A fern reaches for the sun from its mossy perch on a well established tree.

Conservation at Mindo Lindo

Rewilding Mindo

from cattle pasture to cloud forest

For more than three decades, Mindo Lindo has been restoring cloud forest, supporting biodiversity, and documenting ecological change in the Mindo valley. Look how far we’ve come:

This is Gladiator Tree Frog looks inquisitively towards to the camera as it sits upon a large green leaf.
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Amphibians
Equatorial Anole Lizard pushing up on its front legs
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Reptiles
A Tayra, a member of the weasel family, grips a broad log with its claws and it prepares to leap.
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Mammals
A Velvet Purple Coronet hummingbird perched on a slender branch
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Hummingbirds
A quetzal holds a berry in its beak while perched on a mossy branch
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Birds
A seedling planted at Mindo Lindo
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Trees Planted

Our Conservation Projects

A volunteer planting trees at the Mindo Lindo Reserve

Forest Restoration

Reviving the Cloud forest

The reserve property was largely degraded pastureland before restoration began in the 1990s. Through plantings and collaboration with regional landowners, more than 59,500 trees have been planted across about 70 hectares. Trees grown in local nurseries help restore forest structure and biodiversity.

Two different sets of hands support a magnolia blossom going to seed

Rare Tree Conservation

Protecting Vulnerable species

Mindo Lindo also supports the conservation of threatened tree species. Seed collection, propagation, and reintroduction help protect species such as Magnolia mindoensis and Retrophyllum rospigliosii, a rare Andean conifer that has almost disappeared from Ecuador.

A pair of Flame-faced Tanagers perch on a slender, moss-covered branch.

Research & Monitoring

Tracking forest recovery

Since the mid-1990s, Heike’s weekly bird monitoring has created a long-term record of how wildlife communities change as forest returns. Visitors and collaborators also contribute observations through eBird and iNaturalist, helping document the growing diversity of life in the reserve.

Support Mindo Lindo Conservation Projects With FEVE

Partners and Collaborators

The conservation and research work at Mindo Lindo is strengthened through collaboration with universities, conservation organizations, and international partners. These partnerships support reforestation, biodiversity research, and long-term ecological monitoring in the Mindo region.