the wealth of its fauna and flora can be seen in the kimsakocha wetlands in the andes highlands.ut beneath the ground there is gold and copper that are set to be exploited on a grand scale. the ecuadorian government awarded concessions to foreign companies to exploit this region, despite local opposition by peasants and indigenous communities whose agriculture depends on the local water resources. the 2,000 families that live on the kimsakocha asked the government to withdraw the mining concessions in 2007. t t when ecuadadorian presidenet rafael correa refused, this set off an uprising against the mining companies and the government. >> [spepeaking spanish] >> farmers' opposition to mining also landed federico guzman, a peasant leader, in jail. >> [speaking spanish] >> ecuador has attracted several foreign mining corporations interested in extracting gold, silver, copper, and other metals, mostly from the southern parts of the country. the projected mines are all large scale and stand to significantlyly alter the local ecosystems. toronto-based iamgold got the license to drill o