Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
No one ever imagined that the day would come in which the very existence of this important wetland would be threatened by construction of high-voltage electrical power lines. Special places require special protections, and once the threat appears, it may be too late.
The premise is essential: Native trees are adapted by evolutionary processes that have allowed them to survive the semi-desert climate of which they are part. They save us, but they also saved our ancestors and could save our descendants.
In early May, Ecuador’s National Assembly voted to declare June 23rdDía Nacional de los Páramos, or National Páramo Day. This designation at once recognizes the importance of these high mountain grasslands and underscores the need for improved conservation efforts.
Páramos, experts say, may also serve as a sort of buffer against climate-change-induced recession of tropical mountain glaciers and extended droughts — if we can protect them.
Like it or not, we are now the apex predators. Because we manage the land and its creatures, I believe we have the responsibility to do so in an ecologically beneficial manner.
