ASATRIZY REDD+ PROJECT,
COLOMBIA
-Elsio Ataide
ASOCIACIÓN DE AUTORIDADES TRADICIONALES INDÍGENAS DE YAPÚ (ASATRIZY)
Our work with Wildlife Works has changed our way of protecting the rainforest to prevent further degradation, and it brings us closer to the people of the local communities in taking care of Mother Earth.
929
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS
128,556
HECTARES OF
FOREST PROTECTED
8
ENDANGERED
SPECIES PROTECTED
355,612
tCO2e EMISSIONS
AVOIDED PER YEAR
OVERVIEW
The rainforests of Yapu are one of the best-preserved tropical rainforest areas in the Amazon. They 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, providing clean water and food, as well as habitats to endangered species such as the Oncilla, 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 Yapu (ASATRIZY). The unique cosmology (worldview) of the Yapu led to successful conservation for centuries. However, as younger generations move away and globalization threatens to degrade their cultural values, the threats to this forest are intensifying.
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, but 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 ASATRIZY Maloca Vaupés REDD+ Project is located in the Department of Vaupés, Colombia and its 157,868.5 hectares are collectively owned by the Association of Traditional Indigenous Authorities of the Yapú Zone (ASATRIZY) and its 8 communities.
The ASATRIZY Maloca Vaupés REDD+ project has the objective of conserving forests in the ASATRIZY area.
The actions that will make this possible are aligned with the needs and purposes that were identified during the first meetings with the communities and while conducting the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) process. These actions are aimed at achieving four major purposes:
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Improve traditional food production systems associated with chagra (small farm) management
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Implement a sustainable system for raising minor animal species, that complements the diet of communities
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Insert local products in value-added markets, for the generation of income in ASATRIZY’s households
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Strengthen community and ancestral governance of the territory
This will reduce pressure on forest areas, thus obtaining benefits for biodiversity, as well as improving the living conditions of the inhabitants.
THE DETAILS
START DATE: MAY, 2019
DURATION: 30 YEARS
PROJECT TYPE: Avoiding Unplanned Deforestation and/or Degradation (AUDD)
BIODIVERSITY
The project area is home to extraordinary biodiversity, with many species of birds, mammals, amphibians and plants. 298 different tree species were identified during forest monitoring sessions. The most frequent are: Pakanoyoakn, Avina, Yapurá, Siringa and Palma Wasai.
SUSTAINABLE JOB CREATION
237 people from ASATRIZY have received income for their work in the development of the REDD+ Project. 9 people from ASATRIZY have been trained as local researchers in a community biodiversity monitoring project.
EDUCATION
The project has made a significant impact on education within ASATRIZY, as 83 individuals have already participated in a diploma course. Through this initiative, participants enhanced their understanding of REDD+, climate change, and project development, thereby equipping themselves with valuable knowledge to contribute effectively to conservation efforts and sustainable development in their community.
EARLY COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS
Community members have benefitted from early investments such as new canoes, construction of maloca, and installation and operation of an electric power plant and its corresponding installation for the Weyura school.
CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE
A sustainable project of laying hens has been initiated to guarantee the food and nutritional security of the community while reducing pressure on the forest and it’s wildlife.
IMPACT
HIGHLIGHTS
The ASATRIZY Maloca Vaupés REDD+ project area is home to more than 900 members of the Association of Indigenous Traditional Authorities of the Yapú Zone, ASATRIZY, located in 8 communities. The Carapana, Tatuyo, Tucano, Bara and Tuyuca are the most prevalent ethnic groups. Traditionally, the communities of ASATRIZY have had ceremonial practices and cultural beliefs that regulate the use of wildlife.
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
DIPLOMA IN REDD+
83 people from ASATIQ attended a diploma course and improved their knowledge about REDD+, climate change and project development.
THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS
HARPY EAGLE
° Harpia harpyja
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.
ONCILLA
° Leopardus tigrinus
The Oncilla, also known as the little spotted cat, is a captivating and elusive feline found in the dense forests of Central and South America. With its striking coat adorned with intricate rosettes and a slender frame perfectly adapted for stealthy movements, the Oncilla embodies grace and agility in its natural habitat. Despite its small size, this diminutive wildcat plays a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of forest ecosystems by preying on small mammals, birds, and reptiles. However, the Oncilla faces an array of threats to its conservation. Habitat loss due to deforestation, fragmentation, and human encroachment poses a significant challenge to its survival. Additionally, illegal wildlife trade and hunting for its prized fur further exacerbate the decline of Oncilla populations. Urgent conservation efforts are imperative to safeguard the future of this mesmerizing and elusive feline.
SOUTH AMERICAN TAPIR
°Tapirus terrestris
The beauty-pagent winning South American tapir is a large, herbivorous mammal, similar in shape to a pig with a prehensile nose. Tapirs play a key role in their ecosystems by dispersing seeds, holding symbiotic relationships with cleaner birds (such as the yellow-headed caracara) and providing a key prey source for carnivores such as jaguars. Due to threats of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss, this species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN.
MARINKELLE'S SWORD-NOSED BAT
° Lonchorhina Marinkelli
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.
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 ASATRIZY zone is made up of more than is made up of more than 157,868 hectares of Amazon forest.
The forest ecosystems in the ASATRIZY 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. 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, wild pig, and pirarucú.
Project activities to help reduce these drivers of deforestation include increased forest monitoring and protection, conservation agriculture and sustainable income generation.
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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