Forestry Project for the Basin of the Chinchiná River, an Environmental and Productive Alternative for the City and the Region

Background

Over 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. 

Goals & Approach

PROCUENCA-FAO primary objective is to regulate and improve the quantity and quality of fresh water for the region’s communities by restoring the watersheds that supply their water systems, with a particular focus on the restoration of the Chinchina River watershed. Project activities consist of the establishment of forestry activities throughout the watershed, with several models that land owners select from, including agroforestry, commercial stands, silvo-pastoral models, mixed forest systems, and assisted natural regeneration.

Reported Takeaways

The project plans to run for 20 years, from 2002 to 2022. By 2012, reforestation activities had been conducted in 286 sites, covering a total area of 2,091 ha. The program expects to establish the remaining project areas by 2022.