Will the bus fare be the same?

February - May 2008 No. 7 Will the bus fare be the same? 2 Content Editorial Vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in the Northern Andes WWF Colombia / Maria Ximena GALEANO News The Pasto-Mocoa road is 142 km. long and connects three main roads of the country: the Panamericana, the Troncal del Magdalena and the Marginal de la selva The linking of Puerto Asis, Mocoa, Pasto and Tumaco, between the Pacific and the Colombian Andean-Amazon Piedmont, forms a major link at the beginning of the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA), a mega-project for road, power and telecommunication links between the twelve South American nations. When the road s finished, we ll get to Pasto in four hours, said a couple travelling with their seven year old son in a small 4 x 4 truck that takes passengers every day between WWF Colombia campaign to reduce ecological footprint Celebrating World Wetlands Day in Colombia Alternatives for ecosystems and poverty relief WWF Colombia becomes member of IUCN Lower, Mid and Upper Putumayo. On the journey from Puerto Asis to Mocoa, the landscape is a mixture of public advertising from National Army, fragments of forest, wide fields of corn, bean, pota- go to 4 go to 16 8 10 12 14 19 Collective strengthening conservation and poverty alleviation A diploma course that responds to environmental challenges faced by Colombia and Ecuador. Colombia: the best destination for migratory species A national plan for the conservation and protection of migratory species will strengthen their conservation. People of the Orinoco, Local Initiatives with a Future Pijiwi initiative aims to ensure the ecosystems and species conservation from the Colombian Orinoco Basin. A social web with a feeling for conservation RESNATUR supports conservation efforts pushed by the Colombian civil society. The publications

Contact Luis German Naranjo Ecorregional Conservation Director lgnaranjo@wwf.org.co editorial Vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in the Northern Andes News of natural disasters caused by extreme climate events, has accustomed us to the idea that the Earth s climate is changing faster than ever before in the planet s history. Floods, avalanches, wild fires, extreme drought, loss of crops, cattle and human lives on all continents, are all disastrous events that are striking everywhere on Earth with increasing frequency. Climate change can also modify distribution of species and is therefore a threat to global biodiversity through species displacement and local and regional extinctions. Although these phenomena are certainly linked to a problem of global stature, the heterogeneous nature of the Earth, and that of climate patterns, does not impact everywhere in the same way. The type and intensity of extreme climate will be dependent on ecosystems original characteristics, and the patterns of use of natural resources. The emerging behavioural tendencies of regional climate will be different for each region. In the case of the Northern Andes, it is estimated that an increase in the WWF Colombia / Luis German NARANJO Changes in temperature are evident on the lost of the glacier cover in the snowpeaks along the Northern Andes. annual air temperature of between 1o C and 2o C, and changes in annual average rainfall of approximately 15%, would cause re-adjustment of the mountain ecosystems and the disappearance of most of the snowpeaks, glaciers and paramos. The consequences of these alterations would be very diverse, but they would undoubtedly affect millions of people who depend directly and indirectly on the services provided by these mountain ecosystems. The Andean nations are therefore among the most vulnerable to catastrophes unleashed by climate events. By way of example, we need only mention that glacial retreat has enormous social and economic impact, as approximately 60% of the Andean nations electricity is generated by water from glacial watersheds. The Andean countries, however, create less than 2.5% of total global emissions. In countries like Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, these are particularly due to deforestation, and in Venext page 2

continued from the previous page nezuela and Colombia due to energy production. For this reason, although efforts to diminish carbon emissions from the Andean nations must be increased, the greatest regional concern is in decreasing the vulnerability of ecosystems and human settlements to risks which are by-products of climate change. Thus, it s urgent to enhance people s and governmental institutions ability to have response capability, but this response is limited in the Andean nations by high levels of both poverty and extreme poverty, reaching 50% and 15-30%, respectively. For these reasons, the most fundamental needs are to create abilities to evaluate the effects of climate change within a context of regional concerns and priorities, along with the coordination of joint viewpoints when facing international negotiation forums on climate change and reinforcing participation by national WWF UK / Andy KENTHWORTY Climate change is probably the greatest problem our planet faces today. In the United States alone, carbon dioxide emissions are almost 20 tons per person per year delegates. Time is short, and the work of different institutional actors needs to be properly integrated into the design of the Andean Strategy for Climate Change and its corresponding Action Plan. In this sense, public awareness-raising in relation to vulnerability and adaptation to climate change, and the development of regional and local strategies to Forest fires are becoming more frequent manifestations of changes in the climate. prevent and mitigate adverse climate impact, is essential. In spite of the uncertainty of climate behaviour, we are all partly responsible for changes to our ecosystems. We must all be prepared to face these effects in a changing world, and be aware that we all have a fundamental duty to seek solutions. EARTH HOUR 2008 See the world through a new light On March 29th at 8pm turn off the lights and see the difference you can make in the fight against global warming. Join to a WWF's global campaign www.earthhour.org www.wwf.org.co 3

continued from 1 toes and onions, and electricity cables and pylons. The trip takes two hours. The road has been widened, scraped level and is ready for surfacing. The driver said that the engineers were two months behind with their work. But the change is evident. By late afternoon, white with dust, most of the travellers have reached their final destination. But the couple and their son have to sleep in Mocoa, because El Encano crossing, on the way to Pasto (capital of Nariño), is closed at night. WWF Colombia / Maria Ximena GALEANO General Reyes Route For as long as they can remember, the inhabitants of Lower, Mid and Upper Putumayo, have waited for a safe road to link them together, one without the risk of precipices, narrow roads, and frequent landslides. In 1875, when General Rafael Reyes owned a quinine and rubber business, he explored the river Mocoa as far as Brazil, taking the first steps towards a strategic route to exchange products between neighbor nations. When Reyes became President of Colombia (1905-1909), the Mocoa -Pitalito highway became part of the National Highway Plan and in 1930, construction of the Mocoa-Pasto road began. In spite of its narrow lanes, steep slopes and sweeping bends, this highway is the main land connection between the departments of Nariño and Putumayo and one of the main routes between the Andes and the Colombian Amazon. This makes it a strategic link for the nation and a road of international importance. A Link for Twelve Nations For this reason, the Pasto-Mocoa high-way has been chosen as one of the strategic projects for the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA), The IIRSA is based around ten integration and development axes in South America. Each of these axes integrates the natural world, human settlements, productive areas, and present and future flows of commerce The Amazon Axis for the IIRSA covers an estimate area of 4,499,152 km 2. which aims to physically integrate the twelve South American nations, by developing large-scale projects for transport infrastructure, power and telecommunications, with a shared regional vision. In the Colombian Andean-Amazon Piedmont, this initiative manifests as the construction and adaptation of six sections of road to begin the Tumaco - Puerto Asis - Belem do Para (Brazil) Multimodal Corridor. This corridor forms part of the Amazon Axis of the IIRSA, designed to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans along the same latitude as the Amazon, by means of a system of overland routes and waterways. This will connect the Brazilian ports of Manaos, Belem do Para and Macapa on the Atlantic Ocean, with the ports of Tumaco, Esmeraldas and Paita on the Colombian, Ecuadorian and Peruvian Pacific. The first section runs from Tumaco to Pasto, where it turns toward next page 4

continued from the previous page El Encano, in the vicinity of lake La Cocha, which is a Ramsar site. The road continues toward Santiago (in the Sibundoy Valley), then to San Francisco (Mid Putumayo) and on to Mocoa. From there it descends the Colombian Massif toward the Amazon plain, to end in Puerto Asis, a total distance of 500 km. From Puerto Asis the route continues towards the Atlantic by boat along the river Putumayo to its confluence with the Amazon. All sections of the Tumaco-Puerto Asis highway will be widened and adapted to allow greater volumes of passenger and goods traffic, except on the San Francisco-Mocoa section, where a bypass will be built of shorter length and higher technical specification, said Juan Carlos Espinosa, Sector Policy Officer for WWF Colombia. However, the viability of the river section to the Atlantic will depend on there being a sufficient volume of cargo along the twin-ocean corridor, which will not happen in the foreseeable future. The Pasto - Mocoa - Puerto Asis highway crosses the Andean-Amazon Pasto-Mocoa road extends over 142 km. Piedmont from East to West. This is one of the priority areas for WWF within the Northern Andes Ecoregional Complex (NAEC). It also forms part of the Cordillera Real Oriental (CRO), which flank the west of the Colombian, Ecuadorian and North Peruvian Amazon basin. The mountain forests of CRO between 300-3,500 m. altitude, are considered to be the ecosystems with the greatest wealth of species per unit/area in the NAEC, stressed Luis Germán Naranjo, Ecoregional Conservation Director for WWF Colombia. Actions and Concerns For the Colombian department of Putumayo, improvement to the Pasto-Mocoa highway, and especially construction of the bypass between San Francisco and Mocoa, seems like a golden opportunity and a dream come true. Nevertheless, Elizabeth Tabares Villarreal, director of the Ecotono Foundation, emphasized, It s important that all communities indigenous, rural and also city dwellers from Mocoa and Pasto realise the true dimensions of the proposal, from a local, as well as a global perspective. Consequently, WWF Colombia, along with associate organizations such as Ecotono, the Association for Rural Development (ADC), the Civic Action Conversatorio from the river Güiza, environmental authorities from Nariño and Putumayo, and four indigenous resguardos, are putting together a joint conservation vision for this region to promote sustainable policies and practices that allow conservation of their natural and cultural values. This current reality will wait for no-one, said Naranjo. So in order to confront any potential threats within the region s development plan, we need a regional viewpoint that integrates conservation, poverty alleviation and appropriate management of natural resources. WWF Colombia / Maria Ximena GALEANO The Threat to Camino Real Before the conquest, the Piedmont was the exclusive territory of Andean and Amazonian natural diversity, which lived alongside the Kamëtzá, Inga and Cofan indigenous populations, who still remain in the area, keeping alive their traditional customs next page The Amazon basin represents between 15% and 20% of the freshwater reserves in the Planet 5

continued from the previous page and practices. Exchange of goods and communication between towns, meant walking along a 47 km. track that joined the current vicinity of San Antonio (in the municipality of Mocoa, Mid Putumayo) with the municipality of San Francisco, in the Valley of Sibundoy (Upper Putumayo). With the arrival of the conquerors, this route was named the Camino Real, or official road, for merchandise and travellers. Today, this road seems only a distant memory for travellers, but not for the engineers who began the asphalt connection between Mocoa and Pasto. Close by, a bypass between San Francisco and Mocoa will be opened, which will link Mid and Upper Putumayo. This will run across a forest zone that, besides harboring iconic and endangered species like the Andean bear and the Mountain tapir, represents for the indigenous communities the sacred path taken by the spirits who guard the life of the region. The Camino Real forms part of the Forest Protection Reserve for the upper watershed of the Mocoa river (32,173 ha. that reach from 1,043 m. to 2,555 m.). This is a strategic ecosystem for the conservation of a water network made up of rivers like the Caqueta and Mocoa, tributaries of the Amazon, that provide goods and environmental services for the almost 40,000 inhabitants of Mocoa and its outskirts. This part of the mega-project, near the Forest Protection Reserve, 6 Source: ARR. will create a significant decrease in the strategic ecosystems that offer environmental benefits within the region, said Mauricio Valencia, consultant to the director of the environmental authority Corpoamazonia. To face this imminent threat, Corpoamazonia is studying a compensatory enlargement of the Reserve by 30%, besides redesignation under the conservation category, Integrated Management District (DMI). The potential consequences of constructing this bypass are the unbalancing of natural cycles, loss of species, forest fragmentation, shortage of goods and services like water, wood and food; change in soil use, and change in traditional social models. All these are of grave concern to the indigenous resguardos, local organizations and the environmental authorities of the Colombian Piedmont. The arrival of new settlers worries us, because it causes land shortage, said Concepción Juajibioy, leader of the Inga community from the municipality of Colón. Each arrival means more young indigenous families are without land, which means bringing up their children without a farm to feed them, which means losing a tradition of basic food security, among other things. Other environmental fears are related to exploitative practices, especially related to the mining industry, timber extraction and genetic knowledge. A Chance to Participate Given the social and environmental importance of the area influenced by the Pasto - Mocoa - Puerto Asis corridor, the Colombian government has received technical cooperation funds from the Inter-American Development Bank the company financing construction for social and environmental studies, complementary to the bypass s Environmental Impact Study (EIA). A Social and Environmental Management Plan for the Forest Reserve and a Regional Environmental Evaluation of the Pasto - Mocoa - Puerto Asis corridor are also in progress. The study will focus on identifying possible cumulative and indirect impacts that are the result of bypass construction. It will also study the entire corridor operation, next page

continued from the previous page as well as any possible synergetic impacts from other infrastructure developments in the area, such as new concessions for mining and petroleum exploitation, and electricity grid layouts. This is the first time a study of this nature has been carried out on a road project in Colombia. These studies have created a golden opportunity for WWF and its associate organizations to include environmental considerations into the early phases of infrastructure project planning, as well furthering the effective participation of local actors in the process, said Naranjo. In this way a fair distribution of benefits is promoted, traditional ways of life are valued, and a strategic ecosystem for WWF and its partners are working for the joint construction of a vision for preserving the Andean-Amazon Piedmont. Colombia and South America would be preserved. Many incomers to the area will arrive with the roadworks; and when the Pasto-Mocoa corridor is ready, passenger and goods traffic will increase, with a consequent increased demand for goods and services within the area, said Espinosa. This demand will translate into deforestation, plants and wild animals taken illegally, land speculation, and even violence and population displacement for the establishment of these highly profitable mega-projects. To avoid and mitigate such threats, the priority is to work together as a team in a regional focus, with all the actors involved. To achieve this, WWF Colombia and its associates in the area are working with an advanced capacity-building process, including among other things the creation of Public Supervising Committees to guarantee the transparency and technical quality of the process. This is done with the support of the European Union, the MacArthur Foundation and WWF United Kingdom. Three local working parties have been established along the various sections of the Tumaco-Puerto Asis WWF Colombia / Carlos Andres MORALES corridor. These are coordinated by various organizations from civil society, to dispense information related to the mega-project and how it relates to the IIRSA. The working parties will also participate in, and influence, the social and environmental studies taking place, and communicate their progress with key actors. During 2008, these committees and other organizations linked to the process, will continue to monitor work in the Andean-Amazon Piedmont. They will also consolidate public participation in the final phases of the studies, and promote the adoption by regional and municipal planning and regulatory processes, of any management measures proposed. This extends to regional initiatives such as the Regional Biodiversity Plan and the Regional Environmental Management Plan, among others. Our aim is that these mega-projects are carried out in a collective manner that contributes to both regional development, and also to the welfare and life quality of local people, said Espinosa. They need to be part of local dynamics in a way that is harmonious with the land, its environmental benefits and its social and cultural traditions. At sunrise, the El Encano crossing is opened, and the buses, trucks and mini-buses slowly move on towards Nariño s capital city. Confused sounds of machinery, glimpses of mountains of displaced earth and clay, and voices of people selling hot drinks, emerge from the cool mist. In the bus, the couple and their son see their final destination close by, and the crossing s noises are interrupted by the little boy asking, Dad when the highway s ready, how much will the bus fare be? Contact Juan Carlos Espinosa Sector Policy Officer jcespinosa@wwf.org.co 7

Collective strengthening conservation and poverty alleviation The diploma Social change for sustainable development will be implemented in 10 thematic modules that include environmental legislation, citizen participation and communication, among others. Colombia and Ecuador are both countries where contrast and cultural, geographical and biological diversity are a common factor. The indigenous, rural and afro-descendant communities from the wide Colombo-Ecuadorian patchwork quilt of paramos, cloud forest, wetlands, rain forests, seas and coasts, daily face the consequences of the speed at which these countries devour resources as they try to keep pace with globalization. The first step for these communities to maintain the weaving of their social network, is to strengthen themselves in order to participate, act and make a direct impact in regulating the use and management of their natural wealth. Nevertheless, this is only possible to the degree to which WWF Colombia / Tatiana RODRIGUEZ there are spaces open for meeting and debate, in which the conditions for higher levels of collective welfare and the maintenance of natural rhythms within their territories, can be created. Repesentatives from this multiculture met in Cali at the end of 2007, within the Capacity Building Program Social change for sustainable development. This initiative from Pontificia Javeriana University, Cali (PUJ), the Multi Ethnic Group and WWF Colombia offers a diploma course to community leaders and representatives from social organizations. The course components are in civil policy, conservation biology, negotiation and environmental conflicts, planning and management for sustainable development, environmental legislation and communications, among other subjects that might be relevant to each participating organization s specific projects. The aim of this course is organizational capacity-building to create a culture of democracy, self-management and self-development, said Manuel Ramiro Muñoz, director of PUJ s Humanities Department. It also intends to have an impact on decision-making, related to conservation and responsible management of public goods and services, while at the same time generating conditions that guarantee greater levels of collective welfare. Consequently, 26 mestizos, indigenous and black people met to get information and share experiences and lessons from their own territories. They came from the Bay of Malaga, Uraba, Northern and Pacific Ecuador, the Andean-Amazon Piedmont, the Coffee Growing Region and Northeast Colombia. Some had never finished their basic education, others had professional and technical qualifications. Nevertheless, the only requirements to be part of this next page The academic content of the Diploma Course addresses the challenges of sustainable environmental management that confront social organizations within Colombia and Ecuador 8

continued from the previous page diploma course, were support from the organization they represented (grass-roots, civil society or NGOs), previous experience in capacity-building activities and a commitment and links to regional and local processes. During the Program s two week first phase, participants studied five of the diploma s ten modules. With support from the Program s facilitators, they simultaneously implemented their new knowledge in projects proposed by their organizations. Rudecinda Marquez, from the Colombian Darien, inherited from her parents a beautiful humid landscape surrounded by forest and sea. Today it is part of the Colombian Network of Private Reserves. She came to the Program from the small town of Gilgal, in Unguia (Choco-Darien), The 'Social change for sustainable development' depends on technical endorsement from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Oxfam GB (Great Britain), and is financed by WWF United Kingdom with the aim of starting a project that would recommence rice cultivation in her small town, by revaluing current knowledge and traditional seeds, as well as strengthening people s identities. In Gilgal, since they introduced improved varieties of seeds and made greater use of agrochemicals, the original diversity in rice cultivation, one of the most important in the area, has been lost, said Marquez. And so it s necessary to find alternatives for sustainable agricultural production that allow diversification in order to improve our food security. But we can only achieve this to the degree that we empower ourselves and decide on the future of our own territory. The Social Change for Sustainable Development Diploma Course saw the creation of 23 other projects similar to Rudencinda s, related to nature conservation and improved living conditions. These were classified as initiatives of Governance, Natural Resource Management, and Reinforcement of Organizational and Cultural Identities. For Santiago Valencia, a young Afro-descendant from La Plata Community Council (Bay of Malaga, Colombian Pacific), the work has barely begun. He arrived with a dream of finding a solution to the unsustainable forestry exploitation practices happening in his region. These practices have resulted in negative environmental consequences like loss of native species, the arrival of new infestations, and natural disasters through soil erosion, among others. There are also social and cultural consequences, such as the loss of ancestral production practices, and the displacement of local people in search of economic alternatives. Today, Valencia is putting into practice the actions and strategies presented during the first phase of the Diploma course and, at the same time, he counts on the support of expert tutors for his project. I know we re heading down a good road. Now in the Bay of Malaga we need to carry out fieldwork in exploited forest areas. We also need to have agreements signed between the Community Council and the Timber Committee to control the use of machinery, and train local people WWF Colombia / Julio Mario FERNANDEZ The Diploma included several exercises. through workshops on sustainable forestry. There are many problems, but we can find solutions. Rudecinda, Santiago and their fellow-students from the Diploma course, are waiting for the second part of the course which will be held from April 13 26, 2008, to work on the next five modules. After an implementation and monitoring period that will take place in May, participants will prepare for the third and final period. They return to Cali at the end of June to present the results of their projects, evaluate the training process and receive their diplomas from Cali s Pontificia Javeriana University. Contact Ana Maria Roldan Governance & Livelihoods Programme Assistant amroldan@wwf.org.co 9

Colombia: the best destination for migratory species Some migratory birds fly annually from the Arctic to South America. Colombia is one of the Neotropical countries that concentrates an extensive range of biodiversity within a single territory. In Colombia, migratory species from the entire American continent and Caribbean, constitute a key component of the natural wealth of forests, cloud forests, plains, Andean paramos and coastal marine ecosystems, among others. These visitors include numerous beach birds from the Nearctic region, besides whales and dolphins, and six species of sea turtles, that settle in various areas to rest, feed and breed. For this reason, Colombia has subscribed to various international agreements and covenants for over twenty years, altering internal legislation to protect and conserve the biodiversity of its ecosystems, including migratory species. This is the case with CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), ratified in Colombia by Law 17, 1981; the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Law 165, 1993, and the Western Hemisphere Conference, in which the country has participated since 2004. Internally, Colombia is regulated by Law 99, 1993 and decree 216, February 2003. This is legislation by which the Ministry of Environment (MAVDT) is delegated to formulate and implement plans, programs, projects and regulations with respect to the conservation, management, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystem biodiversity. They must also adopt all required technical criteria and take those measures necessary to protect endangered species of wild plants and animals. Nevertheless, despite having developed species conservation programs that originated from various environmental authorities and other organizations, there was no integrated plan for such an objective. There was thus a need for conservation guidelines and actions for the different species in Colombia. Consequently in December 2007, a meeting was held in Cali by representatives of MAVDT, Regional Environmental Authorities (CARs), research institutes, universities and NGOs with the aim of sharing a participatory process to outline a National Plan for the Asociacion Calidris / Carlos Jose RUIZ next page Some Colombian ecosystems are fundamental to migratory species: 180 bird species, 30 sea fish, the humpback whale and six species of sea turtles, pink and grey river dolphins and five freshwater fish species, among others 10

continued from the previous page Humpback whales migrate along a route of between 8,000 and 17,000 km. each year. Conservation and Protection of Migratory Species within Colombian s Biodiversity. Following this meeting, MAVDT entered into a cooperative agreement with WWF Colombia to draw up WWF-Canon / Cat HOLLOWAY ecosystems and humanity. the Plan. This took into account WWF s experience and work with specialist organizations in various groups; its presence in various countries, its alliances with a number of actors and its work with various migratory species groups. To date, a work plan has been created and progress on the national diagnostic of migratory species for each taxonomic group has been shared. It is hoped that by 2019 the implementation of the National Plan for Migratory Species will reinforce conservation of these species, their habitats and routes, through inter-institutional cooperation at national and international levels and with participation from civil society. It cannot be forgotten that the effectiveness of conservation strategies requires joint efforts by the governments of neighbour countries, environmental and research institutes and NGOs, especially if it concerns migratory species that move periodically between different national borders, said Ximena Barrera, Environmental Policy Director for WWF Colombia. We need to carry out coordinated work with neighboring nations, for the protection, research, appraisal, use and management of these species, who constitute a resource of immense spiritual, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, economic, and ecological value for One of the key aspects in drawing up the National Plan for Migratory Species, is the participation of organisations within the National Environmental System, universities and NGOs WWF Colombia / Julio Mario FERNANDEZ Loss of habitat, competition with invading species, pollution and unsustainable practices, are some of the threats these species face. Contact Luis German Naranjo Ecorregional Conservation Director lgnaranjo@wwf.org.co 11

People of the Orinoco local initiatives with a future Omacha Foundation After being caught, fish are returned to the water. The immense plain of the Orinoco has many unexpected surprises. There, where the ancient Guyana Shield meets the youthful Andean mountains, the altillanura (high plain) was born, an undulating skyline that holds a network of ecosystems influenced by the water cycle. In the middle of this landscape are the 548,000 ha. of the El Tuparro Biosphere Reserve (department of Vichada, Eastern Colombia), characterized by its temporary wetlands made up of waterways, estuaries and morichales, dependent on dry seasons and times of flood. The complexity of this zone represents a range of environmental services that cross political boundaries and extend over a good part of both Colombia and Venezuela. For good reason, the inhabitants base their economy on stockbreeding, rice production, oil and its by-products (from African palm monocultures Elaeis guineensis), as well as the petroleum industry. It is also the main source for Colombian ornamental fish and a key contributor of edible fish. Moreover, due to the beauty of its landscapes, it has the possibility of developing sustainable tourism. Because of this, the Pijiwi Orinoko initiative ( People of the Orinoco in the Sicuani language), has been aiming since 2006 for the consolidation of private reserves which guarantee conservation of ecosystems and species in the region. The initiative also promotes wetlands management and the reinforcement of production activities which are environmentally sustainable, particularly those related to ornamental fisheries and ecotourism in the Colombian Orinoco. Achievements include the enlargement of the Bojonawi Nature Reserve from 1,294 ha. to 4,800 ha., and the creation of the Nimajay Reserve (2,211 ha.). Both reserves contain habitats threatened by fire, and soil compaction and erosion due to cattle grazing. Another achievement has been helping local people understand about those private conservation strategies which allow best practice to be consolidated with sustainable production initiatives. next page 12

continued from the previous page The Omacha Foundation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute (IAvH) and WWF Colombia have also created a wetland map of El Tuparro Reserve, which will help their delimitation and zoning by the National Natural Parks (PNN) and the Puerto Rastrajo Foundation. This project s achievements are the fruit of the Debt Swap signed by the US and Colombian governments in 2004, said Saulo Usma, Freshwater Program coordinator for WWF Colombia. Through this exchange supported by WWF, The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International a solid financial basis has initiated conservation projects which have allowed expansion of protected areas. This was a conservation achievement for strategic habitats in Colombia. To complement its conservation actions, the Pijiwi project is currently working on the restoration of morichales and gallery forests, through seedling germination of native species in appropriate soils. To date they have germinated more than 11,000 seedlings of native species. In addition, the project is designing management plans directed towards endangered species such as the Giant South American River Turtle (Podocnemis expansa), Jaguar (Panthera onca), Pink Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) and West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus), Tree nursery for reforestation with native species. Omacha Foundation Omacha Foundation in the El Tuparro Biosphere Reserve. Work is also in progress on sustainable production alternatives. A case in point is the Analysis of the Value Chain for Ornamental Fish from Puerto Carreño, carried out with the participation of fishermen, traders, support companies and ornamental fish exporters. This document formed the basis for a competitiveness strategy for this activity within the municipality and a route map for all the actors in the chain. There is a similar intent to open new national markets for ornamental fish, through an educational strategy aimed at children aged between five and twelve years understanding the wealth of ornamental fish in the Orinoco and seeing them as a potential pet. Ecotourism is also being promoted as a new economic opportunity and an awareness-raising activity through the involvement and guidance of local groups. This is being supported by the Government of Vichada, Liberation of more than 30,000 young turtles in the Orinoco River. The Pijiwi Orinoko project is supported by local organizations, the National Environmental System, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and WWF Colombia. It is also the result of a short-term union between the Omacha Foundation and the Horizonte Verde Foundation, within the framework of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act, for the Fund for Environmental Action and Children (Spanish acronym FPAA). the Departmental Assembly and local tourism groups. A committee has been formed to evaluate Puerto Carreño s tourist facilities as well as proposing a code of conduct for sports fishing. Consolidating goals for both ecosystems and protected species, and also production activities that are environmentally sustainable, is a challenge. We are aware that as well as producing concrete results, we have learned a valuable series of lessons that will be useful for similar initiatives, said Fernando Trujillo, Scientific Director of the Omacha Foundation. In all this, the aim is to guarantee the management and conservation of this important and fragile region of the country known as El Tuparro Biosphere Reserve. Contact Jose Saulo Usma Freshwater Program Coordinator jsusma@wwf.org.co 13

A social web with a feeling for conservation The peasants, farms-owners, NGOs and conservation projects who give life to the Colombian Civil Society Network of Private Nature Reserves (RESNATUR), share a common interest in nature conservation and friendly life-styles, linking up in a national project that has 282 associates. These associates are found in 24 departments of Colombia, of which 233 are nature reserves, 12 are NGOs, 32 local Inheritors of the Planet groups, and five honorary associates. All together they contribute approximately 56,000 ha. of the nation s land to conservation. The idea for RESNATUR emerged in August 1991, following a meeting between a group of friends from different regions of Colombia who wanted to organize themselves into a network, with the aim of voluntarily helping to conserve the biological diversity of Colombia. In November of the same year, a meeting was held in the Anaime paramo (department of Tolima, Colombian Central Andes), in which thirteen reserves and fifty-five people participated. A coordinating committee was formed and the process to obtain legal status begun. In April 1992 a Constitutional Assembly was held in the municipality of Chachagüi (department of Nariño, Southern Colombia), and the Colombian Civil Society Network of Private Nature Reserves was formally inugurated, with fifty people from 37 reserves throughout the country. In 1993, RESNATUR began its first activities and received its first cofinancing from WWF Colombia and the FES Social Foundation. RESNATUR s aim is to contribute to the knowledge-base, consolidation and positioning of conservation initiatives from civil society, through sustainable use and management of RESNATUR s core principles are: Respect for life in all forms, respect for difference; pluralism and tolerance; solidarity and reciprocity; equality of age and gender; autonomy and democracy WWF Colombia / Maria Ximena GALEANO biological diversity, and the creation of a social web with lifestyles and alternative development that demonstrate equality of age, race and gender. Besides its contribution to the conservation of the nation s vital natural ecosystems, it has prompted the creation of food security, through the implementation of sustainable production systems and forest nurseries, the recovery of local plant species, and the protection of migratory RESNATUR supports sustainable production processes which involve the entire family around different activities. next page 14

continued from the previous page and endemic animals. It shows that life in the country can be sustainable thanks to the application of clean technologies and constant knowledge exchange. The Network has contributed to the development and consolidation of an environmental belongingness in the country, by means of a collective and individual understanding of the interconnectedness of life, landscape and community, said Oscar Alzate, Director of RESNATUR. With the cooperation and abilities of its associates and technical team, RESNATUR has affected the devising and implementation of environmental policies, as well as in devising legal and normative legislation directly related to civil society nature reserves. Inheritors of the Planet With the aim of guaranteeing sustainability and giving continuity to the process of conservation being carried out by the Network, a Program called Inheritors of the Planet WWF Colombia / Julio Mario FERNANDEZ At present, the Program has more than 1,300 children and young pleople meeting in 32 local groups throughout Colombia was started. This links the children of the owners of the nature reserves, and also supporters others with close ties, through initiatives for conservation and sustainable development, with the idea that they will assume the leadership of voluntary conservation in Colombia in the future. The Program is made up of local groups of Inheritors, who call themselves ecologists environmentalists. It is mainly children and young people between the ages of six and twenty-six, from both urban and rural backgrounds. Members levels of education vary between any kind of education, up to university study, and they are also very diverse in their socio-economic levels. Local groups of Inheritors are autonomous and differ in nature. They take on a solid commitment to environmental work within their locality and region. They dedicate their time, energy, and knowledge to love, defend and make appropriate use of nature, in association with other nature reserves and/or organizations associated with RESNATUR. The Inheritors of the Planet have shaped birdwatching networks throughout the country. The idea behind this initiative is that an environmental movement becomes imbued with the Network s principles from childhood, and that young people will have a genuine affect on land management. It also aims to guarantee a generational handover within the Network, continuity of voluntary conservation, and that the moment the Inheritors inherit their parents land, the future of the nature reserves is assured. Contact Colombian Civil Society Network of Private Nature Reserves resnatur@resnatur.co www. resnatur.org 15

Contact María Ximena Galeano M. Press Officer mxgaleano@wwf.org.co news WWF Colombia campaign to reduce ecological footprint WWF Colombia is joining the world crusade to reduce the ecological footprint, in an awareness-raising campaign about the environmental impact made by people s lifestyles. The ecological footprint is an indicator developed in 1995 by Mathis Wackernagel and William Ress, researchers from the University of British Columbia (Canada). It shows the quantity of ecologically productive land needed by each individual or country to produce the resources they consume and recycle the waste they generate. Some people, for example urban-dwellers, waste a lot of water, use numerous electrical appliances, consume food brought from other regions or countries, travel by car or airplane, use many plastic containers and produce great quantities of waste. Using all these resources, decreases the area of woodland, paramos, plains and savannahs, deserts, mangrove swamps, reefs, forests, and many other sources of the world s water. In other words, an indelible footprint is left on the planet. The degree of impact depends on consumption levels of the Earth s individual peoples, cities and nations, and the Earth s capacity to absorb generated waste. The measurement of this impact is known as the ecological footprint. The campaign calls the attention of WWF Colombia s website visitors to the size of their own footprint in relation to their eating habits, forms of transport and the Image courtesy by Agenda del Mar resources and energy they use. The campaign seeks to raise everyone s awareness of their lifestyles, and how these benefit or adversely affect conditions on Earth and their everyday environment. Above it all wants to show that alternatives do exist for people to live in a more harmonious way with the planet and their fellow beings. Website visitors will be offered recommendations to reduce their environmental impact, and they can also forward the questionnaire to others. Besides the tool on WWF Colombia s website, more than 15,000 pocket-size calendars have been distributed. The calendar is part of an annual publication called Agenda del Mar. In the next months a series of video clips will be broadcasted on outdoor video screens set up by the company Publik in Bogota (5), Cali (1) and Medellin (3). Measuring our ecological footprint has educational value because it shows that this is not only a matter for wealthy and industrialized nations or large 2008 pocket calendar corporations, said Julio Mario Fernández B, Communications Director for WWF Colombia. The will and commitment of each person to quantify their own lifestyle is crucial in achieving sustainable change. We must do this, in order to avoid following the example of the developed nations who, according to the most optimistic calculations, currently need the equivalent of 5,4 Planet Earth s on which to live. 16

news Celebrating World Wetlands Day in Colombia WWF Colombia / Luis German NARANJO February 2 nd marks World Wetlands Day To commemorate World Wetlands Day on 2 nd February, the Omacha Foundation, with the support of Conservation International (CI) and WWF Colombia, carried out a series of educational and awareness-raising activities in Puerto Nariño (Amazon); the lower River Sinú (Caribbean); Solano Bay (Pacific Coast) and Puerto Carreño (Vichada), on aquatic animals as indicators of the regions wetlands. The events included fieldtrips to the wetlands with students, contests, crafts in wood, stories, children s paintings and murals; paper mache mask workshops, dance presenta- tions and video and photographic exhibitions, amongst other things. Celebrating Wetlands Day around iconic species like otters, dolphins and turtles, allowed to bring into focus a communal envisioning of collective action towards wetlands conservation. Wetlands conservation is a priority for WWF Colombia, and so it joins efforts with organizations like the Omacha Foundation, to increase the impact of protection and management initiatives. It has also participated in the design and implementation of the High Andes Wetlands Conservation Strategy, in which Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia all participate to promote conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, through a process of longterm regional management between the countries involved, to maintain the benefits and services from these ecosystems and reduce existing threats. Jose Saulo Usma, Freshwater Program Coordinator for WWF Colombia, said: With the financial support of WWF Switzerland, we are joining Omacha s celebrations to support a public campaign and environmental education strategy aimed at reducing existing threats to wetlands, in which local communities, fishermen and and indigenous groups participate. 17

The Amazon Initiative Consortium for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (IA), and their associates The Nature Conservancy, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the National University of Colombia, Kings College London and WWF in the Ecosystems Services and Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) Program, have held two regional validatory meetings, to present the project s preliminary results and progress. The first was held in Cusco (Peru) from January 22-24, and the second, at the Amacayacu National Nature Park (Leticia, Colombia), from February 6-9, the present year. In December 2007, WWF Colombia was recognised as an active member of the World Conservation Union (UICN). IUCN is the largest and most important conservation network in the world; comprising 82 States, 111 official agencies and more than 800 NGOs. This amounts to nearly 10,000 experts and scientists from 181 countries with around 1,000 staff in 62 countries. Thanks to this vast network, WWF Colombia can access new spa- news Alternatives for ecosystems and poverty relief The ESPA project involves studies in four regions: Africa, India, China and in South America. WWF UK / Andy KENWORTHY ESPA is an interdisciplinary studies initiative around those ecosystem services which are the most important to the quality of life of poor and vulnerable populations. In August 2007, a situational analysis was begun in the Andean-Amazon region to produce information over a seven month period. This helps poverty reduction, by supporting public policies that confront challenges to sustainable ecosystem management. To reach these objectives, a participatory process was created with more than 360 key actors from government institutions, NGOs, representatives from civil society, academics and from the corporate sector in the Andean- Amazon nations. Discussions during the two meetings centred around the environmental services that contribute most to the quality of life within the regions, their management options and the needs and characteristics of a capacity-building and research strategy. Likewise, key aspects in the creation of public policies within these areas were also discussed. There was considerable debate between participants around definitions of poverty, and the key indicators by which to measure it within the Andean-Amazon region. It was therefore proposed that any analysis of the concept of poverty be based on the different types of actors involved (indigenous communities, settlers and urban dwellers). Consequently, it was suggested that future studies should be revised and developed, that would look at different ways of understanding poverty, keeping in mind both natural and modified ecosystems. The results of this research will provide the basis for a five year program in the sustainable management of ecosystems. This will be implemented by the British government institutions involved in the project, said Ximena Barrera, Environmental Policy Director for WWF Colombia. February and March will see considerable work integrating the results from the workshops and various other components from the project. WWF Colombia becomes member of IUCN ces for dialogue between government and civil society around public policy related to the conservation of natural resources and the implementation of sustainable development. This is seen as a key element in poverty reduction and the improvement of life quality for the Earth s peoples. The IUCN has one of the most extensive scientific knowledge basis on biology and the current state of species conservation, in its Red List of Endangered Species. It also acts as an observer for the United Nations, and is the UNESCO technical advice agency for the declaration of World Biosphere Reserves, said Mary Lou Higgins, Country Representative for WWF Colombia. To be part of this network will allow us to create world action alliances for sustainable development, broadening both our impact and effectiveness. 18

Contact Carmen Ana Dereix Publications and Brand Officer cadereix@wwf.org.co thepublications Accessibility, transfer and community training in geographical information management for local environmental management This digital publication is designed as a consultation tool for organizations and communities working on conservation and sustainable development, using mapping tools and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). It was produced by WWF Colombia jointly with the Southwest Seismological Observatory (OSSO), the Universidad del Valle Teacher Training Institute (IEP) and the OSSO Corporation. Financial support came from the British Department for International Development (DFID), the European Union, WWF UK and WWF Holland. Agenda del Mar 2008 For the last four years, WWF Colombia has been one of the organizations sponsoring this publication which is inspired by the environment and ecotourism, and carries a positive message for nature conservation. The 2008 version includes over twenty photographs, countless facts and two pairs of articles from WWF Colombia. It also includes a pocket calendar as part of the Ecological Footprint awareness campaign. Social change for sustainable development: capacity-building process modules This publication contains the first five modules on civic policy, leadership and community organization, environment and conservation and communications, amongst other topics. The modules are intended as learning support for concepts, methodologies and self-empowerment tools to be used by individuals and participating organizations. They were produced by WWF Colombia, with Pontificia Javeriana University, Cali and the Multi Ethnic Group. 19

ourcollaborators WWF/ Heinz STALDER The Colombia Programme conservation actions are supported by WWF Global Network (UK, Switzerland, The Netherlands, US, International Secretariat, Latin America and the Caribbean Programme, Toxics, Freshwater and Forests Global Programmes), European Union, Department for International Development (DFID), MacArthur Foundation, Moore Foundation and Evian- Danone. Design: WWF is one of the world s largest and most experienced independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: Conserving the world s biological diversity Ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable Promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. WWF Colombia Communications Maria Ximena Galeano M. Press Officer mxgaleano@wwf.org.co WWF Colombia WWF Colombia Tel: +57 (2) 558 25 77 Fax: +57 (2) 558 25 88 Cra. 35 No. 4A - 25 info@wwf.org.co Cali - Colombia www.wwf.org.co 20