The San José de Payamino and Verde Sumaco areas covers 60.000 + 20.000 ha of primary lowland rainforest situated just south of Equator on the eastern slopes of the Sumaco Volcano east of Andes.

The western part of the territory overlaps the Sumaco National Park and most of the territory lies within the Gran Sumaco Biosphere Reserve.

The altitude is ranging from 300 above sea level where Rio Payamino leaves the area to 1.500 m as you go west towards the Sumaco volcano.

The important rivers are Rio Payamino and its tributary Rio Paushiyacu. Rio Payamino runs to the east towards Rio Coca which shortly after runs into Rio Napo

Biodiversity

Bird studies made by Jon Fjeldså and Niels Krabbe, show the highest registered number of bird species in the world 840 species within a 110x110 km2 (yellow square) within which the Payamino territory lies.

In Jatun Sacha to the south (blue square) is registered 309 tree species pr ha. (ref: Tema-rapporten DMU 25/1999).

The Payamino territory is as a fringe habitat between the highland and the lowland. The forest is likely to be very biodiverse and to have a very high degree of endemism. 

All this indicate that the biodiversity in the Payamino territory is high, and we are currently carrying out research quantifying this to justify the protection of this incredible area.