Usaid/Colombia Funded Conservation Landscapes Program Cooperative Agreement Aid-514-A-09-004

USAID/COLOMBIA FUNDED CONSERVATION LANDSCAPES PROGRAM COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AID-514-A-09-004

Photo: PPC / Santuario de Fauna Los Flamencos / Ma. Ximena Galeano

Sixth Quarterly Report (October-December, 2010) February 2011

This report was produced by Patrimonio Natural – Fondo para la Biodiversidad y Áreas Protegidas, for review by the United States Agency for International Development

Prepared for the United States Agency for International Development, USAID – Patrimonio Natural Cooperative Agreement AID-514-A-09-00004

By: Patrimonio Natural – Fondo para la Biodiversidad y Áreas Protegidas Calle 72 No. 10 – 70, Edificio Centro Avenida Chile, Torre A. Oficina 1005 – 1006 Bogotá, D.C, Colombia

Report prepared for the United States Agency for International Development – USAID

USAID/COLOMBIA FUNDED CONSERVATION LANDSCAPES PROGRAM

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AID-514-A-09-00004

Sixth Quarterly Report (October-December, 2010) February 2011

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government

ABBREVIATIONS

AATIS Traditional Indigenous Authorities Association AECID Spanish International Cooperation and Development Agency AEMAPPS Analysis of Management Effectiveness of Protected Areas with Social Participation ARD Associates in Rural Development, Inc. ASOCARS Colombian Association of Environmental Authorities CA Cooperative Agreement CAR Regional Environmental Authority CC Community Council CDB Convention on Biological Diversity CIPAV Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems Research Center CLP Conservation Landscapes Program COP Chief Of Party CTC Technical Consulting Committee FPN Patrimonio Natural - Fondo para la Biodiversidad y las Áreas Protegidas GEF Global Environmental Facility GHF Global Heritage Fund GIS Geographic Information System IAVH Instituto Alexander von Humboldt ICANH Instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia IDEAM Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies Institute INCODER Colombian Rural Development Institute INVEMAR Jose Benito Vives de Andreis Marine and Coastal Research Institute MAVDT Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial MoU Memorandum of Understanding NGO Non Governmental Organization PA – SINAP SINAP Action Plan PAU Project Advisory Unit PIU Project Implementation Unit PMP Performance Monitoring Plan NNP National Natural Park NPU National Parks Unit NPS National Park Service (U.S.) POA Annual Operative Plan PMP Performance Monitoring Plan REM Special Management Regime RFA Request for Appraisal RFFRA Request for Final Revised Application RESNATUR Colombian Association of Civil Society Reserves SIAC Colombian Environmental Information System SIDAP Departmental Protected Areas System SILAP Local Protected Areas System SINA National Environmental System SINAP Sistema Nacional de Areas Protegidas SIRAP Sistema Regional de Areas Protegidas SNSM Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta STTA Short term technical assistance ToR Terms of Reference UAESPNN Unidad Administrativa Especial del Sistema de Parques Nacionales Naturales USFS United States Forest Service USG United States Government WB World Bank

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………6 2. SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD…………………………………………………………………………7 2.1. Ecotourism as an option for improved livelihoods and conservation………7 2.2 Improving livelihoods with sustainable production systems………………….13 3. CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS……………………………………….16 3.1 Challenges met during the reporting period 3.2 Major constraints faced during the reporting period 3.3 Challenges expected for the next quarter

4. DETAILED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES DURING REPORTING PERIOD………………………………………………………………………….17 4.1 Grants process for local operators………….………………………………..17 4.2 Implementation of activities in the Conservation Landscapes..…………….17 4.3 Success stories……………………………………………………………….23 4.4 PMP report on CLP activities ……………………..………………………..29

5. LESSONS LEARNED DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD……………..…35 6. LOOKING FORWARD: PROGRAM ACTIVITIES FOR THE NEXT QUARTER………………………36 Table No. 1 - Schedule of activities (January-March 2011)

1. INTRODUCTION

A change in some sections of this report will be in effect, incorporating a selected topic in each report, in which some activities will be highlighted as the most important contributions of the Program within the Conservation Landscapes concept. These contributions will be selected according to significant advances for the NPU’s institutional strengthening, as well as relevant developments achieved by local operators for improving livelihoods or strengthening their participation and social capital through their activities. Over the last quarter, in which several proposals were approved and contracts signed with local operators, the perspective has been unfolding as to the abilities of these operators related to the possibilities that each landscape affords according to the natural resources, as well as the economic, social and cultural aspects.

For this quarter, the topic is ecotourism. During the last year, the NPU conducted several meetings and analyses to consolidate ideas on this matter, to bring together several views and integrate a route which will allow better management of the Parks as a tourism attraction and the identification of allies for developing this strategy to its full growth. On the other hand, local operators have defined their contributions through proposals which incorporate an entrepreneurial stance, in which the whole value chain for this activity is established in order to improve its conditions for development. Ecotourism has the further advantage of covering a wide scope of elements that combined make up the Conservation Landscape, in which a development issue is how to avoid or minimize the impacts such development can generate so as to “leave no trace” as one methodology has proclaimed. It is expected that these efforts can induce more people to visit these areas, generating options for local people.

Another change concerns the detailed activities section, organized by each cluster, taking into account that some local operators have begun the execution of approved proposals, complementing the activities which up to the fifth quarter were carried out mainly by the NPU personnel.

The Performance Monitoring Plan Section has included some additional information concerning the relevance of some activities and the advances or delays observed in each one of the targets when compared with the total numbers which must be completed by 2012.

2. SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD 2.1. Ecotourism as an option for improved livelihoods and conservation

The potential for ecotourism in Park areas as a growing industry, in order to be consistent with the vulnerability of many destinations, has taken into account appropriate measures for preserving special places, such as the guidelines or principles designed by international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). These global institutions and other NGOs have organized initiatives and tools to further develop ecotourism.

Guided by these international examples, and beginning in 1999, when the tourists visiting the National Parks increased 96%, to more than 700.000 visitors yearly in 2009, the National Parks Unit has applied some elements of methodologies such as “tourism carrying capacity” and “limits of acceptable change”, in what they call a “Hybrid methodology” to control unwanted impacts in the Parks. Formal documents related to carrying capacity (Resoluciones) have been issued for Tayrona, Los Nevados, Gorgona and Vía Parque Isla Salamanca, according to the law by which maximum numbers of visitors have to be identified (Decreto 622/1977).

Since 2004 some Parks which formerly had tourism infrastructure and services were given as concessions to private enterprises that could make the necessary investments and promotion for these tourism destinations. A parallel strategy was applied for community groups to provide ecotourism services in Corales del Rosario, Iguaque, Otún-Quimbaya, Flamencos, Cocuy and Utría, the last three of which participate in the Conservation Landscapes Program. (see Map of Parks with potential for ecotourism for both concessions and community ecotourism areas)

The implementation of the institutional strengthening component of the CLP by the NPU has included the revision and analysis of the advantages and possible shortcomings of the “hybrid methodology”, with the technical support from the US Forest Service, through their agreement with USAID. The USFS experts had several meetings and workshops with the NPU, in which the carrying capacity measuring methods were examined, practical exercises conducted in groups, through a pilot application, where recommendations were issued regarding the Tayrona Park’s infrastructure and paths. The group including USFS and NPU experts concluded that the document for measuring carrying capacity and ecotourism impacts had a good technical approach, was easy to understand and apply. They concluded that this experience has been satisfactory and a continuation is desirable in the following aspects:

1. Capacity building in the “Leave No Trace” methodology 2. Workshop on the design and maintenance of paths

3. Workshop on the design and maintenance of sustainable infrastructure 4. Planing for the management of Protected Areas in relation to ecotourism 5. Technical assistance to improve public-private interaction in ecotourism 6. Climate change assessments for vulnerability management and as criteria for the declaration of new protected areas

Parks with potential for ecotourism. (NPU: Antecedentes del Ecoturismo en Parques Nacionales Naturales, 2011, draft version)

Meanwhile, the design or adjustment of previous ecotourism assessments for the Flamencos, Cocuy and Utría Parks were being conducted by experts hired through the CLP. The results of

these exercises, which will be completed in the following months and constitute an example for the other three areas identified for community ecotourism, are as follows:

Cocuy

For the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy more than 6.500 people come to this Park yearly. In order to have an assessment of the situation, a technical team was hired in December 2010 to make a diagnosis of ecotourism in the following topics: 1. General information for the area. It contains a geographical description of the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy and its main attractions for ecotourism. 100% advance. 2. Analysis of the legal framework for the ecotourism activity. 100% advance. 3. Supply and demand analysis, this first phase has been dedicated to analyze the supply of services related to ecotourism, determining the stakeholders involved in the value chain, compiling a database for service providers in accommodation, restaurants, transportation, guides and other goods and services related to this activity. 50% advance. 4. Identification of the visitors’ profile, including the places they come from and the preferred time of the year for visiting. The first activity has been to compile data which had not been previously organized. This information will allow defining a wider potential public according to these data and the tourism destinations in the surrounding area. 10% advance. 5. The characterization of the tourism attractions and its location in maps (40% advance). 6. The team has begun measuring the carrying capacity for two of the paths (La Esperanza and El Conejo) and the dissemination of rules for best practice in ecotourism with the stakeholders.

Utría

Photo: Aerial view of the Utría inlet, with the Terrón Colorado mangroves and the whale cove/Ricardo Ariza

Utría is part of the biogeographical province of Chocó, a “biodiversity hotspot” characterized by tropical forests with high diversity and endemic species, comprising the Pacific Lowlands from Panamá to northern Ecuador. Locally, the Distrito Baudó is a low mountain chain spreading from Panama to the Baudó River, their higher elevation is the Alto del Buey (1140 m.a.s.l.), located in the middle of the Park, from which radiate many rivers. This topography and the abundant rain in the region mean that any area deprived of forest may slide easily. The coastal areas are rocky with the occasional small beach. The Utría Inlet proper is located in a geological fault area, in which the eastern continental shelf meets the pacific crust, raising this oceanic crust, which gives the area a unique condition, reinforced by the confluence of mangroves, inlets, coral reefs and rainforest.

The conservation objectives for this Park have been considered to establish a sound basis for ecotourism activities comprising social inclusion, economic factors and an ecological background. The Park’s distinctive elements have been analyzed from the ecotourism perspective, to identify attractions, especially vulnerable areas, restrictions or special measures for the activity. Human settlements and their characteristics are the basis for the social and economic aspects analyses, including a historical review of extractive or productive systems, and the beginnings of tourism. Specifically, the main services provided in the region concerning tourism activities have been determined.

When the Park was created in 1986, some visitors began to arrive for daily trips only; from 1992 a small accommodation began its operation, which in 1997 received up to 4.478 visitors yearly. Violence in the area began in 2002, which meant closing the Park for five years; visitors have been slowly coming back, amounting to 1572 persons in 2009. Since 2004 the Park made the first ecotourism plan, which has been the basis for the adjustments now in course. The objectives of this new plan are to determine conditions for public access, zoning and regulations in the different locations for ecotourism; generate technical information for an action plan on ecotourism management; educate the public and service providers for the conservation of such locations; develop alliances and strengthening of the local capacity for sustainable and responsible tourism operations; and to promote ecotourism as a tool for conservation and community development.

Some information regarding the visitor profile is shown by the following graphics:

A detailed census of stakeholders (service providers and others), a description of the attractions, facilities and interpretation clues are now available as technical data which can be used by the local operators whose proposals are focused on strengthening ecotourism in the area. An example is the carrying capacity data, which was revised and adjusted by R. Ariza (2011), from its former evaluation by the “Limits of acceptable change” method (Gamba 2010). The final document is now being evaluated by the technical team in the NPU, so some of the information may change. Nonetheless, an example of the new data regarding the carrying capacity has been revised as shown in the following table:

Carrying Area or Sector Description capacity pax/day Park personnel cabin 8 Operative Guards cabin 6 Infraestructure Jaibana Tourist cabin 20 Guayabillo(a) Tourist cabin 12 Service Dormilon(a) Tourist cabin 8 Infraestructure Yubarta restaurant 43 Biology station 10 Floating biology station 30 Cocalito 157 Estero Grande 114 Paths Playa Blanca 250

TOTAL 658

Once this document is fully approved by the NPU, it will be disseminated with the local operators working in this topic, in order to study the best options for the growth of sustainable ecotourism in the area.

Flamencos

The main attraction in this area is the pink flamingo inhabiting this coastal lagoon, from which the area was named. Nonetheless, there are other interesting places to visit, which were characterized in this period by a professional supported by CLP. There are beaches and mangroves, as well as the dry forest typical of the region, in this arid zone well known to the indigenous people, the wayúu. Migratory birds also flock to these lakes, where the water from the Camarones river and that from the sea mingle through the mangrove barrier, which at the same time protects the inland lagoon from storms and other alterations. The fact that the wayúu live in the area, give this place a mandate for the protection of cultural heritage along with the ecological interest, as the estuary conditions give a critical habitat for many birds and marine species, of which fishing is a traditional activity. Other income is obtained by goat herding and salt mining in the ponds. Agriculture is limited because of the dry climate. Only some services are provided, such as electricity and some water, no source of energy is available for cooking except wood, some coal and gas; scarce attention is given to control garbage and the provision of other basic needs for the people. The Perratpu Resguardo, covering 120 ha., is overlapped with the protected area, so there is a special arrangement (Régimen Especial de Manejo) with the wayúu, to obtain natural resources for their subsistence.

Related to the above, an important aspect of the endeavors regarding ecotourism in this location is the benefit for the local population, both the wayúu and other people living within this area. From 2005 on, the number of visitors has grown, reaching more than 6.000 yearly. The NPU has considered support for capacity building, and the construction of cabins which are now in the area, but need repairs and redesigning. Also, the local guides and restaurants have benefited from several workshops to enhance their possibilities in ecotourism development. These and other inquiries are contained in the Ecotourism plan recently delivered, such as the visitors’ profile, the carrying capacity of each attraction and path, the infrastructure for accommodation, restaurants and other services, the monitoring basis for the ecotourism activities, maps defining the respective areas with their potential and restrictions, and an action plan.

The NPU is in the process of incorporating this information and recommendations according to the action plan, which contains the following lines:

1.Promote joint action from public and private sectors for developing and strengthening ecotourism. 2. Strengthen community participation for project development 3.Promote the improvement of infrastructure, basic services for ecotourism. 4. Design a plan for stakeholders’ capacity building. 5. Promote and provide technical advice to design integrated ecotourism products considering the natural and cultural richness of the Guajira region and their dissemination at every level.

6. Develop programs for the organizational and managerial strengthening for tourism service providers. 7. Enhance and establish certification programs for sustainable ecotourism activities.

2.2 Improving livelihoods with sustainable production systems Integrated systems comprising trees, crops and animals have been proposed as an interesting alternative for agriculture in tropical areas, to avoid or mitigate impacts generated by a “green revolution” model or by deforestation. These systems fit the specific cultural conditions of local communities, both peasants and indigenous people, and take into account rural economic restrictions (CATIE, 2000)1. These systems have been for long a part of the traditional agricultura in rural communities of central and south America, and are a time-tested strategy to generate income, maintain environmental services, contribute to food security and enhance productivity. In the last few years, they have even been proposed as an answer or a tool to mitigate the effects and the new challenges derived from climate change.

Agroforestry systems are land use methods where trees, palms and shrubs are deliberately included with crops and animals, in some kind of spatial arrangement or sequence, where ecological and economic interactions exist among the different components (Lundgren, 1982; quoted by Nair 1993)2. Traditionally, these systems have been used by indigenous and peasant communities with strong cultural roots, because they are adapted to their economies and soil and climate requirements of the humid tropics, as in diversified multi-strata home gardens, where poor and low fertility soils would otherwise limit crop productivity. Agroforestry methods interact to develop multiple products and benefits in the same land, while exhibiting high adaptability and resilience.

On the other hand, agro-forestry can help conservation of biodiversity and satisfy productivity targets, when an intentional mixture of a high diversity of crops and arboreal species are planted, preserving high genetic and species variety, different niches and habitats for wild plants and animals, retaining micro-climatic conditions and beneficial micro-fauna in soils, thus respecting wild seed banks and the potential for forest recovery (Harvey, 2005)3. According to the design and structure, these systems serve as ecological corridors allowing animal species to cross open fields towards forest fragments or protected areas, thus shaping true buffer zones surrounding national Parks.

According to these benefits, integrated systems of trees and crops are one of the strategies for establishing agricultural production systems in the six clusters selected for the Conservation Landscapes Program, in order to consolidate friendly production systems and promote alternatives for illicit crops. The following contains the most significant advances reported in the period October-December 2010.

1 Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza. Proyecto Agroforestal CATIE/GTZ. Turrialba, Costa Rica. 2000. 2 Nair, PKR. 1993. An introduction of agroforestry . ICRAF, Nairoby, Kenya.499 p.15-20. 3 C.A., Harvey et al. Contribution of live fences to the ecological integrity of agricultural landscapes. In: agriculture, ecosystems and environment. 111 (2005), p. 200-300.

Identification and characterization of current production activities in each cluster Meetings were held to disseminate and reach agreements on the schedule of activities with the families selected for the implementation of agricultural systems and restoration in the surrounding areas of the Utría, Catatumbo, Cocuy, AFIW and Sierra Nevada Parks. Characterization of the farms and community indigenous areas has been done, to establish the type of productive systems, crops and potential for restoration, such as in NNP Alto Fragua, where 255 farms have been surveyed by technicians from the park, the Amazon Conservation Team-ACT and Fundación Esawá. GPS readings were taken, but the farms were also toured with the families while making the drawings (maps) with them and identifying current and future actions. ACT worked to characterize 19 veredas with workshops where 200 people discussed their vision of the land, historical change, infrastructure, water sources, roads, cultural identification of places, well-being definitions and other local development issues.

Advance for the implementation of agricultural systems and restoration For the Fragua area, a total of 258 home gardens will be established, as well as 30 indigenous “chagras”, coffee, cocoa, plantain, timber species in agroforestry systems and 232 ha. in food security crops, which will contribute to their domestic economies. A further 350 ha.will be implemented in agroforestry, sustainable cattle ranching and improvement of the facilities for domestic species with peasant and indigenous families. For the Catatumbo region, and according to its climate and soil conditions, cocoa was selected to rehabilitate former plantations by improving their phytosanitary conditions and diversify crops for food security, timber and firewood. With indigenous communities, some food security plots will be established in 25 ha., and improving cattle ranching sustainability in ecological and productive terms will be done by implementing silvo-pastoral solutions such as hedgerows, protein banks, and trees in pastures. Considering the six clusters, a total of 267 ha. have been identified to improve cattle management in the way described, benefiting both indigenous (Arhuacos) and peasant communities.

Other production systems are directed to the market, such as coffee, which will be improved by a complete diagnosis of phytosanitary problems, rehabilitation of plantations by pruning and common problems with the crops, such as adequate drying of the grain and mitigation of impacts when processing the crop, especially regarding the adjoining watersheds. Nine veredas of the municipality of Tame, in the eastern section adjoining the Cocuy Park, will be included in this project, in charge of a local NGO. Smaller plots, but also important, will be improved for the Wiwa resguardo in the eastern region of the Sierra. In a similar way, cocoa plantations will be recovered by the establishment of nurseries and other cultural labor, benefiting 409 ha. in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Catatumbo and Alto Fragua clusters.

Restoration (passive and active) for recovering degraded areas and protecting watersheds The strategy for attaining this purpose includes the protection or fencing of areas, planting native useful tree species, with the added value of producing fruit or other goods to the families and the wild animals. In Catatumbo the technicians identified trees as seed sources and began to prepare the families to care for the saplings in small family nurseries. These saplings are obtained by recruiting them from existing forest patches, and they have targeted specially scarce species, such as Cedar (Cedrela sp.) and Abarco (Cariniana sp.), which are important as timber species and were usually hunted in previous years, almost disappearing from the forests. These and other trees will be planted as hedgerows and protected areas, enriching patches. At the same time, farms are characterized for other actions related to the productive systems, providing at the same time the necessary connections between forest remnants and watershed protection. For the Fragua area, a technical design that takes into account the analysis of forest fragmentation, has been conducted for the Sarabando river basin, covering 14.262 ha., in order to identify the best ecologically sensible alternatives for establishing such restoration areas, which will connect the Park with other regional or local protected areas. The environmental services analysis which will shortly begin in the area will profit from this studies.

The activities described have also considered the capacity building workshops or field trips as an important component for sustainability in the future. The topics are clearly related to production, but are complemented by a vision on the land use planning from local to a wider scale (farm, vereda, watershed, the region), to provide the networks necessary to consolidate such initiatives.

3. CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS

3.1 Challenges met during the reporting period

The negotiation of the final products and relevant targets with the local operators, stemming from the proposals originally submitted and approved in the last quarter, was a process in which many factors had to be considered by the local operators. These elements, over which much discussion was done, covered the indicators pertaining to the program (many operators would rather have their own indicators!); the market value of services, supplies and materials for any action included in the proposals (high variation according to the cluster area); the eligibility of certain activities in agreement with the program’s components, their expected impact and other proposals already carrying out similar activities, among other subjects. 3.2 Major constraints faced during the reporting period

Towards the end of the quarter, several proposals were ready for signing contracts, but some of them could not proceed because the responsibility studies were not concluded. Support from the administrative assistant for the Andes nororientales region was given, but it was not enough for getting through with the audit preparations at the same time. This situation implied that some of these processes had to wait for the next period, avoiding higher execution at this time. 3.3 Challenges expected for the next quarter

1. Studying proposals and subscribing the remaining contracts for infrastructure construction, installation or repairs in the cluster areas. 2. Giving the final approval for the Katíos proposal and proceed with the necessary paperwork for signing an agreement. 3. Conveying the request for proposal aimed for the peasant communities in the Clavos river area in the Sierra Nevada, evaluate and proceed to sign a contract. 3. Emphasizing an effective execution with a higher amount of payments both for local operators and the NPU. 3. Identifying with the Direction and technical sub-direction at NPU, USAID and the direction at Patrimonio Natural the strategic products originating from the Conservation Landscapes concept in its present application and the former Mosaicos experience as a relevant strategy for its wider application in the National Parks Unit. 5. Continuing the meetings and consolidation of agreements with other allies such as Acción Social for joint or complementary activities in selected areas such as the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, taking into consideration its implementation as a pilot which can be extended to other areas in their action plan.

4. DETAILED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD

4.1 Grants process for local operators

A total of 8 contracts for local operators were signed during this period. One of them is for the Cocuy area, two for the Sierra Nevada, two for Catatumbo and three for Utría. At the end of the period, still some details had to be fixed in three further proposals, so they were scheduled for the beginning of the year. Although the Katíos proposal was reviewed and presented to the CTC in december, some aspects were still lacking information for approval, so this process will be completed in the next quarter. 4.2 Implementation of activities in the clusters The liaison officer and the CLP coordinator reviewed a total of 96 applications for activities from the NPU during this quarter, mostly for executing workshops, meetings, field trips and other matters, especially from the parks. Some contracts for technical personnel and infrastructure were also processed. The extent of these activities and results obtained will be examined for each cluster area, including activities executed by local operators. Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Flamencos

The ecotourism planning process was finished for the Flamencos area, located in Guajira, to the northeast of the Sierra Nevada. Details have been given in the section of significant achievements, and the next steps will be to implement the recommendations obtained from this study. A meeting held with the new financial and administrative sub-direction at the NPU indicated that a thorough analysis of the situation in Flamencos was in effect, with the purpose of redirecting some activities towards solving the problems identified in the area, such as the impacts derived from the people living in the area, the potential of ecotourism for community development, the constraints identified by water scarcity in this dry region, sedimentation processes affecting the coastal lake, and possible solutions. They asked for a meeting in the next quarter, in which some recommendations would be available.

Meanwhile, the technical personnel in the Sierra, supported by the NPU’s professionals, have very actively begun a diagnosis of productive systems and potential areas for natural regeneration or active restoration systems, to be implemented as part of the first component of the program in the Lengüeta Sector, in the northern part of the Sierra and within the Park area. The technical personnel in charge of compiling this data were trained for this task. In order to carry out this work, the peasant (Perico Aguao, Don Diego and Marquetalia) and indigenous communities (Arhuacos at Bunkuimake) participated in workshops and meetings where they were acquainted with the restoration and sustainable production systems strategy and agreements for implementation were validated. Some young participants in an ecological group were trained for bird watching and identification of native species in the area, and other

students learned about the important conservation values in the area. Also, fishers in Marquetalia were instructed on vulnerable species, as a preparation for further capacity building for agreements on use and management of natural resources.

Related to the above, the local operators from the Wiwa and Arhuaco communities began their activities by designing their work plan with the relevant stakeholders, with the general objective of establishing sustainable production systems and conservation initiatives within the indigenous perspective. The areas selected for developing this project for the Wiwa people are located in the northeastern portion of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in the upper Ranchería River region, in specifically in the Barcino River basin and the “veredas” El Barcino, El Limoncito, Sabana Grande y la Rinconá. For the Arhuaco people, the area for implementation is Nabusímake, where the priority activities are the protection of watersheds, food security and recovery of traditional seeds, and institutional strengthening of the indigenous authorities and the local school.

Complementary actions regarding the monitoring and evaluation, and the control and surveillance strategies, for its application as local action plans in the Park areas, were implemented with the Dirección Territorial Caribe and the managers for the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Tayrona, Flamencos, Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Los Colorados and Vía parque Isla de Salamanca protected areas, with support from the central Parks office.

Fragua NNP

This Park has been executing the activities as planned, including those for sustainable production systems, restoration and institutional strengthening. Concerning the former, capacity building workshops were carried out with local communities for cocoa plantations and taking GPS readings for 25 plots identified as priority zones for the implementation of production systems. This exercise complemented the work carried out by Fundación Esawá, a local institution that is designing ecologically sound connections that will contribute in the land use planning and implementation by the Park. The local participants were trained in land use planning and farm planning according to the general design for the Río Sarabando watershed.

For the establishment of the sustainable production systems, Amazon Conservation Team continued their previous work by characterization in 17 veredas, in a participative exercise with 200 families, in which they analyzed their current situation and their future expectations about their territory and their well-being, also with the help of maps (before and today) related to the changes in the land use. This was completed by a socio-economic survey and interviews in each farm for 230 families in 34 veredas. This represents the 60% of the 382 families which are the target of ACT’s project in this area. This information was also verified by GPS readings of schools, farms, “veredas”, houses and resguardos. A diagnosis of the level of organization was carried out for two veredas, one in each of the municipalities (San José del Fragua and Belén de los Andaquíes). There have been some advances in participative land use planning, as for the San Luis river watershed, with the local inhabitants.

Capacity building has also proceeded in agroforestry, organic fertilization and production, with technicians, local promoters, university students, and people from the veredas where sustainable production will be established.

The communications area has prepared some videos on the activities of the project, as a part of the systematization of the project. A film forum allowed explaining the audience about ACT, their work in the area and the communities involved, and some advances of the project on sustainable production systems. The communications specialist went to the Tercer Encuentro Regional de Seguridad Alimentaria y Economía Solidaria, as an opportunity to generate new alliances with organizations. A booklet on best practice and management for productive systems and soil protection was delivered.

The Park technicians, supported by the professionals from the central office, have been adjusting the research plan for this area and carrying out the harmonization with the research plan for the Amazon Territorial Office and the National Research Strategy.

The third Local Coordination Committee was held in December, in which all stakeholders, institutional and local organizations are called for follow-up and socialization of advances. In this case it was considered a preliminary meeting, because not all participants were able to attend, so a delegation from WWF, the Park manager, personnel from the Territorial Direction for Amazonia and from the program’s coordination reviewed the results obtained for this quarter and some methodological aspects for the ecosystem services proposal to be implemented shortly.

This cluster includes the Guácharos and Doña Juana protected areas, where the local research plans were examined with the help from the central parks office. A similar process was carried out for the environmental education action plan, for which only an adjustment is needed after reviewing. In this matter, the Alto Fragua Park will begin a stakeholder identification exercise, which will enhance the dissemination of sustainable practices and the conservation of important ecosystem services for local communities, such as the watersheds used for local aqueducts. The Doña Juana Park finished the control and surveillance activities, the local communications strengthening and the monitoring of important conservation objects, with significant advances in these topics, partly explained in the indicators (monitoring and control and surveillance). For the communications area, 52 radio programs were produced and broadcasted, covering environmental education, watershed protection, buffer zones, sustainable production systems and control and surveillance. A total of 216 interviews with different stakeholders were carried out to produce the programs.

Utría NNP

This park has begun the establishment of community plots for sustainable production for food security, planting corn in three community plots. The three communities have schools where small plots have been installed for the production of herbs, manioc and fruit, mostly to build conscience among the students. These actions are complemented by the nurseries located in Puerto Indio and Jurubidá, where native trees are being propagated for the restoration and sustainable production processes, such as the restoration of the banks of the Chorí River, by planting 350 “pichindé” saplings. Other useful plants and trees have been planted in a plot selected for active restoration and natural regeneration.

The main economic activities in the region, which are fishing and ecotourism, are the focus of the three local operators contracts signed in this period. A total of seven local organizations were supported by Fundación Natura, Marviva and Red Colombia Verde, according to the thematic strengths and previous relations in the area. F.Natura will work with five organizations, including the regional Consejo Mayor Los Delfines and the local Consejo El Cedro, along with the Caguama group (turtle monitoring, protection and ecotourism); the Grupo Refugio de Fauna (an area for the protection of animals); Tío Tigre (ecotourism service providers); and Mujeres en Progreso (food security production in traditional “zotea” home gardens). Marviva works with local and regional fishing groups, such as “Piqueros” in the northern area of the Tribugá Gulf, and also with the Consejo Comunitario Riscales and local organizations to continue the protection of mangroves and reach responsible fishing agreements for the whole Tribugá Gulf. Red Colombia Verde will strengthen the Mano Cambiada organization, a service provider in ecotourism and manager of the Park Concession in the Utría Inlet. Several meetings both in the Utría region and Bogotá have shown that this group of organizations is willing to cooperate to obtain better results for the program as a whole. In this period, work plans were delivered, having been socialized with the relevant local stakeholders.

A control and surveillance workshop was held, with the participation of the Dirección Territorial Pacífico, the park managers for Utría, Katios, Sanquianga, Uramba, Farallones de Cali, Munchique, and SFF Malpelo, to examine the national strategy and the respective action plans for this regional office area of the pacific.

Catatumbo NNP

The sustainable production strategy has been applied for carrying out an examination of potential areas for establishment of plots in agroforestry, silvo-pastoral areas, home gardens, nurseries and locations where fencing may protect vulnerable areas and promote natural regeneration. The Shubacbarina, Asacbarinayra, Ocb babura, Pathuina, Bubucanina and Batroctora areas were examined for this objective. The identification of local species of cultural importance has progressed, in order to propagate these species which are used for construction

and ceremonial purposes. Cocoa plantations that need rehabilitation have been identified and phyto-sanitary needs identified.

The local operators which have already signed contracts have begun their activities by submitting a participative work plan. Proempresas has defined the locations for the rehabilitation of cocoa plantations in the indigenous resguardo, with the help of the community leaders and the technicians. Faro del Catatumbo, a local organization working with displaced families, will establish sustainable production systems such as food security plots, silvo-pastoral systems for cattle and some cocoa plantations, for which they have submitted their detailed work plan. Funprocep, a regional NGO focused on education and capacity building will strengthen the indigenous association Asocbari, and will carry out educational activities with the leaders and young people of the Bari community for the land use planning in their territory and the transmission of knowledge between elders and younger members, also promoting local research according to their own topics of interest, and monitoring of natural resources important for their cultural survival.

As this Park has an important overlap with the Barí indigenous community, the research plan for this area has considered a different approach for the research strategy, in which local research from the indigenous perspective is promoted. Similarly, the research plan for this area will incorporate indigenous practice, of which the local Escuela Sadou is an important part. This initiative is a meeting place where traditional practice and training in topics useful to the Bari community is promoted. One of the local operators will be working closely towards strengthening this school.

Cocuy NNP

For this period, the main advances concern the ecotourism assessment. Other relevant actions were the participation of the technician in the workshop on methods for ecological restoration, which will be shortly applied in this area, and lessons learned from the systems established in the eastern part of the Sierra del Cocuy, in the municipality of Tame, an initiative funded by the Arauca Regional Government.

The research plan, which also pertains the monitoring and evaluation for plants (Frailejones in the Páramos) and glaciers (affected by climate change) which is being carried out in this area, was reviewed and adjusted. As a complement for these activities, the identification of stakeholders for environmental education was prepared.

One of the local operators, for which the area for implementation lies at the eastern buffer zone of the Park, in the municipality of Tame, began operations by identifying with the beneficiaries the potential farms for rehabilitating or planting organic coffee, as well as caring for the watersheds in the area. Some of the farms lie inside the Park or are otherwise not eligible, so further surveys will be done to complete the 46 families required.

Katíos NNP

The guidelines for designing the research plan for this area were socialized in a workshop with the Park’s technicians, where the professional explained the methods and phases for preparing, implementing, follow-up and feedback for this plan, according to the roadmap outlined in the National Research Strategy.

The Park’s personnel began their characterization of the fishing activity in the Tumaradó Ciénagas, and the social professional worked for the identification of relevant stakeholders for the park’s activities in the surrounding area. A technician had been hired for characterizing the production systems in the area, but the results were not obtained and work did not continue in this line of action.

The construction services for several repairs in cabins for control and surveillance have received several proposals, which were evaluated with the help of the infrastructure office at the NPU. Some calls for proposals were declared void and an alternative route is being examined by the NPU.

4.3 Communications activities: Success stories

Historia Exitosa Diciembre de 2010

Santuario de Flora y Fauna los Flamencos

Ecoturismo para todos

Ríoacha, Guajira. El Santuario de Flora y Fauna (SFF) Los Flamencos, ubicado en el departamento de Guajira, al norte de Colombia, alberga la colonia de flamencos rosados más importante de este país. Sus lagunas y playas, además de alimentar y proteger a estas vistosas aves, motivaron a su declaración como área protegida en 1977. Sus 7000 hectáreas fueron a su vez, declaradas Patrimonio Natural y Cultural de los colombianos en 1992 por el Ministerio de Cultura.

Los relictos de bosque seco y muy seco tropical, las lagunas y PPC / SSF Los Flamecos / Ximena Galeano. el área marina que lo circundan, Antonio Ñate es guardaparque voluntario del SSF Los Flamencos. son el hogar de diferentes comunidades indígenas de la etnia Wayúu, quienes desde sus tradiciones enriquecen este paisaje y lo convierten en un punto estratégico para el ejercicio de actividades lícitas sostenibles como el Ecoturismo.

En este sentido, el Programa Paisajes de Conservación, financiado por la Agencia de Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID), , invierte para posicionar esta actividad como una estrategia de gestión para el Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (Sinap).

“Para realizar un ejercicio del turismo responsable como una actividad lícita que genere ingresos a las comunidades y a la vez aporte al posicionamiento de las áreas protegidas, es necesario ordenar los atractivos turísticos identificados en cada una de ellas y al mismo tiempo determinar el número de turistas y los impactos que ellos pueden tener sobre los diferentes espacios. De esta forma, Parques Nacionales Naturales, viene desarrollando herramientas metodológicas y conceptuales (Planes de ordenamiento ecoturistico, estudios de capacidad de carga y monitoreo de impactos) donde el potencial de ecoturismo representa una oportunidad para todos”, explicó Javier Castiblanco, profesional de monitoreo del desempeño del Programa Paisajes de Conservación.

En el caso del SFF Los Flamencos, la implementación de estas herramientas metodológicas ha permitido la vinculación y formación de los estudiantes de la Institución Educativa Rural, quienes como parte de su servicio social obligatorio, cumplen las funciones de guardaparques voluntarios, apoyando además la generación de información técnica necesaria.

“Hemos recibido capacitación para apoyar a los funcionarios del SFF en la atención al turista. Como parte del trabajo conjunto que adelantan Parques con la institución educativa, hemos realizado encuestas que nos permiten conocer el perfil de los visitantes más frecuentes y de igual forma, conocemos cuáles son sus necesidades”, comenta Antonio Ñate, miembro del grupo de 10 guardaparques voluntarios de esta promoción.

Luis Antonio Robles, profesor de la Institución educativa comenta que hoy cuentan con más de 60 estudiantes formados en temas básicos sobre atención al turista y conservación de recursos naturales. Por ello, le apunta en el largo plazo a la creación del bachillerato técnico con énfasis en ecoturismo, debido a la vocación de la zona y al perfil de actividades que esta región puede ofrecer a los jóvenes.

“El sentido de compromiso, el nivel de entusiasmo y la calidad del trabajo que estos estudiantes ofrecen en la práctica del ecoturismo es un importante potencial que debemos aprovechar en la Guajira. Si formamos a estos jóvenes, tendremos la oportunidad de conservar nuestra riqueza y de generar una actividad productiva que permita que nuestros jóvenes se queden en su tierra”.

Gerardo López Vargas, planificador de espacios naturales para el ecoturismo de Parques Nacionales Naturales, destaca seis espacios para el aprovechamiento del ecoturismos en el área protegida: el sendero Los Arranchaderos (3250 m), el sendero Maitsirrutshi (875 m), la laguna Navío Quebrado (901 hectáreas de ambiente estuarino), el centro de visitantes los mangles (ubicado al extremo noroccidental de la laguna Navio Quebrado), y las posadas eco-etno turísticas de las rancherías Tocoromana y Loma Fresca.

En promedio, El SFF Los Flamencos recibe cerca de 17 mil visitantes en temporada baja (septiembre) y cuenta con importantes escenarios donde se puede realizar avistamiento de aves, de tortugas y caminatas, además de playas donde realizar actividades acuáticas como careteo, buceo y natación con aletas, canotaje, etc.

“Los atractivos naturales de la región como los flamencos, las tortugas y los paisajes, sumados al potencial de los jóvenes y de las comunidades locales, constituyen una oportunidad para el desarrollo de una actividad sostenible que contribuya al desarrollo de la región”, complementó López.

Es así, que el Programa Paisajes de Conservación contribuye al ordenamiento ambiental y territorial de las áreas protegidas, apoyando al mismo tiempo procesos de capacitación y generación de alternativas licitas sostenibles en las áreas de influencia de los Parques Nacionales Naturales.

Para mayor información:

María Ximena Galeano M. Comunicadora social Programa Paisajes de Conservación Financiado por USAID [email protected]

Guianza e interpretación: mensajes clave para el posicionamiento de las áreas protegidas

Historias y Paisajes Octubre de 2010

Guianza e interpretación: mensajes clave para el posicionamiento de las áreas protegidas

Pereira, Colombia. Son las 9 am y es hora de iniciar un recorrido guiado por los funcionarios del Santuario de Flora y Fauna Otún Quimbaya, ubicado en la zona cafetera de la cordillera central de este país.

“Buenos días, mi nombre es Guido López, funcionario del Santuario de Flora y Fauna Otún Quimbaya. El recorrido que haremos durará cerca de 15 minutos; reconoceremos la flora propia del bosque que nos rodea. Pero antes de comenzar quiero hacer algunas recomendaciones: estaremos bajo el sol y es importante protegernos con una gorra y con bloqueador, llevar una bebida hidratante y en lo posible usar algún repelente para los mosquitos”.

El grupo está compuesto por tres turistas que acaban de llegar al © Programa Paisajes de Conservación / Santuario de Fauna y flora Otún Santuario, una funcionaria de Parques Quimbaya / Ximena Galeano. De acuerdo con Jon Khol, si un Parque Nacionales y por Jon Khol, instructor desea desarrollar una experiencia particular, debe primero interpretarla. de guianza e interpretación del patrimonio en áreas protegidas.

Al iniciar el recorrido, las guaduas y las bromelias se confunden con el olor a tierra húmeda y en la primera parada del sendero, aprendemos que “Otún Quimbaya es el escenario perfecto para observar una gran diversidad de especies de aves, mariposas y pequeños mamíferos. La topografía es muy variada, con laderas donde se puede observar la palma de cera y ríos cristalinos de belleza singular”.

En este momento, Petronila, una integrante del grupo, se oculta del sol y nuestro guía le pregunta si necesita una gorra. Al instante se la facilita y Petronila vuelve a escuchar cómodamente la información que nos brindan.

“Esta es una zona de transición entre la selva subandina y la selva andina, de la misma manera hace parte junto con el Parque Regional Natural Ucumari de la zona de Amortiguación del Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados”.

Seguimos el recorrido y no deja de sorprendernos la diversa forma de las hojas de los árboles que nos rodean, la abundancia de agua en la zona y la tranquilidad que se respira a cada paso. Al terminar, nuestro guía nos muestra dónde encontramos la cafetería y cómo podemos involucrarnos en algunas acciones que favorezcan a la conservación de esta importante área protegida.

Entonces Jon Khol, consultor y coordinador para la planificación de Uso Público del Programa de Turismo Sostenible del Centro de Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO, agradece al funcionario y toma notas en su libreta de apuntes, y comenta que éste es el tercer recorrido realizado en el día,

como parte final de la capacitación de Guías Intérpretes para los Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia.

Este ejercicio busca contribuir a la prestación de un servicio con calidad y satisfacción a los visitantes, para fortalecer los procesos del programa de ecoturismo de las áreas protegidas priorizadas en por el Programa Paisajes de Conservación, financiado por la Agencia de Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID).

La capacitación tuvo lugar del 7 al 16 de octubre con la participación de funcionarios de ecoturismo del Santuario de Flora y Fauna Los Flamencos, la Dirección Territorial del Caribe, el Parque Guácharos-Puracé, el Parque El Cocuy, la Dirección Territorial de los Andes Orientales, el Parque Tayrona, © Programa Paisajes de Conservación / Santuario de Fauna y flora Otun el Parque Utría, el Santuario Quimbaya / Ximena Galeano. “Es importante elaborar los mensajes que entreguemos para impactar mucho más a los visitantes de las áreas protegidas”, de Flora y Fauna Otún Luz Viviana Madrid, Asociación Intérpretes Ambientales Soledad de Montaña Quimbaya y el parque Doña Juana Cascabel. Además de la Asociación Intérpretes Ambientales Soledad de Montaña.

Clara Osorio, profesional especializada en ecoturismo, nos explica que para Parques Nacionales Naturales es de vital importancia la formación de intérpretes del patrimonio para impulsar de manera dedicada y permanente los procesos de planeación de los servicios de ecoturismo en las áreas protegidas, con el fin de contribuir de manera directa a la gestión de las mismas y a su posicionamiento en diferentes audiencias.

Al terminar el día, luego de 14 recorridos, algunos participantes comparten sus experiencias a lo largo de esta capacitación. Oswaldo Díaz del Parque Guácharos, dice “el primer día hicimos estos mismos recorridos, todo el tiempo nos grabaron en cámara de video…y la idea es que notemos la diferencia, de cómo llegamos y cómo nos vamos después de una importante jornada de capacitación”.

Para Jon, orientador de esta actividad, la clave de ser un buen intérprete del patrimonio consiste en tomar los elementos que el área protegida y su contexto nos ofrece, para interpretarlos y enviarlos como mensajes a los visitantes, de tal manera que se sientan impactados y tomen acciones favorables para la gestión de las áreas protegidas.

“Entender el poder de un mensaje bien pensado es la esencia de tener una comunicación estratégicamente estructurada para conducir al visitante de un estado de apreciación somera a

uno más profundo, así como a un nivel y un estado del tiempo en el que el visitante añora y decide participar en la gestión de un área protegida”.

Para ello, la capacitación incluyó temas como importancia del mensaje, guión para estructurar una presentación interpretativa; algunos ejemplos de guiones, consejos para el uso de presentaciones, manejo de grupos, entre otros.

Al cierre de este encuentro, y luego de ver el cambio de sus recorridos, algunos participantes expresaron que la diferencia entre un guía y un intérprete, consiste en que el primero brinda información sobre el recorrido y la zona visitada; y el segundo, además de brindar información, transforma su relato en un mensaje que invita a la realización de acciones favorables para la gestión de nuestras áreas protegidas.

Para Jon, Colombia es un país con un importante potencial ecoturístico, y sin desconocer las dificultades de orden público que lo aquejan, deberá resignificar su pasado para interpretar su presente desde la riqueza de su patrimonio natural y cultural; de ahí la importancia de las áreas protegidas en dicha tarea.

“Dar continuidad a esta iniciativas es importante para Parques Nacionales Naturales, pues además de impulsar la gestión en las áreas protegidas, promueve una de las actividades lícitas sostenibles con mayor proyección: el ecoturismo”, concluyó Inés Cavelier, coordinadora del Programa Paisajes de Conservación.

Anotación:

1. El Programa Paisajes de Conservación es una iniciativa de cooperación técnica y financiera, establecida entre la Agencia de Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID), Patrimonio Natural –Fondo para la Biodiversidad y Áreas Protegidas, y Parques Nacionales Naturales, que busca fortalecer la capacidad institucional y la gobernabilidad en las áreas protegidas y sus zonas aledañas para que en el largo plazo se logre la conservación de la diversidad natural y cultural, al tiempo que se mejoran las condiciones de vida de las comunidades que habitan las áreas protegidas priorizadas por Paisajes de Conservación.

Para mayor información:

María Ximena Galeano M. Comunicadora social Programa Paisajes de Conservación [email protected]

4.4 PMP report on CLP activities

The activities reported in this document pertain to the three month period from October to December 2010. The target achieved is followed by a short explanation on the activities performed.

Program Indicator Until Sixth Achievement Total Target September Quarter until July 2012 30, 2010 Achievement December 31 2010 1. Number of families benefited 0 82 82 680 with sustainable productive systems

The advance in this indicator refers to the preparatory actions executed in Catatumbo and complementary actions implemented in Utria NNP. In the first one, cocoa, agroforestry species and traditional productive plots have been identified, designed and prepared, waiting for the environmental approval in order to acquire tools and materials to fulfill this plan. Also, the identification of plots has begun in order to rehabilitate former cocoa plantations. The selection of the culturally important species, which will be recruited and planted, has been done for a tree (Tructrú) used for the construction of traditional houses and a plant species (Mamañogba) used for body painting in ceremonial occasions. All of these activities have been done with indigenous Bari communities in Catatumbo.

The situation in the Utría area has benefited from the complementary actions of other projects which are a counterpart for this program. These have been progressing, as traditional plots (corn plantations) have been sowed with Embera communities according to traditional practice. Some schools in the area have small plots (home gardens) for educational purposes where herbs and fruit are planted. In the indigenous communities of Puerto Indio and Jurubidá there are two nurseries where propagation of native trees has been carried out for restoration purposes. The technical officers hired by the CLP for this area have provided assistance for these initiatives.

Cocuy, Alto Fragua and Sierra Nevada NNPs have also carried out a “sustainable productive systems route”, according to the standard methodology defined by the NPU. The steps of this route begin with the identification of the families to be benefited with sustainable productive systems, then the definition of the productive system type according to social, cultural and biophysical aspects, followed by the implementation and finally the definition of a monitoring and evaluation process. For Alto Fragua, 45 families are waiting for the environmental approval in order to implement the productive systems identified. These protected areas are ready for the implementation phase of the route and a meaningful advance in this indicator is expected for the next period, according to the targets defined for this second year of CLP implementation.

Program Indicator Until September Sixth Quarter Achievement Total Target 30, 2010 Achievement until July 2012 December 31 2010 2. Number of micro-enterprises, 22 21 43 29 cooperatives, associations and other community organizations supported

The advance in this indicator should be read not only by itself, but also with those indicators related to local participation and benefits received by CLP implementation (indicators 8 and F2). This advance reflects the positive impact of CLP activities performed not only by the NPU but also by local operators in the clusters.

The main organizations supported by the CLP in this period have been the Afrocolombian Councils, Indigenous associations and other local organizations as beneficiaries of NPU activities related to the three components of the Work Plan. Such activities were, for instance, training workshops in sustainable landscape use techniques, land restoration, control and surveillance and environmental education. Some other activities were related with SINAP and SIRAP’s strengthening (Acuerdo Uramba), the process of declaration of new protected areas with the participation of local organizations (Bahia Malaga and Bosques Secos de Cúcuta processes), implementation of the fauna and flora monitoring program (Indigenous Resguardos in Utria National Park), etc.

In total, there have been 30 meetings or workshops focused on capacity building, 90% percent of them carried out by the NPU, which shows the level of commitment to benefit not only local communities but also the institutional strengthening for the NPU (People from 18 National Natural parks have been trained with CLP support).

Program Indicator Until Sixth Quarter Total Total Target September Achievement Achievement July 2012 30, 2010 until December 31 2010 3. Number of hectares with 0 24 24 8.500 sustainable production processes

The advance reported in this indicator is consistent with the one reported in indicator 2, since the hectares with sustainable production processes have been prepared in Catatumbo NNP (10 ha. of cocoa and traditional crops plots) where the areas identified in the diagnostic phase are ready for execution when the environmental approvals are in effect. Within the Utría Park, the river banks of the Chorí river, within the Jurubidá-Chorí Resguardo, had been deforested due to unsustainable production practices, so in this area 7 ha. of native tree plantings have been restored; also 7 ha. of corn plantations have been established according to traditional indigenous practice.

Program Indicator Until September Sixth Quarter Total Total Target 30, 2010 Achievement Achievement July 2012 until December 31 2010 4. Progress in the 3 points (5% 2 points 5 points (25% 16 points implementation of the advance in the advance in the (80% advance National Parks Unit implementation implementation in the strategic plan of strategic of strategic implementation programs in programs in of strategic programs in the cluster the cluster the cluster areas’ Parks areas’ Parks areas’ Parks)

The advance reported is related to the accomplishment of activities (Special management strategies) in Cocuy, Catatumbo, Utría, Katios and Alto Fragua Indiwasi NNPs. Such activities are workshops and meetings with indigenous communities (Cocuy, Catatumbo, Utría and Alto Fragua Indiwasi) in order to set up and implement territorial and environmental management agreements.

NNP Utria and NNP Katios have been working with afro descendant organizations in the implementation of the “Uramba Process” which seeks to define land use planning in those afro descendant territories adjoining the protected areas.

Although the way of measuring this target does not allow reporting more advances, there are some activities in the other three strategic lines, such as:

* Ecotourism planning: Utria, Cocuy and Flamencos NNP have already finished their local ecotourism planning documents which should be officially approved in order to begin with the monitoring process of carrying capacity and impacts associated with ecotourism activities.

* Control and surveillance: NPU finished the “National control and surveillance strategy” document and the protected areas teams are finishing their local strategies, and some of them are already applying such strategies and measuring the extent of this surveillance, as will be explained for indicator F1.

* Research: NPU finished the “National Research Strategy for the NPU” document and the protected areas teams are finishing their local strategies, including the definition of research priorities to be covered by CLP activities.

Program Indicator Until September Sixth Quarter First Year Total 30, 2010 Achievement Achievement Target July 2012 5. Number of monitoring 2 new 2 new 4 new 24 new processes of conservation Objects monitoring monitoring monitoring monitoring implemented in the 6 prioritized processes process processes. processes national parks

This quarter achievement consists of two new monitoring processes, which are being implemented in the Complejo Volcánico Doña Juana Cascabel NNP (Alto Fragua Indiwasi Cluster). The first one is the monitoring of three species of migratory and endangered birds (Anas georgica, Anas cyanoptera, Podiceps occipitalis ) and the second one is related with an endemic species plant (Pentacalia fimbriifera)

The three bird’s species are endangered ducks (EN, according to IUCN categories), mostly because of the disappearance of their habitat, which are the wetlands in the high altitudes of the Andean region in Colombia. The Doña Juana area still provides highland lakes and it is important to monitor these places to identify feeding and nesting sites; this identification allows NP personnel to protect not only these species (at the global level), but those special places in the ecosystem they use.

The presence of the endemic plant Pentacalia fimbriifera implies that the Complejo Volcánico Doña Juana Cascabel NNP offers a high potential for its conservation, and the monitoring process seeks to identify its distribution, so NP personnel can take actions to preserve the habitat where Pentacalia fimbriifera thrives.

According to the meetings held with the NPU’s sub-direction and technical personnel, new monitoring priorities for the six Parks in the clusters will be established by March 2011, as part of the monitoring route previously defined and taking into account that for most of them this is a new strategic line. According to this plan, the third year of CLP will attain 16 new monitoring processes in the six protected areas, most of them related to the main activities supported by the program, such as forest restoration, sustainable production systems and landscape use, and carrying capacity for ecotourism.

Program Indicator Total Target July 2011

6. Percentage of improvement in Increase of short term efficiency the management of protected areas index according to AEMAPPS according to the AEMAPPS index methodology

According to the reference sheet the methodology will be applied again in June 2011, where a report will be issued.

Program Indicator Total Target July First Year Until September 30, 2012 Target 2010 7. Variation of the percentage of Increase of the Not specified Increase of the ecosystems represented in the current percentage current percentage SINAP (52%).

There has been no further advance since the declaration of the Bahía Málaga Park. The actual measurement by the NPU of the percentage of increase in ecosystems represented in the Sinap is the following:

25.88 % of the Buenaventura eco-region, that includes: littorals, mud flats liable to flooding, soft and rocky sea bed and estuary pelagic system (Neritic). Additionally, there are 0.011% of insular edge mangrove ecosystems. The percentages have been calculated based on the Map for marine, coastal and continental ecosystems of Colombia (IDEAM et. al 2007).

Program Until September Sixth Quarter Total Achievement Total Target July Indicator 30, 2010 Achievement until December 31 2012 2010 8. Participation of 124 people from 19 70 people from 5 194 people from 24 80% (From 500 local communities local organizations local organizations local organizations to 900 people in biodiversity are qualified in are qualified in are qualified in from different conservation different thematic different thematic different thematic local activities components of components of components of organizations are NPU planning with NPU planning with NPU planning with strengthened to the support of the support of the support of represent the CLP. CLP. CLP. interests of the AND community and 88 people from 5 AND to participate in different local 88 people from 5 planning organizations are different local processes and qualified or organizations are agreements for strengthened to qualified or biodiversity represent the strengthened to conservation. interests of the represent the AND community and to interests of the From 500 to 900 participate in community and to people from planning processes participate in different local and agreements on planning processes organizations are biodiversity and agreements on qualified in the conservation. biodiversity different thematic conservation components of NPU planning

The advance reported for this indicator is related to the following activities:

70 people from five different peasant organizations were qualified by Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta NNP personnel in land restoration and productive activities.

88 people from five different community organizations were qualified by Los Guacharos NNP personnel (Alto Fragua Indiwasi cluster) in Ecotourism Planning.

Program Indicator Until Sixth Achievement Total Target September 30, Quarter until December July 2012 2010 Achievement 31 2010 F-1 indicator: Number of hectares 47.094 870 47.964 83.000 under improved natural resource management as a result of USG assistance

The sixth quarter achievement consists of 870 hectares which have been now included under control and surveillance activities by the Complejo Volcánico Doña Juana Cascabel NNP personnel (Alto Fragua Indiwasi Cluster).

Program Indicator Until Sixth Quarter Total Total Target September 30, Achievement Achievement July 2012 2010 until December 31 2010 F-2 indicator: Number of people 796 532 1.328 6.500 receiving USG supported training in natural resources management and/or biodiversity conservation

As reported for indicators Nos. 2 and 8, this achievement reflects a positive impact of CLP implementation among local organizations, including peasant, indigenous and afro descendant communities. Most of the activities have been executed by NPU personnel, but in this period there have been some actions implemented by local operators such as Fundación Natura (Utria NNP).

Though the total number of people trained include more male than female (860 vs. 468), it reflects the kind of topics treated in the workshops and meetings, as many of them relate to activities where customary practice involves men, such as the composition of afro descendant Councils; another example is the monitoring of forest species, a space pertaining to the male dominion, as is the tending of agroforestry plots.

5. LESSONS LEARNED DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD

The most important lesson learned during this period is as follows: 1. During the negotiation and the beginning of activities with local operators some situations were detected concerning some lack of knowledge regarding the present context in the regions concerned. Such current appraisal could be critical for an effective implementation of actions as specified in the proposals. There was also a distance between the technical and methodological perspective and the actual conditions or potential for acceptance by communities in the respective areas. On the other hand, when a roots-based organization was concerned, some technical aspects which could promote a wider impact for the expected results were lacking or weak. In order to improve the potential for all of these proposals, and in preparation for the actual committee workshops scheduled to come afterwards, meetings were conducted between different organizations in each cluster, in which the work plans were known and the details of actual execution discussed between them. The targets for each project were also socialized and relative contributions examined, taking into account other actions already implemented by the parks’ personnel. As a result, a first step towards trusting relations between operators began to emerge, as well as a thorough understanding of complementary actions among them. The conceptual and inter- institutional basis for the Conservation Landscape was thus established, which in the future will continue by periodic meetings where consolidation and identification of synergies will be promoted. This situation was easily encouraged whenever the participants scarcely knew each other; while for others with a longer interaction history, much effort was needed to focus on the programmatic results, independently of former conflicts. In this case, additional care must be taken to document and validate each meeting and agreement reached.

6. LOOKING FORWARD: PROGRAM ACTIVITIES FOR THE NEXT QUARTER Table No. 1 - Schedule of activities (January-March 2011)

CLP - SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES JANUARY-MARCH 2011 No. AREA ACTIVITY PRODUCT DATE 1.1. Hire the replacement for the Contracts and grants specialist (key February 1 PIU team contracts and grants specialist personnel) approved and hired 2.1. Finish with the respective officers TOR's released and proposals January and the terms of reference for NPU's received February acquisitions of equipment and infrastructure 2.2. Contracts and acquisitions processes Evaluations made, responsibility January and for cross-cutting activities and Parks studies completed and contracts February under way signed for NPU infrastructure and equipment contracts NPU implementation 2.3. Report preparation for NPU Officials in charge of reporting January 2 of activities in activities preparing and delivering reports workplans 2.4. Operative committee meeting with Results and management issues Monthly NPU for revision of results and examined and actions planned for management issues application 2.5. Assisting the NPU, grantees and NPU's relevant officers and local January and local operators for compliance of operators trained and supported for February environmental regulations (training and environmental requirements assistance for filling in SIGA procedures and approval environmental revision forms)

2.6. Environmental requirements SIGA files included and approved by January to prepared and approved by MEO MEO March

3.1. Evaluating technical and financial Proposals evaluated in technical and February and relevance and requiring adjustments for financial terms, approved by CTC, March proposals from local operators: Cocuy, adjusted according to Catatumbo, Sierra Nevada recommendations 3.2. Present proposals for approval by Proposals considered and grants February and the CTC conferred by CTC March 3.3. Receive and evaluate reports for Reports evaluated and payments January to initial products from local operators approved March Local operators' grants 3.4. Environmental requirements Environmental requirements fulfilled January to 3 allocation process prepared and approved by MEO and PAS and approved by MEO. PAS March conducted for potential local operators conducted for local operators signing contracts: Cocuy, Katíos, Sierra 3.5. Prepare statement for local Statement prepared and issued February operator in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta 3.6. Reception and evaluation of Proposal received and evaluated February - proposals for Sierra Nevada de Santa March Marta

3.7. Meetings with local operators for Meetings held, questions cleared February- proposals' adjustments and explanation and proposals adjusted according to March of procedures for grants requirements 3.8.Preparation of grant documents for Local operators contracts signed and February- local operators contracts in Cocuy, in operation March Catatumbo and Sierra Nevada 4.1. Compiling data related to targets Data retrieval and report of activities January to Performance and results analysis. on PMP implementation. March Monitoring Plan 4.2. Support the grant evaluation Potential targets estimated February - 4 adjustments and process by assessing potential targets according to technical and financial March implementation for grant proposals submitted for options contained in grant proposals appraisal by the CLP 5.1. Web page contents approved and Web page in operation January to released March

5.2. Disseminate branding and marking Branding and marking manual February manual with concerned public distributed for its application by relevant audience Communications 5 strategy 5.3. Renew the waiver application for its Waiver application approved for the January to implementation approval by USAID relevant areas March 5.4. Revision and approval process for Broadcasting of radio programs by Weekly radio programs with the NPU the university radio network 5.5. Obtain and distribute information Information on the CLP January to on CLP's processes and results by disseminated by outreach materials March different media to the general public 6.1. Prepare a document for an Delivery of document for January to amendment related to the branding and amendment approval process by March 6 SoW amendment marking manual, as required by USAID USAID

8.1. Release TOR’s for CLP's mid-term Proposals for audit received and January to audit and evaluate proposals evaluated, selected firm hired and March Programming and audit begun 7 executing mid-term 8.2. Training for FPN's CLP team and Preliminary audit done and relevant January to audit officers in procedures for compliance actions taken March according to USAID regulations and application of preliminary internal audit

Table No. 2: Local Operators Schedule for Proposal Evaluation/Approval

Type Place and date Evaluation Adjusted instrument/ Meeting with Deadline and CTC proposals Agreement PARK/CLUSTER number Release operators RFA due approval ready signed CLP-APS-007- 2010 16 Sierra Nevada (campesino February Valledupar, February 21 March 22 March de Santa Marta communities) 2011 2011 2011 2011 30 Mar.11 15 Apr.11