President Daniel Noboa Azin has issued Executive Decree No. 212, introducing the General Regulation to the Organic Law for the Strengthening of Protected Areas. The regulation will take effect after its publication in the Official Register.
The decree also amends the Regulation to the Organic Environmental Code, which was published in Supplement No. 507 of June 12, 2019. It adds Article 149.1 concerning “Sanctions in the National System of Protected Areas,” specifying that violations committed within protected areas will be sanctioned by the competent authority responsible for those areas.
According to the government, this regulatory instrument allows the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MAE) to modernize management within Ecuador’s National System of Protected Areas (SNAP). The ministry states that it will strengthen conservation efforts across more than 26 million hectares of natural heritage.
The regulation updates standards for training, certification, operational conditions, and institutional strengthening for park rangers. Their strategic role in biodiversity protection and territorial control is formally recognized.
A public trust fund is authorized under this regulation to ensure stable and permanent resources for essential activities such as control and surveillance, biodiversity monitoring, visitor management, sustainable tourism, and community strengthening.
The new rules also emphasize increased participation from Indigenous peoples, local communities, and decentralized autonomous governments. The regulation encourages co-management models and a governance structure described as more inclusive and based on dialogue.
Specific provisions have been included to improve security within protected territories through protocols aimed at controlling unauthorized activities or responding to risk situations. These measures are intended to reinforce ecological integrity in protected areas.
Processes related to control, monitoring, and sanctions are being updated with a focus on making management more effective and transparent while aligning with international conservation standards.
“The Government of El Nuevo Ecuador fulfills and consolidates a modern, professional, participatory, and robust conservation model,” according to an official statement. “It reaffirms its commitment to protecting natural heritage and ensuring a sustainable future for present and future generations.”
