Some 20 years ago, Mindo was "a town like any other", claims Milton Narvaiz, a leading conservationist in the area. Surrounded by such mind-blowing natural beauty, it is difficult to grasp his meaning. But until the late 1980s, Mindo was indeed a town in which people cut down trees to sell for survival and went about their daily lives oblivious to the unique tourism opportunities they were missing and to the vast amount of conservation work that needed to be done.

However, between 1985 and 1988 a select group of conservationists, including Milton, decided to kick-start a process that would give Mindo the level of protection it deserved. After trawling the green landscape and its endless cloud forest alongside an official from the then-Ministry of Agriculture to find the unoccupied spaces, Milton and his companions began what would come to be a lifelong mission. At first the work was private and drew hostility from the locals, who failed to understand why they should stop cutting down the trees to make their living as they had always done. But as time went on, they became accustomed to the new laws and began to show interest in the alternative ways of building – with materials such as bamboo - and of growing food in a sustainable way. Another obstacle was the Ministry itself, which although willing to help in any way it could, was not in tune with the importance of conservation. As Milton states, he decided at this point "I would prefer something more open". Soon after, the first Information Centre was opened and Mindo´s now-thriving tourism economy was born. Given a new way to earn a living, many of the residents – although still not all – began to partake actively in the rebirth of Mindo as a magnet of sustainable tourism activity. From butterfly farms to guided bird-watching tours and adventure sport organisations, everyone has a hand in the prosperous industry of attracting tourists to the town.

Mostly comprised of Quiteños escaping the big city for a weekend breath of fresh air, the target base also encompasses Ecuadorians from further afield and curious travelers, some of whom stay in one of the town´s 70-plus hotels or hostels for a day or two and others who stay for months on end and participate in a volunteer project. The tourists and volunteers of today visit with a refreshing perspective on the area, Milton explains, as they were not party to the disputes and misunderstandings of old. "The new generation forgets the fights. The tourists think of the ecotourism and they have another point of view – or they know about birds and that is another level of conscience. They bring another level of behaviour."

Local people as well as tourists are encouraged to be aware of their environment , while the town´s officials and conservationists meet regularly to discuss potential further developments and changes. While most people hope to use tourism to bring positive change and to aid Mindo´s status as a haven of natural beauty, there are some who are in it for the money and unaware of the negative impact they can bring. Milton summarises the town´s meetings as an outlet through which Mindo can "profit from things, avoid bad things and improve good initiatives". Alongside Friends of Nature, Milton´s organisation BioMindo seeks ways to work with wood in a more ecofriendly fashion and to learn more about conservation. It runs a variety of projects allowing volunteers to keep track of the many species of butterflies and currently, to create a new walkway through the astounding cloud forest. The group does not claim to be flawless in its work, but values the concept of trying to be the best it can in terms of helping Mindo´s environment. In striving to protect the habitats of a staggering 450 endemic bird species and over 250 butterfly species, Mindo´s conservationists are determined to continue gaining knowledge and sharing it with those around them. “If we say we are friends of nature, we can evolve with the concept and be a friend of nature”, concludes Milton. "People are looking at how to change things and that is a good thing – it is all part of the process."