In the northern region, research is specifically developed in the provinces that are in that section, among these the most known: Sucumbios, Napo, Orellana and Pastaza, where there are investigations of the oil, environmental and mining industry, and there have also been explorations of hydroelectric plants.
This type of work is subject to the law because it is necessary to carry out an environmental study to verify if there is an opportunity for archaeological salvage in certain areas.
You may ask yourself, why are these explorations necessary in these places, because the answer is simple, everything is done in order to discover new findings and not to destroy the heritage vestiges. The effects of this would be the creation of a contract archaeology.
Despite extensive exploration, the principal Amazonian cultures remain unknown.
Another noteworthy fact is that large local and foreign institutions perform academic archaeological research in the central-southern Amazon. For example, one of the local universities is the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. These academic entities are in charge of funding specific projects that are in progress and also contribute with general research.