The great thing about purchasing land for preservation like this in
Ecuador is that land can be bought with the same kind of title that we
have here. There are no complicating historical grants and stuff that
you find in some former colonies. The Paz family members who want to
continue can do so free from competing interests.
Pamela Johnston
On 7/15/22, Bill Tice <ticebill7@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I just saw this on Tweeters. As I have a soft spot for Ecuador, as well as*******
the following place where I’ve been X2, I felt this was worth posting. If
you can spare a few bucks it can save a truly great birding place.
This is copied from a closed Manhattan (NYC) birding group (via GroupMe).
Sharing:
If you have been to Ecuador birding, or you have not, as I have not, you may
be aware of Refugio Paz de las Aves. It is a bird refuge owned by a large
family, the Paz family, which is one of the first places to preserve
antpitta habitat in the world. The Giant Antpitta is one of several antpitta
species at Angel Paz's farm, which has been a major birding site in Ecuador
for a couple of decades now. For those of you who are not familiar with
Antpitta habitat, they live in forests. And as a tangential aside, they are
completely adorable! But this precious and sadly increasingly rare forest is
about to be completely razed, unless we prevent it.
The matriarch of the family has died, and only two of the nine children wish
to preserve the land. The others want to sell so that they can get their
share now. The land will be turned into cattle farm, the forest clearcut,
and the antpittas will be gone.
Luckily for us, the amount necessary to buy this land in in Ecuador is
paltry compared to what such real estate would cost in the United States.
They have done a GoFundMe for the $155,000 the two siblings will need to buy
out their family members. They have already raised $127,000 from birders all
over the world! They only need about $30,000 remaining in order to buy out
their siblings and save this land from complete destruction. Please consider
helping save this family farm from being sold and destroyed.
More than 400 species of birds are routinely seen just on this refuge.
We only have until August 1 to help raise the money to save this wonderful
place for future birders and all to enjoy. Even a small donation could help
Vinicio Paz reach their fundraising goal. Five bucks, whatever you can give,
will make a huge difference.
Read more about the family farm and the current situation at this site:
https://gofund.me/a4961f6d
Sent from my iPad
