Colombia’s exceptional páramos and forest ecosystems are being decimated by illegal deforestation, agricultural expansion, mining and charcoal production. More than half of the world’s páramos—high-altitude tropical regions above the timberline—are located in Colombia. They are incredibly important as biodiversity hotspots with a high number of endemic species that have adapted to unique conditions.

Páramos regulate water flow and store large amounts of carbon in the soil. Although páramos are protected by law in Colombia, illegal activities continue. Once destroyed, the ecosystems’ benefits to human communities and rare species will be gone forever.

Rainforest Trust has partnered with Fundación Suyusama to support the creation of the 40,110-acre Cerro Negro Regional Natural Park. Your generous support helps safeguard Colombia’s threatened biodiversity, Indigenous communities, and over 9.8 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalents that, if released, would equate to emissions from burning over 11 billion pounds of coal.

Save Vulnerable Species From Destructive Activities

The Cerro Negro region’s rich biodiversity is refuge to many vulnerable species. The Endangered North Shore Marsupial Frog is found in its moist forests and marshes. The Yellow-billed Pintail, Grey-breasted Mountain-toucan and Vulnerable Masked Mountain Tanager are well-adapted to this high-altitude ecosystem, as are the Endangered Mountain Tapir, Vulnerable Andean Bear, Vulnerable Dwarf Red Brocket and Culpeo, a species of South American fox. Yet this astounding biodiversity will continue to decline if deforestation and indiscriminate use of natural forest resources are allowed to persist.

Support Indigenous Resguardos to Protect Their Ancestral Lands

Páramos hold high spiritual and cultural value to Indigenous Peoples. Extensive engagement with three Indigenous Resguardos holding land tenure rights in the area will further protect sacred sites from outside threats. Resguardos are legally designated in Colombia to protect ancestral territories and the cultural and political autonomy of Indigenous communities. The establishment of the Cerro Negro Regional Natural Park will strengthen legal protections on the ground to halt illegal encroachment for agriculture, cattle grazing and extractive activities like mining.

Learn more about this project