Established in 1979, Machalilla National Park near Puerto Lopéz rests along the Pacific coast.

It incorporates beaches, fog forest, dry forest, small islands and two larger islands, Salango and Isla de la Plata, the latter named for a legendary hoard of silver left by Sir Francis Drake.

[3] Machalilla National Park has been threatened by a number of factors, including deforestation, commercial fishing, poaching and the ecological impact of the tourist industry.

In 1991, The Nature Conservancy, the United States Agency for International Development and a group of partner organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean began contributing funds for conservation as part of the Parks in Peril (PiP) program.

Machalilla's partner organization, Fundación Natura, has also worked with local communities to provide training on environmentally agricultural and fishing practices.