Objective
To increase the diversity and contribute to improving the integrity of strategic areas for the restoration of ecosystem services for water regulation and sediment retention in strategic micro-watersheds in the central zone, tributaries of the Frío and Sevilla river basins.
Project Execution Site
Department: Magdalena
Municipality: Ciénaga
Duration
3 years
Current Partners
WWF, Uniban Foundation, Fundeban, Asocoomag, and the Corporación Paisajes Rurales (Rural Landscape Corporation) provide implementation support, and the Rural Women’s Building the Future Foundation (Rural Women’s Foundation) serves as nursery administrators. The project also includes National Natural Parks, the Magdalena Coffee Growers Committee, and Corpamag.
Proposal Summary
The project focuses on ecosystem restoration through ecological rehabilitation, incorporating forest enrichment and supplementation activities. The project seeks to reduce livestock impacts by isolating forests and creating buffer zones for water bodies.
Voluntary conservation agreements are established with landowners, including incentives and capacity building. Location selection is based on investment and ecosystem service optimization models. The project structure follows the stages of the National Restoration Plan, with a three-year monitoring plan and long-term reviews.
A field preparation process, the creation of local nurseries, and complementary projects for the propagation of native trees are proposed. The conservation agreements include incentives such as improved water treatment and technical assistance.
Environmental awareness and engagement with local communities are proposed, as well as specific restoration strategies such as forest enrichment, buffer zones for water bodies, forest enclosures, and agroforestry systems. Furthermore, the rescue of endangered species is highlighted as an integral part of the conservation strategy.
Expected Benefits
The proposed intervention for approximately 60 hectares will generate multiple benefits, including the maintenance and improvement of water regulation services, increased sediment retention, and reduced sediment production in the watershed. These impacts can be expanded by intervening and restoring more hectares. The proposed incentives also contribute to mitigating pollution during the coffee harvest, reducing discharges in the middle watershed, and improving water quality for producers in the lower watershed.
In addition, ecosystem connectivity will be promoted through the restoration of biological corridors, benefiting local fauna and flora, strengthening plant-host relationships, and increasing diversity in the rehabilitated areas. The rehabilitation will also contribute to greenhouse gas mitigation.
The quality of life of landowners is expected to improve through advice on the economic and financial management of their farms. The project will strengthen connections and exchanges between producers and communities in the lower and upper watersheds, improving their capacities in areas such as plant propagation, seed rescue, nursery management, water and biodiversity monitoring, and contributing to the environmental awareness of these beneficiary groups.
Benefits are anticipated to increase as more areas are restored and the 5-, 10-, and 20-year goals are achieved.
