Hidden treasure in Cuenca

Hi! my name is Estefania. few months ago I moved to one of the cities best known worldwide for its great beauty. Wherever you walk you can see: rivers, lagoons and beautiful parks that make you feel as if you were in a small European town. That is why even its name “Cuenca” was inspired by the Cuenca of Spain and I understand very well why. Both its architecture and green areas make you feel definitely in a different place than what can be seen in the Capital, or at least in other cities which I have known. But today I want to talk to you about a specific place that is about 25m from where I currently live, the Cajas National Park is filled.This park is known worldwide for its great contribution of biodiversity and natural scenery that makes any tourist, both national and international, want to know it when they travel to Cuenca. The truth is that before moving here, I had only seen it in photos that my parents showed me, but when I had the opportunity to travel to Cuenca and get to know this place I was struck by the beauty of this place, without a doubt it is a inexplicable experience.Since for those who know it, they will understand me that being at the top of that place makes you feel a kind of infinite love towards what you are seeing and without a doubt you feel so small in such a wonderful place. Although there have been few months that I have lived here every weekend we go out with my family to Cajas. So for me is a really peacefull place because whit all this pandemic think is so easy to get stress and tired to be all the time inside your home, but is necessary.

So, everytime I visit this amazing place makes me feel free and grateful to leave so near to this amazing place that my country have, and I really recommend to everyone to visit this place even if it’s once in a lifetime. So el parque nacional el Cajas in a short time it became one of my most important and favorite places.What I have been able to observe is that this park is a very protected place and loved by the Cuencanos (people from Cuenca) and any foreigner who visits it. It has become not only a place to see its beautiful view, but it represents us very well as Ecuadorians and makes me feel so happy, knowing that such a place exists in my country. Fun Fact, is one of the most romantic places to ask for marriage for city dwellers. On the other hand you have a large number of wild animals that live in these mountains, like something out of a Talkien story.

Parque Nacional Cajas 

Archivo:Ecuador cajas national park.jpg - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

But what happens to this place other than being very visited. Well, the good thing is that it is a protected natural reserve, but the situation is that in its surroundings there are several villages that still practice the house of wild animals and even that there are rangers, there are rumors that
occur about certain groups that enter this natural reserve and they marry these animals secretly from the forest ranger, this is very easy since there is no 100% controlled security, it is very easy to camouflage any weapon or any type of object, anime, etc. that directly affects their wild fauna
and flora.

Therefore, one of the main problems is that there is no regulation in all areas, since the park is a totally large area, so there are several entrances and not all of them are guarded by a guard or forest ranger. This happens because: the area is too large to supply all this with a person who is watching all the time and second because it is not invested so much. From what I have personally seen as a group of boys they have made small camps in these protected areas and enter with food and alcoholic drinks, which, without taking all the measures they could leave some waste which directly damages the fauna or debris could be created. For now, nothing of this has been heard, but without a doubt the lack of a park ranger means that for this group of young people who just want to spend a fun night with drinks they have no regulations at all when they are in the middle of this park, since the ranger is at the entrance and is not usually seen in places further into the park.

Unesco examinará 28 potenciales Reservas de la Biosfera, incluido Ecuador |  La República EC

Returning to prohibited hunting, it has been reported that if there has been damage in this situation to its fauna and also thanks to climate change, the lagoons of this beautiful place have been gradually decreasing according to the Ministry of the Environment. from Ecuador, for which the environment and human contact have gradually been affecting this hidden paradise. In the same
way, I believe that forbidding things is not the solution to anything, but if it is possible, perhaps having a little more regulation and hiring more rangers to regulate the entry and exit of visitors and on the other hand you can educate the new generations to contribute a little more to the care of these places so that in the future we can enjoy these beautiful places. Also completely ending with the rabbit house could be a totally necessary solution

Link: learn mora about this place here.

http://areasprotegidas.ambiente.gob.ec/es/areas-protegidas/parque-nacional-cajas

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