This powerful short film series highlights the urgent threat of mining in two of the world’s most biodiverse regions: the Íntag cloud forests and the high-altitude páramo of Ecuador. Produced by the Ecuadorian collective Voces del Bosque, it follows local paraecologists as they gather vital ecological evidence, defending both their environments and the communities whose lives depend on them. Visually striking and deeply moving, these stories are a call to action for conservation and justice.

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

Voces de los Paraecólogos de Junín: Somos Resistencia, Unión y Alegría

Voices of Junín’s Paraecologists: We Are Resistance, Solidarity, and Joy

Set in Junín, a village in the North of Ecuador that has been deeply impacted by decades of mining conflicts (Llurimagua mining project), this film tells the story of a community rich in biodiversity, resistance and solidarity. In 2019, the community’s discovery of a tiny, endemic species, affectionately called La Rana Cohete Resistencia de Intag (Resistance Frog), helped to win a landmark Rights of Nature court case four years later.
Voices of Paraecologists – Junín (In Spanish with English subtitles)

Created by Sozapato, the artistic illustrations (in English & Spanish) capture the spirit of Junín. It reflects their deep connection to the cloud forest, and how ecological forensics helps strengthen their bond with nature as they defend their territory and way of life!

Created by Sozapato, this image embodies the essence of Cahuasquí. It celebrates the paraecologists’ connection to the land, where ecological forensics deepens their relationship with the natural cycles that sustain life in the highlands!

Voces de los Paraecólogos de Cahuasquí: Somos montaña, agua y abundancia

Voices of Cahuasquí’s Paraecologists: We are mountains, water and abundance

Voices of the Paraecologists highlight the threats to sustainable agriculture and livelihoods within the páramo ecosystem of Cahuasquí, Ecuador. Local citizen scientists (paraecologists) are gathering crucial data to advocate for the ecosystem in Rights of Nature cases, aiming to protect this high-altitude grassland that sustains their water supply essential for farming practices and tourism.

Voices of Paraecologists – Cahuasquí (In Spanish / English subtitles)