COLOMBIA
Our projects in Colombia seek to protect 870,000 hectares of forest at risk in the departments of Vaupés and Chocó. With a focus on transparent and inclusive processes, we work hand in hand with indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities to improve the wellbeing of thousands of families, and to conserve the region's rich biodiversity.
We have 4 projects in development within one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, Colombia. The projects span two distinct ecoregions: the Amazon and the Pacific.
4
PROJECTS IN
DEVELOPMENT
50k
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS
813k
HECTARES OF
FOREST PROTECTED
24
ENDANGERED
SPECIES PROTECTED
2.3 m
tCO2e EMISSIONS
AVOIDED PER YEAR
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ORIGINS
More than half of Colombia’s continental surface is covered with natural forests, but over the last six years, the country has lost close to 1 million acres of forests, which is equivalent to roughly 1 million soccer fields. This situation generates a spiral of socio-environmental conflicts that affect the forest community members, local climate and the country’s rich biodiversity.
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. Colombia.
Some of the underlying causes for this rapid deforestation are the lack of productive and sustainable economic alternatives for local communities, weak regional and local governance structures, insufficient governmental presence and a pervasive and ongoing armed conflict.
Wildlife Works began work in Colombia in 2018 to provide technical assistance in all phases of project implementation of 8 USAID-funded REDD+ projects on Colombia’s Pacific coast, commonly known as Portafolio REDD+ Pacífico or Portafolio BioREDD. Soon after, we initiated our own process of project sourcing and development in Colombia.
FPIC MEETINGS
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Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) meetings are critical to our projects. Communities have the right to decide their own priorities according to their own beliefs, institutions and/or territories they occupy or use.
HISTORY OF COLLABORATION
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We began our work in Colombia in 2018 as technical consultants for the Páramos and Bosques program financed by USAID.
ALTERNATIVE INCOMES
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For Wildlife Works, market-based solutions extend beyond carbon credits. Wildlife Works’ community development team has found new ways to bring these beautiful, eco-friendly baskets to a wider market. At the end of 2023, women from ASATIQ brought their baskets to a trade fair, where they established commercial relationships with national and international clients, identified potential markets for their products, and successfully sold over 16,000 USD worth of baskets.
STRENGTHENING KNOWLEDGE OF REDD+
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83 people from ASATIQ attended a diploma course and improved their knowledge about REDD+, climate change and project development.