An Ecological Study of Ecuador’s Intag Region: The Environmental Impacts and Potential Rewards of Mining
The Intag region of Ecuador spans two of the world’s 34 most biologically important areas. With diminishing oil reserves and an increasing demand for minerals from emerging economies, leaders in the provincial and national government are under tremendous pressure to expand state incomes through natural resource extraction. This study examines the economic value of the region’s unique natural goods, which include water, timber, and agricultural products, as well as
the services such as flood protection, drinking water filtration, local weather and climate stability, aesthetic value, and recreation. The objective is to examine the viability of two development pathways: copper extraction and alternative eco-development. We also identify options for pursuing economic prosperity with practical development strategies that live within the physical limits of the local and global ecosystems, and are sustainable.