A leading centre of biodiversity research in Ecuador, eco hotel Mashpi Lodge has discovered ten new species of plants over ten years. Jenny Southan reports
Mashpi Lodge is a good example of how tourism can be a force for good, channeling funds from visitors who double as “citizen scientists” to research new flora and fauna in the surrounding cloud forests of Ecuador.
This summer, the eco hotel announced that it has identified a new plant species for science, making it the tenth discovered at the lodge in a decade.
Other discoveries have included species of orchids and magnolia and, more recently, the Mashpi Glass Frog. Announced last month, this elusive species, which is just 2cm in size, was successfully identified following five years of extensive research.
Initially implemented to listen for sounds of destructive and illegal activity, such as gun shots and chainsaws, the Forest Guardians have subsequently created a trove of eco-data and what lives within the cloud forests.
Guests can learn more about this innovative partnership and its role in rainforest conservation with an interactive session at the on-site Science Laboratory, learning more about how the Guardians work and the animal calls identified by artificial intelligence software, and even listen to the Guardians in real-time through the Rainforest Connection app.
At Mashpi Lodge, guests are encouraged to arrive as tourists, and leave as conservationists. The on-site Life Centre highlights 21 native species, including the Giant Owl Butterfly whose wings mimic the eyes of an owl.
Rates at Mashpi Lodge start from US$1,408 per room per night, including shared transfers from main hotels in Quito, all meals, all guided activities and excursions within the reserve.