National Park boasts breathtaking landscapes and a highly diverse array of wildlife, thanks to the advance and retreat of glaciers, as well as the historical volcanic activity of Mount Antisana, whose last eruption was recorded in 1801.
Untouched and wild, yet so endangered
The reserve’s biodiversity figures are remarkable: 418 species of birds, 73 of mammals, and 61 of amphibians and reptiles. The reserve is home to its own endemic amphibian species, the Antisana osornosapo, a miniature brown frog that lives among the rocks of the páramo; it is very rare to find and endangered. The páramo is also home to white-tailed deer, dwarf deer, mountain tapirs, Andean cats and gulls, wolves and lizards.
But this paradise of vast grasslands, virgin forests and mirror-like lagoons is endangered. It may look wild and untouched at first glance— but beneath that beauty, this fragile ecosystem is under growing pressure from several powerful threats.
Climate change and global warming
One of the biggest is climate change. The glaciers of Antisana Volcano are shrinking, and that has ripple effects far beyond the ice itself. These high-altitude landscapes depend on cold, wet conditions to function properly. Species that have adapted to life in the cold, among them amphibians and high-Andean mammals like the mountain tapir, have nowhere higher to go. In a place defined by altitude, there’s simply no escape route to avoid the heat.
As temperatures rise, the páramo begins to dry out, wetlands shrink, and lagoons lose water. For example, did you know that La Mica Lagoon in Antisana is the main source of water for Quito? Due to a lack of water supply, nowadays it’s being supplemented by water from nearby páramos in Papallacta to meet the city’s growing demand. We must become more aware of how we consume water, especially in urban areas. Nature provides, but it is also vulnerable.
Human activity
Human activity has also left its mark on Antisana National Park. For decades, parts of the páramo were used for cattle grazing. Even today, the legacy remains: compacted soils, eroded slopes, and damaged vegetation. When the soil is compressed by hooves, it loses its ability to absorb and store water—one of the páramo’s most important natural functions. In some areas, wetlands were even drained to make room for pasture, permanently altering the landscape.
Encroaching agriculture – fragmented habitats
Slash-and-burn farming is another serious concern. Farmers sometimes burn land to encourage fresh grass growth, but in the dry, windy conditions of the high Andes, fires can spread quickly and unpredictably. The páramo ecosystem is slow to recover, and repeated burning can strip the land of its native plants, leaving it more vulnerable to erosion and drought.
Encroaching agriculture and land-use change around the park’s borders add further pressure. Expanding farmland fragments habitats, making it harder for animals like the Andean fox or Spectacled Bear to move freely. This isolation can reduce genetic diversity and make wildlife populations more fragile over time. Then, there are invasive and introduced species. Feral horses and livestock compete with native animals and trample delicate vegetation.
Understanding the connections
All of these threats are deeply connected. When vegetation is lost, the soil holds less water. When the land dries out, fires become more likely. And when ecosystems are weakened, climate change hits even harder. What makes Antisana so special—its balance of water, soil, plants, and wildlife—is also what makes it vulnerable. Protecting this place means understanding that it’s not just a beautiful park, but a finely tuned system.
Our Reforestation Day at Tambo Condor
With this in mind, last Saturday we at Gulliver Expeditions grabbed our gloves and shovels and teamed up with the organization “Sembrando Esperanza” to make the change! Sustainability matters deeply at Gulliver Expeditions. Every step we take is guided by a commitment to protect our planet. During our reforestation day in Tambo Condor, we planted 50 trees in total, all of them native species.
The trees were marked with stakes to support the saplings and carefully secured to the stake with ties made of biodegradable material. The stakes make it easier to locate and care for the trees when, after a while, the surrounding grass grows too tall and the weeds need to be removed. And even though the revegetation involved tough physical work, we couldn’t have been happier afterwards. On the contrary, most of us were highly motivated to plant another 50 trees 😊
Moreover, in an additional activity called “Encounter with nature” we had the opportunity to learn about Sembrando Esperanza’s inspiring reforestation project and the valuable conservation work of Antisana National Park. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at Tambo Condor restaurant and their hummingbird garden, watching the vivid species of hummingbirds such as the Black Flowerpiercer and Purple-Backed Thornbill drinking nectar from colorful flowers, adding to our admiration of the National Park’s unique flora and fauna.
Be part of the change!
Our reforestation day was a powerful experience that not only enhanced our team spirit but also reminded us of the importance of protecting the Andean páramos—on-of-a-kind ecosystems that are being drastically affected by global warming!
So, like Michael Jackson sang in one of his songs: “If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change! 🌍
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