ASATIQ REDD+ PROJECT,
COLOMBIA
-Jenny Quevedo
ASSOCIATION OF TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS AUTHORITIES OF QUERARÍ (ASATIQ)
I feel proud and happy to continue with this project and work with an ally like Wildlife Works.
2,044
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS
371,439
HECTARES OF
FOREST PROTECTED
8
ENDANGERED
SPECIES PROTECTED
943,225
tCO2e EMISSIONS
AVOIDED PER YEAR
OVERVIEW
The rainforests of Vaupés, Colombia, are one of the best-preserved tropical rainforest areas in the Amazon, and are truly unique due to their exceptional biodiversity and cultural significance. These forests are of vital importance both locally and globally, since they provide ecosystem services such as storing massive amounts of carbon, generating oxygen and regional rainfall, and providing habitat to several endangered species such as the giant ant-eater, Marinkelle’s sword-nosed bat, and harpy eagle. The region is home to several indigenous communities, who together form the Association of Traditional Indigenous Authorities of Querarí (ASATIQ). Their way of life and traditional knowledge have been intimately intertwined with the rainforest for centuries. Many Indigenous communities depend on the natural resources of these forests for their food, medicines and construction materials.
THREAT TO THE FOREST
Despite promises to protect the Amazon, deforestation has continued at a rapid rate. Deforestation in Colombia is the result of a complex combination of historical and socio-economic factors. From 1850 until 1970, Vaupés experienced a surge in rubber production and trade, paving the way for subsequent industries centered around the exploitation of exotic species, gold mining operations, and the growing of illicit crops. Today, deforestation is primarily linked to the rapid expansion of the agricultural frontier. This includes land grabbing for cattle ranching and illegal activities, such as the extraction and exploitation of precious minerals, illicit crops such as coca leaf, and commercial timber.
Some of the underlying causes for this rapid deforestation are the lack of sustainable economic alternatives for local communities, weak regional and local governance structures, insufficient governmental presence and a pervasive and ongoing armed conflict.
PROJECT STRATEGY
The Vaupés ASATIQ Vaupés Maloca REDD+ Project is located within the area of the Association of Traditional Indigenous Authorities of Querarí (ASATIQ), which is part of the Great Eastern Reservation of Vaupés in Colombia. The project’s main conservation strategy is to:
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Improve traditional food production practices and the diversification of products in community "chagras" (small farms)
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Implement a sustainable system for the breeding of minor agricultural and aquaculture species, which complements the diet and generates additional income for communities
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Insert local products into value-added markets to generate income in ASATIQ homes; and
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Strengthen the self-government of the territory.
This will reduce pressure on forest areas, thus obtaining benefits for biodiversity and improving the living conditions of the community members. This is an independent project that respects the autonomy of ASATIQ.
THE DETAILS
START DATE: NOVEMBER, 2018
DURATION: 30 YEARS
PROJECT TYPE: Avoiding Unplanned Deforestation and/or Degradation (AUDD)
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BIODIVERSITY
The project area is extraordinarily biodiverse, and provides habitat to at least 8 species classified as vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List.
EDUCATION
91 people from ASATIQ have been trained in topics related to the REDD+ project. Of these, 83 people attended a diploma course on Climate Change, Leadership and Communications.
RESEARCH
Community members from ASATIQ are training as local researchers in community biodiversity monitoring.
JOB CREATION
222 ASATIQ people have received income for their work in the development of the REDD+ project.
EARLY PROJECT INVESTMENTS
Community members have benefitted from early investments such as new canoes, improvement of community infrastructure (community hut), and acquisition of maintenance equipment for common areas and green areas.
CONSERVATION FARMING
112 households implemented fish farming systems and have started generating additional income from this food production system.
GENDER EQUITY
20 women have been trained in the management and quality control of chili peppers, and have started an agroforestry nursery project. Women are also earning income by bringing their traditional baskets to the national and international markets.
IMPACT
HIGHLIGHTS
Dans les forêts tropicales amazoniennes de Colombie, les peuples autochtones sont les intendants de leurs terres et de leurs ressources depuis des milliers d’années. Leur respect spirituel et leur lien profond avec les forêts ont contribué à maintenir la riche biodiversité et la santé de ces écosystèmes inestimables.
L'Association des autorités autochtones traditionnelles du Querarí (ASATIQ) comprend 18 communautés composées pour la plupart du groupe ethnique Cubeo.
In these projects, generations of traditional knowledge are being interwoven with modern techniques to help increase food security as populations grow, decrease reliance on unsustainable “slash and burn” farming methods, identify alternative construction materials, and create jobs for alternative income sources. Locally formed Community Councils self-govern with respect to each community’s own customs and traditions and actively direct how project revenues are used.
COMMUNITY STORIES
ARTICLE 01
PHOTO STORYTELLING CONTEST
This contest was initiated to discover the artistic talents of community members and motivate individuals to discover different ways to tell their own stories.
ARTICLE 02
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF THE ANT
Leafhopper ants represent a problem for community crops, which is why in Tapurucuara work is being done to control the pest and maintain the biodiversity of the region.
LA COMMUNAUTÉ
° Harpia harpyja
HARPY EAGLE
The Harpy Eagle, with its imposing size and piercing gaze, commands respect in the dense rainforests of Central and South America. Sporting a wingspan that can exceed 7 feet and armed with formidable talons, it reigns as a top predator in its habitat. However, despite its awe-inspiring presence, the Harpy Eagle faces a myriad of threats to its conservation. Habitat destruction due to deforestation, primarily for agriculture and logging, poses a significant danger to this apex predator. Additionally, illegal hunting and poaching contribute to the decline of Harpy Eagle populations. As such, concerted efforts are essential to safeguard the future of this magnificent and unique bird.
° Panthera Onca
JAGUAR
Jaguars are the largest cat species in South America, and have great ecological, cultural, and spiritual significance. It is estimated that around 15,000 jaguars remain in Colombia, and about 170,000 jaguars persist in the Americas as a whole. The species once stretched from the southern United States to northern Argentina, but its range has since been halved and the species is extinct in several countries, due to the primary threats of habitat loss, illegal trade, hunting, and climate change.
°Lonchorhina Marinkelli
MARINKELLE'S SWORD-NOSED BAT
The sword-nosed bat is only found in two places near Mitú, Colombia, in forests with rocky outcrops. While bats have been demonized in popular culture, they in fact play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of their habitat. Sword-nosed bats are gregarious animals, and feed on insects at night, thus ensuring that insect populations do not grow out of control.
° Myrmecophaga tridactyla
GIANT ANT-EATER
The giant anteater is found from Honduras to northern Argentina in dry and humid tropical forests, savannahs and flooded savannahs. They are large animals and can grow up to 140 cm in length (without the tail). The calf's gestation takes 190 days and they have only one calf per birth. They are solitary animals that feed mainly on ants, although they also consume termites.
THE
BIODIVERSITY
The rich biodiversity of this area is still being researched. Together with community members, a community biodiversity monitoring strategy is being implemented, which allows in-depth knowledge of the behavior of different species, registration and processing of data and species indicators. Installing and strengthening the capacities of community members helps ensure that biodiversity monitoring is constant and lasts over time. Only in this way can the state of the flora and fauna in the territory be known in depth.
The ASATIQ zone is made up of more than 391,310 hectares of Amazonian forest. The forest ecosystems in the department of Vaupés, and those of the ASATIQ territory, are tropical humid forests. This area has been recognized as one of the most biodiverse in the country and on the entire continent, characterized by its high number of endemic species.
Between 2000 and 2017, the Amazon biome had an average annual deforestation of 82,332 ha, which represents 56% of the total deforested area in Colombia during that period. Mitú had the largest deforestation in the department of Vaupés, losing 28,400 hectares between 2001 and 2021.
A large number of families are dedicated to the cultivation of “chagras”, which consist of areas within the forest that have an average area of 1 to 3 hectares. Other traditional activities for taking advantage of biodiversity resources include the collection of insects, hunting, and fishing on areas internally defined by the communities themselves. In recent years, the pressure exerted on the forest has generated a decrease in animal populations that are part of the communities' diet, such as the limpet, tapir, deer, and wild pig.
Project activities to help reduce these drivers of deforestation include improving traditional agricultural practices, generating income from sustainable business models and strengthening self-government.
THE FOREST
MAI NDOMBE
DRC
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Mai Ndombe REDD+ project protects 300,000 hectares of tropical rainforest.
PACIFIC ECOREGION
COLOMBIA
In the Pacific Coastal Ecoregion of Colombia, we have 3 projects in development to protect 500,000 hectares of forest.
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