Colombia
Barriers to Lowland Tropical Forest Restoration in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, ColombiaBackgroundThis article examines the major barriers to forest restoration in the abandoned pastureland surrounding three forest fragments in the Rio Rancheria watershed of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. These barriers include: seed source, seed predation, competition from grasses, microclimate, soil quality, and fire. Available with subscription or purchase |
Payments for Environmental Services in Latin America as a Tool for Restoration and Rural DevelopmentBackgroundTwo Payments for Environmental Services (PES) projects are assessed in this article: 1) a bundled PES system in forestry projects in Costa Rica, and 2) the Regional Integrated Silvopastoral Approaches to Ecosystem Management Project in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Colombia. The first project based PED on the provision of four different environmental services (carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, and aesthetic improvements and/or maintenance of the landscape) within the same plot of land. The second project implemented PES proportional to carbon sequestration and biodiversity outputs by participants. Open access copy available |
Farmer’s Perceptions of Silvopastoral System Promotion in Quindío, ColombiabackgroundThe adoption of silvopastoral systems (SPS) reduces pressure on forests and improves ecosystem services. Silvopastoral systems (SPS) are pasture systems in which multipurpose trees, diverse livestock feeds, and other techniques are used to improve productivity and ecosystem services in cattle production areas. In Latin America, conventional livestock production often results in rapid land degradation. SPS provides a longterm solution. This article describes results of a study evaluating farmers perceptions of SPS and, the motivations and disincentives for its adoption in Quindio Province of Colombia Open access copy available |
Evaluation of Andean Alder as a Catalyst for the Recovery of Tropical Cloud Forests in ColombiabackgroundThis study compares the species composition and structural diversity of 30-year-old alder plantations with adjacent, naturally regenerated forests of the same age. The study seeks to determine if alder plantations are an appropriate catalyst for forest regeneration for conserving biological diversity and to determine if the differences between the two forest types are maintained over time. Available with subscription or purchase |
Reasons for reforestation success and failure with three mangrove species in ColombiaBackgroundThis study examines the mortality and growth rates of the propagules, seedlings and saplings of three native mangrove species (A. germinans, L. racemosa, and R. mangle) in order to determine the ecological factors that influence tree growth and survival in deforested mangroves with restored hydrologic conditions on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Available with subscription or purchase |
Maya Nut ReforestationBackgroundMaya Nut is an NGO that seeks to find balance between people, forests, and food. While they do not run a reforestation program directly, they do work closely with communities to reforest degraded lands throughout Latin America. The mission of the program is to conserve the Maya nut tree, Brosimum alicastrum, by planting trees and teaching rural and indigenous women to harvest and process the seed for food and income. Open access copy available |
Forestry Project for the Basin of the Chinchiná River, an Environmental and Productive Alternative for the City and the RegionBackgroundOver the last century, Andean watershed within Colombia has faced threats of uncontrolled deforestation, which have been driven by a rapid expansion of agriculture and cattle grazing. It is imperative that these trends be halted and reversed, thus the FAO proposes the reforestation of watersheds, which will improve the regulation of hydaulic flows to populations living in and downstream from river basins. This project planning document describes one of these programs, PROCUENCA-FAO, which began in 2001 and focuses on the Chinchiná River watershed. Open access copy available |
What is the State of Tropical Montane Cloud Forest Restoration?backgroundThis article reviews barriers and opportunities to recovery of deforested tropical montane cloud forest ecosystems. In recent years, agricultural and grazing lands in Latin America have been abandoned due to low productivity as well as rural to urban migration. However, land has not grown back with cloud forest species, but rather has remained dominated by non-forest vegetation (such as the grass Melinus minutiflora and fern Pteridium arachnoideum). Open access copy available |
