Sustainability of Territories in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Abstract

As is general knowledge, the situation of the Amazon Basin has been strongly affected in recent decades. Mass deforestation in order to expand livestock borders, illicit use of timber species and oil exploitation, produced serious environmental impacts. Half of the national territory of Ecuador is part of this Amazonian macro-basin, so these problems have undergone in the area. The Amazonian Ecuador in particular, is a territory where the capacity of the soils and the ecosystems to provide services have been weakening for all the described circumstances. But from our scientific and academic point of view it seems important to contribute to the well-being and good living of the Amazonian population by the implementation of sustainable production systems. The researching perspective must focus to offer objective indicators that can be useful for management, referring to the dynamic balance between society and nature.  In the dimensions addressing the socio environmental aspects, the Soil Quality Indicators have revealed to be very useful. They give information that can influence decision-making and territorial planning at the farm level.  Other data and information can be summarized in graphical representations called Biogram and synthetic indices as the Integrated Index of Sustainable Development. All these are affordable and sustainable and realistic proposals.