The Payamino Project is a thriving community conservation and development project. Situated in the foothills of the andes East of Quito, the indigenous community of San Jose de Payamino entered an agreement with Aalborg Zoo in 2002 to protect their forest and way of life from the increasing pressures of oil, logging and mining companies eager to exploit the Payamino 's 27,000 hectares of primary lowland rainforest. |