Wetlands are transitional lands between terrestrial and aquatic systems that provide various ecosystem services. The objective of this study was to evaluate the change in wetlands in the Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve (CR) in the period 1986–2022 using geographic information systems (GISs), multitemporal satellite data, and field data from the 16 wetlands of the reserve. Images from Landsat satellite collections (five from Thematic Mapper, seven from Enhanced Thematic Mapper, and eight from Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor) were used. Image analysis and processing was performed, and the resulting maps were evaluated in a GIS environment to determine the land cover change and growth rate of hydrophilic opportunistic vegetation (HOV) according to hillside orientation. The results show that there are negative annual anomalies in the water-covered areas, which coincide with the increase in HOV. This shows that the constancy or increase in the rate of increase in HOV, which varies between 0.0018 and 0.0028, causes the disappearance of these ecosystems. The importance of the study lies in its potential contribution to the decision-making process in the management of the CR.

Soil degradation in high-altitude livestock systems—driven by acidification, compaction, low water retention and nutrient loss—reduces forage productivity and limits the sustainability of grazing-based production. These constraints highlight the need for spatial tools capable of prioritising soil interventions and guiding more efficient land management. The objective of this study was to develop a spatial analysis model to identify and rank soil management priorities in a high-altitude livestock farm. A total of 441 georeferenced observations were collected using portable sensors to measure pH, electrical conductivity, water retention capacity and soil compaction. The data were processed through GIS interpolation, cartographic overlay and reclassification techniques to assign intervention levels across the landscape. The results indicated that 70% of the area presented moderately acidic soils, 32% required improvements in water retention, and 67% exhibited moderate compaction. The proposed model is replicable, operationally simple and suitable for site-specific decision-making. Overall, this study provides a technical tool that supports extension programmes, territorial planning and sustainable livestock management.