Ever since western societies implemented policies of protected natural areas, they have excluded native peoples. Clear examples are the national parks where native peoples submit to live in reserves as happened in the United States of America and in many Latin American countries.

These legal forms such as forest reserves and national parks spread throughout Latin America, although they have represented an important advance in the conservation of ecosystems and wild species, for the original peoples, by not recognizing their own conservation practices, they were always considered a imposition. This marginalization provoked conflicts between the different actors, the state, NGOs, indigenous peoples.

Protected natural areas have always been subject to great economic interests, with environmental protection regulations being minimized and violated.

Rather, they have developed strategies to displace and discredit original cultures, devaluing their knowledge, their knowledge, the relationship of harmonious life with nature, their philosophical thought. In other words, the institutions involved have given higher priority to protecting animal species such as butterflies, reptiles, etc. before the human being.

In Ecuador there are 7 categories of natural protected areas, from national parks, ecological reserves, wildlife refuges, biological reserves, natural recreation areas, wildlife production reserves, hunting and fishing areas. A national park such as Yasuní, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, where the Wao Nationality and isolated peoples such as the Tagaeris and the Taromenane are settled, is, however, subject to oil and logging exploitation.

We can also observe the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve where the Cofán, Secoya and Kichwa Nationalities settle. All these areas are cataloged within the legal systems of protected natural areas recognized by the state and international organizations such as UNESCO, IUCN, etc.

The center-south of the Ecuadorian Amazon has other characteristics. These spaces are collective territories of the Nationalities legally recognized and registered in the Land Registry. The peoples who inhabit these unique spaces of millions of hectares are protected and the ecosystems are preserved intact. This thanks to the efforts of the Peoples and Nationalities.

The State and government and international institutions have given little support to find legal conditions that allow us to fully exercise the right to continue maintaining these living spaces. The recognition of indigenous territories has not been officially incorporated into the national norms and laws that regulate the systems of protected natural areas. Being in this way the territories of the nationalities vulnerable to the policies dictated by the governments of the day. Although the Constitution recognizes collective rights and the right of nature.

That is why an administrative reorganization of the national system of protected natural areas is necessary, considering new figures such as “living forest aerials” in the indigenous territories. With this action, a legal basis of legal protection will be provided, which allows us to integrate in our territory, conservation programs for wild species, management plans and sustainable use.

Natural Protected Areas

Since western societies have established policies of natural protected areas, they have excluded the concerns of first peoples. Clear examples of these are national parks in which first peoples are forced to live in reservations, as happened in the United States and in many nations of Latin America.

Although these legal forms of forest reservations and national parks that are present all over Latin America have represented an important advancement in the conservation of ecosystems and wild species, for the indigenous peoples, by not recognizing our conservation practices, these policies have represented an imposition. This marginalization provoked conflicts between different actors, nations, NGOs, and indigenous peoples.

The natural protected areas have always been subject to great economic interests, resulting in the violation and minimization of environmental protection norms.

In these areas, strategies of displacement and discredit of original cultures have been developed, undervaluing our knowledge, our harmonious relation with nature and our philosophy. In other words, the institutions involved have given greater priority to the protection of animals such as butterflies, reptiles, etc, instead of human beings.

In Ecuador, there are seven categories of natural protected areas, including national parks, ecological reserves, wildlife refuges, biological reserves, natural recreation areas, fauna production reserves, and hunting and fishing areas. A national park such as the Yasuní, declared a Biosphere Reserve by the Unesco, where the Wao nationality, and indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation such as the Tagaeris and the Taromenane live, is nonetheless subject to oil and lumber exploitation.

Also we can observe the Cuyabeno Fauna Reserve where the Cofán, Secoya, and Kichwa indigenous nationalities live. All these areas are categorized under the legal systems of natural protected areas, which is recognized by the state and international organizations like the Unesco, IUCN, etc.

The south-central part of the Ecuadorian Amazon has other characteristics. These spaces are collective territories of indigenous nationalities legally recognized and registered at the Land Registry. The peoples who inhabit these unique spaces of millions of hectares are protected and conserve the intact ecosystems. This conservation is thanks to the self-initiated efforts of indigenous peoples and nationalities.