OVERVIEW

Natural Wealth works with the Government of Colombia (GOC) to preserve biodiversity in the tropical dry forests on the Caribbean and in the grasslands and freshwater ecosystems in Orinoquia.  This activity is being executed in the departments of Bolívar, Casanare, Cesar, La Guajira, Sucre and Vichada and it runs from March 2017 – March 2022.

Colombia is the second most biodiverse country on Earth and is home to approximately 10 percent of the world's species.  Unfortunately, tropical dry forests are one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world, and only eight percent of the total original area of these forests in Colombia remains.  Likewise, grasslands and freshwater ecosystems in Orinoquia cover 30 percent of Colombia’s territory. 

Tropical dry forests, grasslands and freshwater ecosystems are being looked to as the next agricultural frontier for Colombia. Priority in these regions is being given to ecotourism and to agroindustry development, including soy, rice and palm oil crops.  These ecosystems require improved protection to preserve biodiversity, and to guarantee the continuation of ecosystem services like water filtration and recreation activities.

COMPONENTS

Effective Protection of Priority Ecosystems and Species  

To increase the land area under legal protection, Natural Wealth will employ a two-pronged approach.  The program will: 1) work to strengthen the management of existing, and new national and regional protected areas; and 2) enhance protection through sound, accountable land management by indigenous groups, communities, and the Civil Society Nature Reserves.

Develop Financial Incentives for Conservation   

Natural Wealth will support Colombia’s green growth strategy, which includes best management practices in the agricultural sector and development of sustainable economic opportunities to complement efforts to enhance biodiversity conservation.  The program will address the most prevalent barriers to private sector and producer involvement, prioritizing the activities with the largest return on investment in terms of the protection of biologically significant hectares.

Land-Use Planning and Management to Reduce Threats to Biodiversity

Natural Wealth will focus efforts at the municipal and regional levels to more effectively strengthen and operationalize national-level land use, and sustainable development and conservation policies on the ground.  The program will strengthen the environmental governance capacity of local and regional authorities, and improve access to better information on threats to biodiversity, conservation, and habitat loss in order to establish conservation priorities and evaluate development options and tradeoffs.

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Improved natural resource management of 622,000 hectares (Ha);
• Guaranteed that 441,000 Ha were placed under legal protection;
• Provided sustainable natural resources management and/or biodiversity conservation training to 7,800 people;
• Mobilized USD $2.5 million for biodiversity conservation from public and private sources;
• Increased economic benefits for 2,400 people through activities contributing to biodiversity conservation; and
• Helped 78 laws, policies, strategies, plans, or regulations related to biodiversity be presented, adopted or implemented.