Colombia

This Amazonian department of Colombia is home of thousands of species of wildlife including spectacular reptiles and amphibians. ACA wants to support one scientific research group from Amazonia University that are working in the field with native species with funding for their research and field equipment.

This Colombian department has had one of the worst cases of deforestation in recent decades in Colombia and most of its biodiversity is in peril right now. Urgent actions are needed in the future to restore damaged ecosystems.  ACA wants to support one scientific research group from Amazonia University that are working in the field understanding this situation by funding for their research and field equipment.

The community of Atuncela in Valle del Cauca Department got recently a workshop about the basics on Ecotourism. We want them to achieve better results on their project as they want to use this sustainable economic activity to have a low impact on the local population of the Cauca poison frog (Andinobates bombetes), an endangered poison frog they want to protect and use as symbol of their commitment.  ACA wants to support them funding further training and also with equipment for receiving and guiding tourists.

Nariño is the home for one of the prettiest jewels of the rainforest, the Diablito poison frog (Oophaga sylvatica). This species among many others is threatened by the local deforestation and other human activities including poaching for the illegal international trade. We want to support local foundations their mission of purchasing hectares of well-preserved forests where this species and thousands more can thrive in protected reserves. Also, we want to fund a local education program with kids from the local school that will have this frog as a symbol of conservation of this incredibly rich forests.

In Caldas Department the deforestation situation outside of the National Natural Park Selva de Florencia is so advanced that many of its borderline is surrounded by pastures. This is not good news for one of the most diverse spots for frogs in the world. We want to support a project that wants to start the ecological restoration of the forest in private areas were pastures replaced high biodiversity Andean forests by creating a native trees nursery and supporting the community with funds to work on restoration instead of making clearings in the forest. We believe that thousands of plant and animal species can be protected using active conservation like this. We want also to support a conservation education project that includes workshops and educational elements to the local school.

At the Department of Tolima, Tesoros is supporting a coffee producing community that is protecting two endangered poison frogs that are not only native to the area but are endemic and not found anywhere else. The dotted and the Tolima poison frogs can become extinct in the next years if their habitat keeps being destroyed by human activities. We believe that supporting this project and its sustainable economic activity we can benefit human communities and ecosystems being this the basis of the active conservation.  ACA wants to support this sustainable coffee production and the ecosystem protection for these frogs and hundreds of other vulnerable species with the help of this very committed community. Also, this idea will be replicated in other places with similar activities and conservation needs.

In Cundinamarca, home of more than 10 million people (including Bogota) there is a big challenge to protect the remaining natural ecosystems that are always under pressure from human activities. We want to help several conservation educations projects that includes workshops and educational elements to schools surrounded by high biodiversity spots.