General information

Reserva Mundo Verde is a tract of virgin cloud forest and grazing land located in the north-west region of Ecuador’s Pinchinca province. It has a cool climate, with a general temperature of between 10 and 24 degrees Celsius (50 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.) Reserva Mundo Verde is approximately 1,500 metres above sea level and is roughly 60 hectares. Half of the reserve consists of primary and secondary rainforest, with 25 hectares previously used for grazing land for milking cows, and 1 hectare for fruit and vegetable production.

                              

The farm
The land used for food production is rich and fertile with no need for chemical fertilizers. Some of the organic produce include lettuce, spinach, kale, tomato, bell pepper, garlic, beans, corn, yucca, onion, broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, carrots, radishes ect… The majority of produce is grown in raised garden beds in a 23 meter greenhouse, assuring they can grow food year round when rainy seasons sets in.

Fruit production under way includes watermelon, melon, cantaloupe, pineapple, mango, cacao, avocado, papaya, mandarin, orange, lemon, banana, platano, and a long list of more you probably have never heard of.

With a large variety of Chicken flocks, there will be plenty of Eggs to eat and sell to neighbors.

The production of Tilapia in ponds has started. Originally Luis’s family had pastures for milk cows to graze on. With the vision of Reforestation of the land and environmental sustainability, this will be the next step to Reforestation on the farm freeing up pasture that can become forest once again.

                                  

The cloud forest section and its flora and fauna
The cloud forest section ha  3 large creeks, and at night there is nothing nicer than watching the bright night sky brimming with stars, while listing to the live concert of toucans and frogs.

Given that Reserva Mundo Verde is located in one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, you will be able to see and hear beautiful flora and fauna all around you. Luis is extremely knowledgeable about the flora and fauna on the reserve, and can take you to look at the birds and other animals if you wish.

       

The area is hugely popular with bird watchers, with Reserva Mundo Verde home to over 150 species of birds alone (the latest count is 156 bird species but the list is growing all the time!) Some of the birds that you can see during your stay include toucans, wild turkeys, tangara, falcons and bue. The most famous bird located on the reserve is the exotic-looking long wattle umbrella bird (pictured below). It is listed as a threatened species and is only found in a narrow belt of land in Southern Colombia and Ecuador. Its name comes from the long, inflatable, scaly wattle that hangs from the males’ chest and is used in courtship.

                    

Other animals that call Reserva Mundo Verde home are toucans, armadillos (pictured above), monkeys, sloths, pumas, deer, squirrels and badgers. In terms of flora, some of the most important trees on the Reserve are the caoba, roble, ceiba and caucho trees, with the balsa and copal trees being the largest and most attractive trees in the forest. Reserva Mundo Verde also has some spectacular flowers, including native orchids and heliconias.