Yawi-Sumak is a mixture of two indigenous words: Yawi means saladero, a location in the forest where birds and other creatures congregate to consume mineral salts, and Sumak meaning beautiful or great. The activities taken by environmental authorities, local media, and the community in the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources are demonstrated through a bicycle tour with more than 300 bikers. This unique and inclusive communication tool provides the urban residents with a lived experience of the region’s visual beauty, ecological services, umbrella species, and cultural diversity of the Shuar, Saraguro, and Mestizo ethnic groups.
The concept was repeated in the Regional Program AbE Ecuador to promote community ecotourism in Membrillal, Manabi, and has become the country’s most significant bike excursion. It was presented during the 2017 World Bicycle Forum in Mexico.