A Story of Pedro and Heike
A Family Project in Ecuador’s cloud Forest
Mindo Lindo is the life project of Pedro Peñafiel and Heike Brieschke, a family-run reserve in the hills near Mindo, Ecuador.
Pedro is Ecuadorian. Heike is German. Together they chose to build their lives in the cloud forest, where they have lived and worked for decades. What visitors see today—a regenerating forest full of birds, trails, and places to pause and observe—has grown slowly through decades of patient work and care for the land.
Their daughters, Edith and Manuela, grew up here. As children they helped plant trees and participated in the everyday life of the reserve, learning about the forest by living in it. After finishing high school, both moved to Germany, but Mindo Lindo remains a place deeply connected to their family story.
Pedro Peñafiel
Carpenter & Conservationist
Pedro is a carpenter by profession and a conservationist by conviction.
He was the key voice in the creation of the Bosque Protector Mindo-Nambillo, a pivotal moment that helped shift the Mindo economy toward nature-based tourism.
At Mindo Lindo, Pedro’s work is practical and hands-on. He builds, plants, maintains, and manages the forest nursery. He also teaches, passing on essential knowledge to younger conservationists. Many of the trees growing here today were planted by him over the past three decades.
Heike Brieshke
Ornithologist & Researcher
Heike holds a doctorate in biology with a specialization in ornithology.
At Mindo Lindo she conducts a weekly bird survey, creating a valuable record of how bird communities change as the forest regenerates and climate shifts.
She frequently works with students and visiting groups, helping them understand bird ecology and the changing dynamics of the cloud forest.
Heike also leads birdwatching experiences throughout Ecuador.
The Story of the Mindo Lindo Reserve
7 Hectares of Rewilded Cloud Forest
When Pedro and Heike first began restoring the land that is now Mindo Lindo, much of it had been heavily degraded pasture. Through years of reforestation and careful management, the forest has gradually returned.
Today the reserve protects seven hectares of cloud forest, where more than 260 species of birds have been recorded, including over 30 species of hummingbirds, along with mammals, reptiles, and amphibians that continue to recolonize the recovering habitat.
A network of trails allows visitors to move quietly through the forest, while the hummingbird balcony and observation tower provide places to watch wildlife at close range.
A Forest Anew
A Long Term Commitment to Mother Nature
The story of Mindo Lindo is not simply about numbers or species lists. It is about what can happen when people commit themselves to a place for the long term. What visitors experience today is the result of decades of quiet work—planting trees, observing birds, welcoming students and travelers, and allowing the forest time to heal.
Mindo Lindo continues to evolve, just as the forest does, shaped by the lives and dedication of the people who care for it. From Pedro and Heike’s ongoing work, a broader vision is taking shape through Fundación Ecuador – Verde Esperanza (FEVE).