Coproductive Capacities Support Implementation of Ecuador’s Sangay-Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor

Abstract

Despite increasing expertise and resources for planning ecological corridors, initiatives face implementation challenges in integrating science and governance. The coproductive capacities framework identifies normative, cognitive, social, and material factors that support scientifically-informed action. This study asked how coproductive capacities enable transition from planning to implementation in the Sangay-Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor (Corredor de Conectividad Sangay-Podocarpus; CCSP), Ecuador’s first designated corridor, linking multiple national parks with extraordinary biodiversity. We assessed capacities through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with CCSP stakeholders. We find that the CCSP possesses strong normative capacities with a shared vision for social-ecological wellbeing and understanding of threats. Cognitive capacities are supported by biophysical science but lack integration with social science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Social capacities vary depending on scale. Material capacities are compromised by insufficient funding and human resources. Corridor implementation depends on strong, diverse, highly interdependent capacities, which highlights the need for targeted capacity-building to sustain effective connectivity conservation.