The Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve () is an ecological reserve in the provinces of Esmeraldas and Manabí, Ecuador. It protects a mountainous area in the transition from tropical rain forest in the north to dry forest in the south. It contains the Cube Lagoon, which has been designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Location The Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve protects the forests of the Mache Chindul mountain range on the coast of Ecuador. It has an area of . Elevations range from . The Mache Chindul range is a massif on the coastal plain west of the Andes. The massif is the northern extension of Ecuador's coastal range. It is isolated from the Andes, which are about to the east, The reserve is very near the coast a few kilometers south of Muisne. It holds the sources of the Coaque, Cojimies and Cheve rivers in Manabí, and Muisne, Atacames and Tiaone rivers in Esmeraldas. It contains the Laguna de Cube (Cube lagoon), which has been designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance due to its biodiversity, ecological functions and environmental services to the local population. The reserve may be reached by driving north along highway 20 from Quinindé for about to the entrance of La Laguna. From there a dirt road leads west to the Cube Lagoon. In the winter the road is only passable to all-terrain vehicles. The reserve includes a large area of forest that has traditionally been home to Chachi and Afro-Esmeraldas communities, who practice sustainable exploitation of the forests resources. Land near the reserve is used for cattle pasturage and cultivation of sugar cane. History The Bilsa Biological Station (Estación Biológica Bilsa) was established by the Jatun Sacha Foundation in 1994. It protects the coastal watersheds of the Aguacatal, Dógola and Cube Rivers. The foundation has a donation program for acquiring more forest. The Center for Conserving Plants of the Western Forest has been located at the station since 1996. It provides the basis for community outreach programs involving agroforestry, environmental education and development of community management plans. The center produces about 100,000 trees each year for reforestation within and outside the reserve. These include 80 species of tropical fruit trees and 50 of local timber trees. In 1991 there were still large patches of forests with sizeable timber trees, but deforestation was in progress. There were (and are) strong pressures on the region from large timber