OVERVIEW

SilvaCarbon strengthens Colombian actors’ capacities, like the Ministry of Environment and Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), to monitor land use changes.  It does this through training, research, study tours and technical assistance to create forested land and forest carbon capture inventories. SilvaCarbon also encourages coordination and information exchange between countries to share best practices and improve international forest monitoring efforts.  Access to international forest expertise and forest inventory creation helps Colombian actors reduce biodiversity loss, decrease deforestation rates and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  SilvaCarbon’s Colombian work runs from 2011-2021.

COMPONENTS

CREATING FOREST INVENTORIES

SilvaCarbon provides Colombian stakeholders with access to US Forest Service and international expertise needed to design and implement a national forest inventory.  This forest inventory enables Colombian stakeholders to more accurately estimate Colombia’s carbon stock and forest resources. 

USING REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGIES

SilvaCarbon encourages the Government of Colombia (GOC) to adopt remote sensing technologies to track forest and landscape changes over time.  Remote sensing technologies provide the GOC, local governments, communities and other stakeholders with more information than field visits alone and are more cost-effective for monitoring remote forested areas.  SilvaCarbon also provides Colombian stakeholders with access to global forest observation data through participation in the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI).

MONITORING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

SilvaCarbon’s GHG accounting experts assist with the development of Colombian GHG inventories that comply with international standards.

RESULTS

• Designed a Colombian national forest inventory;
• Developed a GHG inventory for agriculture and land use sectors;
• Implemented a national forest mapping methodology;
• Employed spatial data analysis and storage to monitor Colombian forests;
• Organized Colombia’s Second Annual National Seminar on Forest Cover Monitoring; 
• Trained Colombian actors to perform GHG accounting needed for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change reports;
• Supported Colombia’s Forest Reference Emissions Level technical review process; and
• Implemented a computer tool to project deforestation and fire risk for the Amazon region.