USAID's support to public-private investment platform for biodiversity conservation in Colombia

With the backing of USAID's Natural Wealth Program and other international and local institutions, private companies such as Promigas and ISA Intercolombia are investing in restoring tropical dry forests, which are critical for natural resource provision and economic competitiveness in the region. Throughout 2019, the Alliance's partners, including USAID, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO), the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI), the Alexander von Humboldt Biodiversity National Institute, and Colombia's National Natural Parks Services, played a crucial role in declaring new areas under legal protection, restoring tropical dry forests, and providing local communities with sustainable production alternatives. As a result, the Alliance supported the registration of 41 new Civil Society Natural Reserves, which will benefit nearly 1,700 hectares and positively impact 83 families. These reserves will strengthen forest connectivity by promoting licit sustainable production. The Natural Wealth Program is supporting the registration of 20 of these reserves, encompassing approximately 750 hectares, and assisting farmers with their respective land management plans. Additionally, Promigas, ISA Intercolombia, and Sociedad Portuaria del Cayao funded and supported the land titling and restoration process of 325 hectares within the national protected area - Los Colorados. The Natural Wealth Program also facilitated investments from Promigas in these civil society natural reserves and worked with the Humboldt Institute on a community-based monitoring activity. Through interviews with farmers and the use of camera traps, the team and community identified a wide range of species, some of which are threatened or endangered and require protection to maintain the ecosystem and provision of livelihoods in the region. The Program improved land management and monitoring of 39,000 hectares, an area close to twice the size of the surface area of Washington D.C. The Alliance aims to improve the connectivity of protected areas with dry forest remnants in a corridor of 65,000 hectares, which includes the Los Colorados Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, Serrania de Coraza Protected Forest Reserve, and El Corchal "El Mono Hernandez" Flora and Fauna Sanctuary. In 2019, the Alliance included a new conservation corridor. Natural Wealth, the regional environmental authority (CARsucré), and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development defined the management plan for the region's largest protected area - Serrania de Coraza. With the management plan in place, Natural Wealth assisted Promigas in channeling economic resources to invest in land titling and forest restoration activities in key areas that contribute to safeguarding water for local farming communities. In 2020, the Alliance will continue engaging new private companies and strengthening conservation clusters with farmers, emphasizing the importance of linking sustainable production to new economic opportunities for community self-reliance and biodiversity conservation.