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| Fundación Natura Colombia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fundación Natura Colombia |
| Native name | Fundación Natura Colombia |
| Formation | 1973 |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Headquarters | Bogotá, Colombia |
| Region served | Colombia |
| Focus | Biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, environmental policy |
Fundación Natura Colombia
Fundación Natura Colombia is a Colombian environmental non-profit organization founded in 1973 dedicated to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable development across Colombia. It operates through field projects, policy advocacy, and partnerships with academic institutions, indigenous peoples, local communities, and international organizations to protect wetlands, forests, and freshwater resources. The foundation works within national frameworks and collaborates with regional entities to align conservation actions with climate policy, land-use planning, and sustainable livelihoods.
Fundación Natura Colombia emerged in 1973 amid a global rise in environmental movements linked to events such as the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and national conversations involving entities like the Instituto Alexander von Humboldt and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Early collaborations included projects with the World Wildlife Fund and the Conservation International network, focusing on Colombian bioregions such as the Amazon Rainforest, Andean Region, Chocó Biogeographic Region, and Orinoco Basin. Through the 1980s and 1990s Fundación Natura Colombia expanded field programs addressing river basin management in the Magdalena River, coastal wetland protection for the Caribbean Sea, and cloud forest conservation in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The organization adapted to national policy instruments including the National Environmental System (SINAP) and engaged with legislative processes tied to laws like the Colombian Constitution of 1991 and frameworks that influenced agencies such as the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Colombia). By the 2000s it strengthened ties with universities such as the Universidad de los Andes, the Universidad Javeriana, and international funders including the Global Environment Facility and the World Bank.
The foundation’s mission emphasizes conservation of biodiversity, restoration of degraded ecosystems, and promotion of sustainable livelihoods for communities in jurisdictions like the Amazonas Department, Antioquia Department, and Casanare Department. Objectives include protecting key habitats identified in assessments by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Convention on Biological Diversity, advancing conservation science through partners like the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and influencing policy processes within fora such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and regional platforms like the Andean Community. The organization prioritizes ecosystem services linked to watersheds such as the Cauca River and coastal zones along the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean littoral near cities like Barranquilla and Cartagena, Bolívar.
Fundación Natura Colombia implements programs across thematic areas: wetland conservation in basins like the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta; freshwater protection in tributaries of the Magdalena River; forest restoration in parts of the Amazon Rainforest and Andean cloud forests; and coastal resilience on the Pacific Coast of Colombia. Project partnerships have included the Global Water Partnership, the IUCN, the Wetlands International, and local authorities such as the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Atlántico (CRA). Initiatives have supported indigenous organizations such as the Asociación de Cabildos Indígenas del Norte del Cauca and Afro-Colombian communities represented by groups active in the Chocó Department. Technical collaboration has engaged research centers like the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute and international NGOs including the Nature Conservancy. Activities incorporate tools developed with institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank and monitoring approaches used by the Ramsar Convention.
The foundation’s governance includes a Board of Directors that incorporates representatives from academia, civil society, and conservation organizations, with executive management coordinating technical teams in biodiversity, social outreach, and policy. Institutional linkages are maintained with universities such as the Universidad del Valle and research networks like the Red Colombiana de Reservas Naturales de la Sociedad Civil, alongside municipal governments in Bogotá and regional authorities including the Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca. Administrative practices align with standards promoted by international donors such as the Ford Foundation and compliance bodies like the Organization of American States when engaging in multilateral projects.
Funding streams combine grants from multilateral sources such as the Global Environment Facility, bilateral donors like the United States Agency for International Development, philanthropic foundations including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and corporate partnerships with firms operating in sectors regulated by entities like the Superintendencia de Sociedades (Colombia). Project-level collaborations have included the European Union development instruments, technical assistance from the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, and co-financing with regional conservation trusts such as the Fondo Acción. Local funding partnerships have been established with municipal governments in cities like Pereira and Cali.
Fundación Natura Colombia has contributed to the establishment and management of protected areas and private reserves recognized by institutions such as the Alexander von Humboldt Institute and has supported conservation outcomes in landscapes across the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Los Katíos National Natural Park, and river corridors associated with the Magdalena River Basin. Achievements include restoration of riparian zones, community-led conservation agreements with indigenous and Afro-Colombian councils, and incorporation of ecosystem-service valuation in municipal planning in departments like Cundinamarca. Scientific outputs have been disseminated through collaborations with the Instituto de Investigaciones Ambientales del Pacífico and publications in regional platforms tied to the Latin American Network of Environmental Law.
The foundation and its projects have received recognitions from national and international bodies, including awards from environmental forums such as the United Nations Environment Programme initiatives, accolades in national biodiversity contests sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Colombia), and acknowledgments from conservation networks like the IUCN Regional Office for South America. Partner organizations and academic collaborators including the Universidad de Antioquia and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana have cited Fundación Natura Colombia’s role in capacity building and policy influence.
Category:Environmental organisations based in Colombia Category:Conservation in Colombia