The biodiversity of the Andean Cloudforest is under threat.
Threatened by financial instability, this natural region’s communities rely on unsustainable
practices to make a living. Cattle farming and mining are causing the wildlife populations to
decline rapidly.
We are a group of four students from engineering and business backgrounds who aim to
make a change.
By collaborating with the local community and USFQ (Universidad San Francisco de
Quito), our project focuses on creating a sustainable business alternative for the Tandayapa
community. Namely, a plant nursery.
The Tandayapa Plant Nursery is a project which tackles two problems in the valley: the
decline in biodiversity and the financial conditions of the local community.
The nursery will focus on cultivating native species which can be used in landscaping
projects, rather than imported plants. Hereby the biodiversity of the region is preserved and
plants can be re-introduced.
We envision the nursery as an initiative which locals profit, socialize and take pride in.
This project is supported by Universidad San Francisco de Quito and TU Delft.
