This area, located within the municipality of Hato Corozal in the Department of Casanare, boasts rich biodiversity and is recognized for its exceptional concentration of fauna. The area is encompassed by the Ariporo and El Chire rivers, fostering diverse ecosystems including flooded savannas, forests, and wetlands. The proposed initiative focuses on 800 hectares, which can be expanded to up to 16,000 hectares in later stages. This project aligns with the preservation of critical forested areas, which is essential for water regulation, erosion control, and habitat conservation for endangered species.
This area hosts a diverse array of flora and fauna. The region’s flora includes various species adapted to savannas, forests, and wetlands, crucial for maintaining ecological balance. Likewise, an extensive range of fauna, including jaguars, anteaters, primates, reptiles, and birds, inhabit the area, contributing to its ecological richness.
One group of families has made enormous efforts to protect this area for decades, combining traditional ranching in the savanna with ecotourism activities in the jungle areas. But despite all their efforts, and the gaining of protection status over part of the area, the future of this ecosystem has been in jeopardy over the past few years due to the economic burden, and the fact that the younger generation of the families have moved to the cities. As a result, some family members are actively seeking opportunities to sell their land already. The families have long looked for a carbon offset alternative to support the continuous protection of this legacy.
Despite financial limitations, the families have collaborated with organizations like Panthera in scientific research in the area, contributing to understanding local ecosystems.
The initial conservation effort the families created, La Aurora Conservation Initiative, is part of the largest preserved area managed by civil society in Colombia, and represents a holistic approach to biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and community development, aimed at safeguarding Colombia’s natural heritage for future generations. The expansion of the protected area, the enhancing of the monitoring practices and technologies, and the creation of local awareness & education campaigns (for example on how to manage livestock successfully in an area that can occasionally be crossed by jaguars), are vital for enhancing conservation impact and incentivizing community involvement in the area. And at this point, carbon offsets are vital to save La Aurora as a whole, which will not only support conservation efforts but also foster community engagement and sustainable development in the whole region.
The La Aurora Conservation Initiative represents a holistic approach to biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and community development, aimed at safeguarding Colombia’s natural heritage for future generations. It is time to ensure this effort can be continued through the next generation and beyond.