Pisco Huasi
in "Quechua" language "The House of Birds"
A rescued forest!!!
1- Introduction:
The area formed by the valleys of Quinara, Vilcabamba and Malacatos was called by the ancient inhabitants of this region: the ¨Sacred Valley of Vilcabamba¨. In the center of the valley of Malacatos rises a mountain that contains a virgin native forest of "Faique", representative tree of this area. This forest is a refuge for a great variety of local birds that nest here. Is it possible that their choice of habitat is influenced by the incredible views of the valley and the magnificent mountains that surround it, where each sunset is a new life experience?
The Malacatos Valley, next to the Vilcabamba Valley, is located at 1590 meters / 5200 feets above sea level, just a 25-minute drive from the small, peaceful city of Loja in southeastern Ecuador. Blessed with a year-round spring-like climate, the valley boasts a remarkable variety of fruits and flowers.
In keeping with our concern for the preservation of our planet, we decided to promote an ecological "habitat", an Ecovillage, maintaining the forest as a natural park.
We are supported in this project by the peaceful inhabitants who have become receptive to our ideas.
2- Our Project:
1. This project offered solely by "propertiesinecuador.com", is headed by a European, organic agriculture devotee, who seeks to reconcile the artificial and the natural, two aspects that are continually confronting each other in the modern world.
2. We have saved a forest from deforestation and turned it into a natural reserve with hiking trails that invite visitors to learn about and respect the ecosystem.
3. Our social goal follows from this in that we want to include in this project people from different nationalities and cultures, without any possible social or financial discrimination. As an analogy, we might think of the project as a “Socio-economic Permaculture”.
4. It is important to understand our project as an open community, concerned with nature and, in particular, with building designs that use materials and methods that respect the ecosystem. It is not about a closed and isolated community that offends our neighbors.
Our idea is to make sure that the needs of future neighbors are in tune with the simple spirit of the place.
5. The total area covers 148 acres (60 hectares). The native forest being kept as a natural park (shown in dark green) covers approximately 89 acres (36 hectares) and will remain intact, leaving the lower fields (shown in light green) with close to 59 acres (24 hectares) of undulating land designated for homes or gardens. Participants in this project will have the right of permanent and free use of this natural park.
We still have the three lands in pink for sale (water already installed)
JOIN THIS OPEN COMMUNITY
6. Our access roads (shown in reddish brown) have been named after local birds, "Via Rondador" down the forest, "Via Piculay" in the middle and "Via Suxos" to the south. The park is designed with a main entrance to the forest (shown in purple), hiking trails in the woods and topographically divided lots designated by numbers.
7. The land is supplied with a water canal on the middle road and you can also apply for a Malacatos Community City water. Each land owner has to connect the water to their lot. Electricity could be alternative such as solar, hydraulic, eolic or any other kind of energy.
8. Pisco Huasi is located 1,86 miles (3 kms) from the Malacatos – Loja asphalt road and 5 minutes from the town of Malacatos where there is a market each Sunday with a variety of organic products. The town also has hardware stores, pharmacies and other shops. This promising town is next to the valley of Vilcabamba, famous for the large number of foreigners who have already settled there.
9. LEFT LOTS:
10. Propertiesinecuador.com, with our notaries and lawyers, can assist you in all matters relating to the purchase of your land, as well as obtaining visas. Our architects, building constructors and designers will help you in the construction of your ideal natural home…and, of course, with everything related to your ecological interests. To this goal we recommend an architecture adapted to the environment with natural designs, green fences, alternative sources of energy, underground piped water, organic gardening, recycling treatment of biodegradable waste and any other ideas that could contribute to the community and the spirit of the place.
Open Ecological Community
Non Gated Ecovillage
( a safe integrated model )
Versus
Closed Gated Communities
( insecure foreign model )
In developed countries, such as the USA and most European nations, projects known as "Gated Communities" or some similar name have been developed to cope with an external society full of problems related to mutual coexistence.
The seclusion of these communities from the outside world may be based on the pursuit of altruistic ideals, such as the so-called "Intentional Communities", for example. However, this seclusion may also be sought by people who need safety and security, feelings based on fear, rather than on any altruistic ideals.
In Ecuador, rural areas still have a well organized structure based on the principles of "good neighbors and kindness", land owners are always ready to help their neighbors treating each other with respect and generosity in recognition of the reality of the mutual interdependence.
With extensive knowledge of local conditions, traditions, practices, and attitudes, we think that the closed or gated communities in Ecuador are unsafe nowadays, especially if it shelters a foreign mono-culture finding common ground in discriminatory fear of the social-economic environment that not only uses a foreign language, but also has a Latin American perception of exploitation, agression and lack of compassion. Such circumstances can easily give rise to fears in the local population, in due course attracting attention of the underprivileged who, in their hopelessness, can take advantage of the soft police system (no need to be strong).
OPEN YOUR EYES!
For us, as foreigners , the ideal proposal is for an open community or a non gated Ecovillage, to be integrated into the local culture as a surer way of promoting a future of harmonious and peaceful co-existence. Neighbors of different nations and cultures can live in peace and safety within a structure where a public space - in this case, the natural park within Pisco Huasi- is shared and held open to the wider community, so encouraging an exchange of languages and ideals. Moreover, an Intentional Community inhabited mostly by foreigners can be accepted and even welcomed only if it does not provoke envy, and as long as it integrates into the local community in a truly socio-ecological cooperation.