Quito South Zone Ravine Restoration Project

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1 69 Quito South Zone Ravine Restoration Project Reforesting vegetative cover and native plants was one of the many initiatives the South Quito Interinstitutional Committee working groups carried through as a means to protect and promote longterm environmental management of the ravine areas. FULL NAME OF MUNICIPALITY Quito Metropolitan District, Ecuador MUNICIPAL PROFILE POPULATION: 1.75 million LAND AREA: 4,247 km 2 MUNICIPAL BUDGET: US$65 million (1993) PROJECT NAME South Zone Ravine Restoration Project CHALLENGE ADDRESSED Restoration of Ravine Lands DESIRED OUTCOME/GOAL The project aimed to recuperate and restore the ecological integrity of the ravines as open and green space for the benefit of neighboring communities, while promoting the principles of sustainable development. STRATEGY USED By involving the community and civil society as legitimate stakeholders in its LA21 process, Quito cleaned up, restored and created a management system for rehabilitating the ravines in its South Zone and, in going forward, other areas of the city. ABSTRACT The South Zone of Quito, Ecuador, faces the multiple challenges of rapid urban growth, poverty and environmental degradation. Its 40 ravines have historically been used for garbage and toxic waste disposal, and are associated with severe risks of flooding, mudslides and erosion. Many illegal settlements are located in this area. Building on the outcomes of the first phase of the South Zone Ravine Restoration Project, conducted as part of the Local Agenda 21 Model Communities Program, a second phase was undertaken in as part of the Incentive Grants Project. A multistakeholder group was formed and worked to validate and replicate the success of the first phase in restoring the ravines. As a result of their efforts, pest and disease vectors, inappropriate garbage disposal and erosion risks were reduced. As well, the stakeholder group provided education and training for 6,000 residents of neighboring communities and began developing a legal instrument to protect and manage the ravines. A system of ravine restoration has been developed to allow the transfer of the project to other areas of the city. CASE With over 600,000 residents, the South Zone has the most rapid population growth in Quito. It also has the lowest levels of service provision and the highest concentration of industry. As the entry point for rural-urban migration, it is the poorest part of the city and includes numerous illegal settlements. 1

2 Between 1997 and 2000, the IGP provided small grants to local stakeholder groups for developing and implementing LA21 action plans in 18 cities in Latin America, Africa and Turkey. The grants allowed the groups to solve problems identified during the LA21 planning process, with projects in areas such as waste management and stream restoration. The project was funded by the Open Society Institute and implemented by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives ( The 40 ravines in the South Zone make up approximately 20 percent of the zone s total land area. These ravines have historically been used for the disposal of garbage from surrounding neighborhoods, toxic waste from nearby industries and untreated waste from the municipal abattoir. They represent a significant source of the pest and disease vectors causing infections in neighboring populations. There are also severe risks of flooding, mudslides and erosion caused by natural disasters and resident activities, all aggravated by problems caused by illegal settlements. The Municipality of Quito is responsible for urban development, provision of drinking water, sewage and other environmental services, and maintenance of local roads and public spaces. The 1993 Metropolitan District Law gave Quito the right to make decisions related to land use in the metropolitan district, established community participation as a priority in municipal decision making and gave the municipality direct control over transportation and environmental management. This newfound authority empowered the municipality to take a systemic approach in addressing the city s environmental and poverty-related problems, and made clear the fact that the community must be an active participant in identifying and solving these problems. Between 1995 and 1997, Quito s South Zone participated in the international Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Model Communities Programme (MCP), a project of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) designed to test frameworks and methodologies for undertaking community-based participatory planning 1. Building upon the experience gained through the Ravine Recuperation Project conducted as part of the MCP, Quito decided to continue implementing the project (Phase II) with support from the Incentive Grants Project (IGP). The importance of addressing the problems associated with the city s ravines, especially in the South Zone, had been recognized by successive administrations, and was institutionalized and prioritized as part of the South Zone Strategic Plan in Phase II of the project was designed to validate the city s experience from the first phase of the Ravine Recuperation Project, as well as the work that followed and built upon this experience, and then replicate these experiences in six stretches of ravines. The South Quito Interinstitutional Committee (Comité Interinstitucional de la Zona Sur de Quito CIQ) was formed to serve as the administrative and coordinating body of Phase II of the project and became the incarnation of a stakeholder group. More than 20 institutions were represented in the CIQ, including local government, municipal public works companies, neighborhood committees, civil society non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector and a local university and college. The project collaboration with and received support from the media, including radio and television. The entire stakeholder group participated in the development of the project. Planning, discussion, approval, execution and evaluation were established by stakeholders. The CIQ, considering its direct relationship with the neighborhoods, took on the responsibility for assuring a group effort, establishing the community as a counterpart to and the beneficiary of the project. Among the neighborhoods, experiences were exchanged and relations built, all the while spreading the work of the project. Between the neighborhoods and the municipality, discussions advanced around technical support, resource allocation and improvement of municipal services. The project was designed to include a validation process and allow for replication elsewhere. It was to be implemented through the following actions: formation of a stakeholder group with environmental management capacity; development of legislation to manage and protect the ravines; implementation of education, outreach and training programs for communities (20,000 individuals) neighboring the ravine areas; control of infectious vector populations; removal of garbage from the ravine walls and river beds, separating and recycling when possible; restoration of vegetative cover and native plants. 2

3 Quito s 40 ravines were once used as garbage and toxic waste disposals. Some of them (such as the one seen here) are dangerously close to housing settlements which can cause environmental health hazards among other risks such as flooding, erosion, and mudslides. Phase II of the project was formally launched in May With the action planning and stakeholder group formation completed, the project was ready to experience its first operational challenges. At the start of the project the stakeholder group was slow to adapt to the organizational structure that had been established. This was reflected by the slow reaction of the local government in determining how to integrate their various departments into the project. In addition, some of the stakeholders felt the involvement of the community was not credible, causing resistance and an initial period of inaction that delayed the project. There was an incipient level of neighborhood organization in some sectors. The participation of the leaders of these neighborhood groups within the stakeholder group had a doubly beneficial effect in that the community was truly participating and contributing, and their credibility was also validated in the eyes of the other stakeholders, establishing a basic level of mutual trust. One of the more interesting aspects of the project was the implementation of the ravine restoration work. Tree planting along ravine borders, garbage collection and vector control campaigns, as well as ravine wall and border restoration, were all carried out through the use of mingas (group/community work efforts). And the accomplishments are quite noteworthy 5,000 trees planted, 20 garbage collection and tree planting mingas held, 20 insect and rodent control campaigns held, and 40 hectares of ravine walls and borders restored. A legal instrument that will permit the formulation of future municipal ordinance to protect the ravines is being developed, with a first draft written, and a workshop planned to be held with the municipal property department and the municipal water company to reach consensus on the ordinance proposal. With an eye towards strategic, long-term planning, building the environmental management capacity of the stakeholder group was a principal goal of the project. Two thousand adults, 2,000 children, 500 professors, 30 municipal officials, 30 NGO representatives and 20 neighborhood leaders were trained on environmental issues. Three workshops and 14 participatory neighborhood assemblies were held, and 20 neighborhood ravine protection groups have been formed and continue to function. Weekly meetings of the CIQ and daily meetings of the commissions, CIQ working groups focused on specific topics such as outreach and reforestation, were held. Management plan, research and training module documents were produced and distributed. This extensive outreach and training component has set the foundation for a long-term commitment on the part of the stakeholders to continue this work in the future. Not surprisingly, community members held many leadership positions in the project. In fact, as an agreement reached among the stakeholders, community participation constituted more than 60 percent of the group. This situation helped strengthen community-municipality relations. Stakeholder Group Development During the various stages of the project disagreements arose among neighborhood leaders. These disagreements were overcome in part by submitting their discussion to the group. The group s ability to reach internal agreements, with an emphasis on consensus building, was possible due to training in group dynamics and communication, and a system rotating roles and responsibilities within the group. As project implementation progressed, deep-rooted issues began to surface. Given the country s 3

4 Members of a stakeholder group. The stakeholder group was formed to provide education and training to over 6,000 residents to develop a method to protect and manage the ravines. socio-economic conditions, environmental problems are not a priority for the marginalized sectors of society as they are focused on their dayto-day survival. This included those individuals participating in the project. Maintaining a sufficient level of community interest in the project was a constant challenge. The CIQ s direct contact with the community aided in maintaining a sufficient level of public interest. As well, the historic client-patron relationship existing between the community and the municipality was identified in Phase I of the project as a significant hindrance to the implementation of a genuine LA21 process. Creating an atmosphere in which the principles of accountability and transparency were valued proved to be one of the primary challenges of the project. By way of example, the community was not complying with municipal laws regarding the use of the ravines and their borders. At the same time, the municipality had limited capacity to enforce these laws. Contributing to the problems was a lack of municipal garbage collection in these areas. The CIQ provided a formal setting in which to address these issues within the context of the project, and served as an intermediary to resolve conflicts between stakeholders. By coming faceto-face in a formalized setting to confront these issues and propose solutions, community and municipal leaders assumed individual and institutional responsibility, thus developing trust and increasing the chances for resolution. The community committed to taking responsibility for their own actions, meaning that they would not break the laws associated with the ravines. In exchange, the municipality agreed to reinforce their control, inspection and enforcement activities, and work with the community to overcome differences between the law and reality. Constant action and follow-up carried out by the CIQ helped to maintain the flow of information and coordination. The municipality improved its commitment to the community by incorporating participation of the hygiene, cleaning, police, planning and legal departments to the project. It was able to be more efficient in the execution of activities due to the presence and participation of the community, for example, in managing squatters, improving garbage collection and improving its credibility with the community. The stakeholder group maintained a high level of stability throughout the entire process, characterized by cohesion among participants and significant management capacity of community members. Even while there were stakeholders coming and going throughout the project, the work of the group was not adversely affected. RESULTS The project has validated the work undertaken in Phase I of the project, replicating it in six new sections of ravines. This has permitted the legally recognized stakeholder group, the CIQ, to recognize its environmental and social management capacity, and discover how to approach the problem of the ravines and their relationship with the community. In terms of environmental impacts, a reduction in pests and disease, trash disposal in the ravines, and erosion risks, as well as an increase in vegetative cover, have been achieved. Quantifiable education and outreach accomplishments included: Education and outreach for communities neighboring ravine areas: 6,000 residents informed during project, 30 institutions informed, 20 children s field trips (2,000 children) Training: 2,000 adults. 2,000 children. 500 professors 4

5 Material developed and prepared: 5,000 posters, 5,000 pamphlets, 2,000 calendars, 10 banners, 1 video, 2,000 ravine stories, 2,500 educational games, 20 signs, outreach newsletters, Internet website design, 20 neighborhood artistic programs Two areas will continue to be addressed. Although not completed, the development of the legal instrument is ongoing. As well, private sector industry in the South Zone was effectively absent from the process and needs to be integrated into the stakeholder group. Industry is responsible for a large portion of point and nonpoint source pollution in the South Zone, thus their commitment to the process is essential in maintaining the advances already achieved as well as in making further progress in the clean up, protection and management of the ravines. The excellent relations among the stakeholders, and their shared vision focused on the city as a whole, has lead the group to face the challenge of how to implement the project on a citywide level, with leadership provided by the municipality s South Zone Administration. LESSONS LEARNED Integrating all of the institutions or groups that are involved in the problems being addressed at the earliest stage possible is a determining success factor. In this case, the community became involved after the plan had been developed, but did participate in the approval and validation of the plan, which ensured sufficient ownership on their part to carry out their commitments. The development of a clear vision of the future at the beginning of the process, one which is shared by all stakeholders, is key to reaching consensus on operational issues, ensuring successful implementation of project objectives and increasing the probability of achieving desired medium- and long-term impacts, as well as providing a road map for future actions. The guiding principles the LA21 framework and methodology can be used to facilitate the cultural shift necessary to overcome existing client-patron relationships between residents and the municipality towards one that recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of all stakeholders and in which actors assume responsibility for their actions. Community organized mingas, or massive cleanup or other activities, serve to integrate the community into the process, solidifying their commitment, and provide a hands-on opportunity to see the benefits of their efforts. Reductions in point-source pollution are limited by the participation and level of commitment of the various stakeholders. In this case, the private sector was absent from the process and thus pointsource pollution issues remained unresolved. KEY REPLICATION FACTORS For some time the municipality had been developing and improving its competency in urban development and environmental management. Technical and planning expertise must be identified before plans are developed to ensure that the problem and solutions are appropriately identified and proposed. The community in the South Zone had solicited support from the municipality to deal with the problems associated with the ravines. Community identification of issues can serve to motivate other sectors of society and should be capitalized on by other actors to achieve momentum in process development. Prior to the project, the South Zone Administration had developed a community planning process that included ravine maintenance and restoration. Previous community involvement efforts, even if not directly related to the issue at hand, should be considered in current and future interventions. BUDGET The CIQ served as an important platform to seek and coordinate additional funding for project activities. In addition to the US$80,994 provided by the IGP, the multisectoral nature of the CIQ helped to secure an additional $83,498 in funding from various municipal departments, NGOs and community organizations. While the coadministration and co-financing experience has 5

6 been challenging at times, it will be invaluable in future cooperative funding proposals. KEY CONTACTS Patricio Morales Municipio del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito Administración de la Zona Sur Venezuela 712 y Espejo Edificio Briz López Of. 313 Quito, Ecuador TELEPHONE: +59-3/ th Floor, West Tower City Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 2N2 TELEPHONE: / FAX: / iclei@iclei.org WEBSITE: , ICLEI-Canada. 2000, ICLEI USA, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Saskya Lugo Fundación Natura Avenida República y Almagro Quito, Ecuador TELEPHONE: +59-3/ SLUGO@fnatura.org.ec REFERENCES South Quito Interinstitutional Committee (CIQ). May Incentive Grants Project Proposal, Recuperación de Quebradas en la Zona Sur de la Ciudad de Quito. ICLEI Local Agenda 21 Model Communities Program Case Studies, Volumes I & II. South Quito Interinstitutional Committee (CIQ). May Plan de Acción Recuperación de Quebradas en la Zona Sur de la Ciudad de Quito. South Quito Interinstitutional Committee (CIQ) Incentive Grants Project Narrative, Financial and Self Evaluation Reports, ICLEI. August IGP Latin America Final Report. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Brett Melone, Researcher and Writer Heather Kepran, Editor Jennifer Lee, Production Coordinator The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives is a membership organization of local governments and their associations. The Council s mission is to build and support a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global environmental conditions through the cumulative impact of local actions. 1 For more information on the LA21 MCP, visit the ICLEI website ( 6