The Voices of the Paraecologists short film series builds on the earlier documentary Paraecologists for the Rights of Nature. The project was conceptualised by Ecoforensic, which also secured funding through the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP). Produced in collaboration with Voces del Bosque, these films explore how the fight to protect nature is deeply rooted in community resilience. Through the eyes and voices of local paraecologists, this latest production highlights their critical role as frontline defenders of biodiversity, guardians of “sanctuaries of life” amid mounting environmental threats and resource conflicts.

Scroll down to listen to those at the forefront of the resistance

University of Sussex graduate, Sam Nurney, reflects on his field trip to Ecuador, conducting research for his Masters thesis and working with Ecoforensic

Ecuador is beautiful. Abrupt changes in altitude support a diversity of landscapes and habitats, meaning a six-hour bus journey can take you through tropical forests, rolling pastures and rugged mountain crags. Life is abundant, and, thanks to the 2008 Ecuadorian constitution, it has the right to remain so. The Rights of Nature (RoN) grant ecosystems and species the rights to evolution, restoration and respect, but upholding these rights against the legal might of multinational corporations poses a considerable challenge.

While few large-scale mines have come to fruition yet, international companies have poured billions of dollars into Ecuador with the hope of exploiting its natural resources, and by extension, the people living on top of them. Many of these companies are based in the Global North, meaning considerable portions of the Ecuadorian mining profits are diverted abroad. The insatiable appetite of the renewable energy transition is exacerbating existing pressure on resource-rich countries, putting Ecuador at risk of becoming a ‘green sacrifice zone’.

This resource extraction is a threat parallel to human rights abuses for Cobalt in the DRC and Lithium mining drying up rivers in Argentina, but this isn’t a new structural inequality spawned from the green transition. It is a form of colonialism, following the same flows of resources and power dynamics that have existed for hundreds of years.

Applying the Rights of Nature

The Rights of Nature (RoN) offer a legal mechanism for challenging industries that would cause species extinctions and damage ecosystems. In spite of the breadth and depth of this legal framework, however, upholding these rights is complex. The 2021 Los Cedros case was the first major success for a protected forest. This was a reserve which already possessed reams of scientific data (or in this case, evidence) from decades of research. But how can RoN be widely applied to unprotected regions with different ecosystems, where communities don’t have extensive histories of scientific data?

In-depth ecological studies are the first piece of the puzzle. They are undertaken by paraecologists: highly trained, highly motivated local scientists supported by Ecoforensic to bring community knowledge and lived experience to the forefront of these conflicts. But in order for this process to be efficient, it requires interdisciplinary collaboration.

Lawyers target parts of the constitution that make a strong case, scientists decide what data would be most appropriate, and paraecologists collect that data in the field. The RoN strategy workshop we attended aimed to facilitate the functioning of these disciplines in harmony, and was a rare opportunity to have everyone brainstorming in the same room.

Reflecting on the Rights of Nature workshop

“It was incredible to witness the collective determination that arises from injustice…I felt like a very lucky fly on the wall – and we were in Ecuador, so that would make me a horsefly, or a butterfly the size of a human hand.”

The first day started slowly. Naturally, it took a little time for everyone to navigate ecological and legal dialects, and to hear updates from community members. By the third day, though, the chemistry was palpable. Pots of coffee disappeared in seconds as ideas and action plans poured forth in frenzied legal conversations which tested my Spanish comprehension to its limit. Dinner offered no respite as productive arguments led to hopeful agreements between mouthfuls of plantain, chicken and rice.

It was incredible to witness the collective determination that arises from injustice. Seeing the cogs of environmental law, community resistance and scientific methods interlock and whirr into life was amazing. I felt like a very lucky fly on the wall. In Ecuador, that would make me a horsefly, or a butterfly the size of a human hand. It also showed how important it is to work face-to-face, to breathe the same air as your collaborators.

While the internet allows these symbiotic relationships to continue, this workshop was invaluable for deepening understanding and allowing these connections to form tangible plans for future cases. A walk through the cloud forest on the last day was grounding and necessary. It reminded everyone how much that overwhelming few days could really be worth. What a beautiful place.

Reflecting on the community visits

“The hypothetical existence of a future mine drives people apart from each other, causing divisions that may long outlive even a successful legal case for nature.”

Speaking to people in the communities themselves gifted us with a different set of lessons to take away. Corporate greed infiltrates places like a disease, promising wages that are impossible to refuse for work that will contaminate river systems for generations to come. This socialisation often takes place before environmental impact assessments have been conducted. This deceit and manipulation makes resistance stories even more inspiring, with films like ‘Under Rich Earth‘ documenting the extensive oppression and maltreatment that must be endured to simply say ‘no’ to a mining company.

Each case is unique, with some communities resisting fairly cohesively and others split as years of resistance have become decades. But their common problem is the social conflict that this industry incites. The hypothetical existence of a future mine drives people apart from each other, causing divisions that may long outlive even a successful legal case for nature.

Alternative sources of income are critical to nurture community support for Rights of Nature cases and maintain economic and social stability for the residents of places facing these threats. The paraecologist programme is an excellent case study for this, and future support for communities in developing tourism and other sources of income will be essential for an equitable, sustainable future.

Written by Sam Nurney, recent University of Sussex graduate in Msc Global Biodiversity Conservation. The fieldwork, travel and accommodation was part-funded thanks to the Royal Geography Society’s Geographical Fieldworks Grant.

In our study, we looked at the implications of this legal decision to see where similar future Rights of Nature cases might occur. Mining concessions currently overlap, and place at risk, 1.6 Million hectares of protected forests, indigenous lands, and native ecosystems in Ecuador. The Indigenous nation of Shuar Arutam in the southern Amazon are particularly vulnerable due to the size and scale of concessions. These threatened areas could use the precedent set by the Los Cedros case to fight against mining, but most of them lack the necessary environmental and ecological information needed to build effective legal cases, as much of Ecuador has not been thoroughly studied. There is a pressing need for this detailed biological information.

Explore the map of Ecuador below using the slider to see where mining concessions have been granted over existing protected areas, Indigenous territories and native ecosystems such as tropical forest and high altitude grasslands (paramo). According to Ecuador’s Constitution, and the precedent set by the Los Cedros Protected Forest case in 2021, the application of the Rights of Nature to these areas could potentially be used to challenge mining.

Abstract of our research and recommendations

Context: A landmark ruling by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court in 2021 halted mining in the Los Cedros Protected Forest, setting a global precedent for implementation of the Rights of Nature.

Approach: Based on the analysis of the court ruling we assess mining risk to other protected forests, Indigenous territories, unprotected native ecosystems, biodiversity and areas of water resource conflict to identify the geographical scale of future potential Rights of Nature cases.

Results: The court based legal protection of Los Cedros on three key legal arguments, the right to timely, Free Prior Informed Environmental Consultation, the application of the Precautionary Principle in risk to Rights of Nature, and the Right to Water.

We found that mining concessions (7,813) of 22,812km 2 overlay 9.2% of Ecuadorian mainland, with 2,323 concessions (29.7%) overlapping 16,081km 2 of protected forest (4,781 km 2 , 20%), Indigenous territory (6,473 km 2 , 8%) and native vegetation outside protected areas and indigenous territories (13,390 km 2 , 9%). In terms of species richness, it is noteworthy that all areas encompassed by mining concessions displayed remarkably high numbers of species, ranging from 344 to 1184 species, as per the data provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This abundance of biodiversity stands in stark contrast to the United Kingdom, where the maximum recorded species richness value is just 240.

There’s a notable disparity in the number of species at risk of extinction according to the IUCN, varying from 9 to 94 species. To illustrate, the UK has a maximum of only 10 endangered species. Generally, the Amazonian regions have more species, but the Northwestern Ecuadorian Cloudforests have an unusually high number of species in danger of extinction, as depicted on the map below.

Synthesis and Applications: The Los Cedros legal case in Ecuador sets a precedent in using Rights of Nature to challenge the presence of mining concessions that overlap 4,781 km² of similarly Protected Forest, with potential to protect an additional 16,081 km² of indigenous lands and biologically important ecosystems. However, lack of biological data for these areas will necessitate extensive data collection.

The research not only pinpoints the potential for Rights of Nature to safeguard ecosystems but also underscores areas with substantial investment risks for the mining industry. Therefore, we strongly recommend a thorough review of mining concessions in Ecuador, particularly in protected forests, indigenous territories, ecologically sensitive regions, and areas grappling with water resource conflicts. This review is essential to preserve ecological balance and ensure social harmony while acknowledging the significant investment risks involved in mining ventures.

Short film on the emergence and application of the Rights of Nature in Ecuador

Header Image by Ecuadorian artist Sozapato.

Original Scientific paper: Peck M.R., Desselas, M. , Bonilla-Bedoya S., Redín, G, Durango-Cordero, J. (2024) ‘The Conflict between Rights of Nature and Mining in Ecuador: Implications of the Los Cedros Cloud Forest Case for Biodiversity Conservation’, People and Nature. Available at: DOI:10.1002/pan3.10615

The First International Forum for ‘Ecological Forensics’ took place on 13, 14 and 15 June 2023, hosted by Ecoforensic with partners Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN), CEDENMA, and Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar in Quito, Ecuador. A transdisciplinary gathering of 60 participants were invited to exchange knowledge and develop effective strategies to implement the Rights of Nature as a legal mechanism to protect biological diversity. Strategies were explored through rich panel presentations and participatory discussions involving a great diversity of people: environmental lawyers, academics, judges of the Ecuadorian Constitutional Court, biologists, biodiversity conservation experts, paraecologists, paralegals, environmental educators, artists, grassroots activists, and indigenous leaders from different communities.

The forum opened on Wednesday 13 June, with an introductory dinner and the viewing of the documentary ‘Paraecologists for the Rights of Nature‘ that surprised and delighted, as many of the people featured in the film were also present. The group had an opportunity to kickstart the conversations in an informal setting. The next day, the forum featured four panels with representatives from legal, ecological, cultural, paraecological/paralegal backgrounds that sensitively shared their knowledge. On Friday 15 June, the participants worked in groups to address complex topics that included the proactive protection of highly biodiverse areas using Rights of Nature legislation; challenges in protecting environmental defenders; and ‘what next?’ for legal cases that have been ruled against mining but continue to present livelihood challenges for local communities.

The first panel of lawyers and judges drew from their experiences in Rights of Nature cases to offer invaluable insights to some of the barriers posed by the legal process. The panel of ecologists outlined the challenges of providing compelling evidence in court on defining the structure and function of an ecosystem and measuring the impacts of human activity on evolutionary processes. They also emphasised threats of mining to endemic species of amphibians, such as the longnose harlequin frog (Atelopus longirostris), which was presumed extinct until it was rediscovered in 2016. A fitting topic of discussion was the recent Llurimagua Rights of Nature case win in the Provincial court, that is the result of over 30 years of struggle by the local community to keep mining out of the Intag Valley’s cloud forests. Mika Peck, Professor of Conservation Ecology at the School of Life Sciences and co-founder of Ecoforensic, says:

“Implementing Rights of Nature is a multidisciplinary challenge that must bring together law and ecology to define new criteria and understanding to effectively protect Nature as a subject in the court of law. This new discipline of ‘Ecological Forensics’ aims to define impacts to Nature’s lifecycles, structure, function, and evolutionary processes and support the defence of ecosystems within legal systems. It’s our duty as ecologists to provide frameworks for capacity-building in defence of Nature and proactively respond to halt biodiversity loss in face of the biodiversity and climate crises”.

The panel of indigenous leaders, represented by the Kichwa People of Sarayaku and the A’iCofan People of Sinangoe, related their ancestral beliefs of Nature as a living being, inseparable from humans, and highlighted their ongoing fight for territories free from extractive industries.They explained that the pressures of economic development meant that communities continue to suffer social division. Paraecologists and paralegals travelled from all corners of Ecuador, Esmeraldas, Andes, and the Amazon to reflect on the need to empower communities through capacity-building and knowledge exchange in ecology and legal matters. The paraecologists clearly valued the training received that gave them the skills to understand and monitor biological ecosystems.

In interdisciplinary groups, participants discussed how to implement and advance the Rights of Nature, addressing big challenges. They highlighted that legal reforms and popular consultations are important tools to defend Nature’s rights, and that environmental education plays a fundamental role in building a collective consciousness around the intrinsic value of Nature.The debates centred aroundthe benefits of sharing information between scientists, lawyers, and environmental defenders, which are key to strengthen social resistance against threats of extractive industries. One of the biggest challenges, the groups agreed, is to provide evidence of complex human-nature relationships through a harmonious balance between the scientific method and traditional and indigenous knowledge. Natalia Greene, director of GARN, vice-president of CEDENMA, and a key figure in the international movement for recognition of the Rights of Mother Nature, says:

“In the confluence of the climate and biodiversity crises, we need to use the global momentum of Rights of Nature legislation to bring more cases to court and to protect highly biodiverse areas. We celebrate the successful rulings of Los Cedros and the Intag Valley in Ecuador, but it is crucial that we work across disciplines and that we strengthen social resistance. The first ever forum on Ecological Forensics was a much-needed space to think strategically about the next steps for defending Nature’s rights, by bringing together a diversity of voices, from scientists, to lawyers, environmental educators, and indigenous leaders. We are committed to continue working together.”

The forum energised participants to form a network that continues to engage in the new transdisciplinary field of ‘Ecological Forensics’. Debates were brilliantly captured through live illustration by the artist Sozapato, whose work is featured on the abovementioned documentary. The forum closed with an Andean ceremony led by shaman Jaime Pichamba, in which everyone thanked Pachamama (Mother Earth) and sought strength and guidance to realise their efforts in defence of Nature’s rights.

Written by Carlos Miret Fernández, Communications Specialist and Volunteer for Ecoforensic.

We have been very busy!

Ecoforensic CIC is now up and running – but we have done a huge amount of background work. A quick update – thanks to funding support from the University of Sussex (Sussex Sustainability Research Programme & Higher Education Impact Fund). We spent 5 weeks in Ecuador to explore the potential of our idea – the thought that future legal cases under the rights of Nature will require new knowledge, a new interdisciplinary field we have called ‘Ecological Forensics’.

Over 5 weeks we travelled to meet partners in their ‘ecosystems’ – from the cloudforest of the Western Andes to the lowland rainforests of Esmeraldas Province and back to the Eastern Andes. We ran a workshop bringing people together to understand what ecological information is actually important in protecting ecosystems under this new emerging of the ‘rights of Nature’ paradigm and developed a training curriculum for our new network of paraecologists. It is the paraecologist network that is at the forefront of the data collection to understand the undiscovered and incredible biological diversity of Ecuadorian ecosystems, and vital in any legislative processes to protect them. The workshop venue at Oho y Media in Quito was a last minute, and urgent change from Los Cedros Reserve, much to disappointment of all. The reason was the ‘Paro’ or strike, that saw indigenous groups, students and social organisation bring the national road network to a halt – shutting down Quito – and highlighting the active role of society in Ecuadorian politics in their demands for Justice! This was to the annoyance of Jose Decoux who had already catered for our group ……

Luckily the pantry of food for the 25 + attendees (cause of the annoyance, as it needed to be transported up to the reserve, only to be transported back down – not so easy when the mode of transport is mules up a 2 hour mountain track), didn’t go to waste.

Reflecting back it is still incredible to think how, in February, we started with an idea and now we are in an incredibly fortunate position, where we can discuss opportunities to scale. We have literally hit the ground running. We started with a short research study to explore the importance of ecological information in ‘Rights of Nature’, to identify and surface ecological information important for legal practitioners in a language and format that is most helpful, to individually visiting potential partners in Ecuador that eventually culminated in a workshop bringing together a group of incredible people. It is never easy to describe (and bring to life) each memorable experience spent with incredibly passionate individuals, committed to their cause and in the forefront of innovative ways of protecting nature – our respects to them all as they remain positive in face of, sometimes extreme challenges, to their efforts in conservation, ecosystem protection and restoration.

So here are a few highlights….

This is only the beginning…

Ecoforensic is a non-profit Community Interest Company (CIC). Every penny we raise goes directly into our efforts towards improving access to forensic ecological data and defending the rights of Nature around the world.

If you’re a community organisation, protected area, an academic, legal institution or a specialist in ecology and interested in supporting the efforts of paraecologists for the ‘Rights of Nature’, or want to know how you can become one and start contributing data, click below to find out more.