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  • Conservando el patrimonio natural de la región neotropical : planificación y manejo de las áreas protegidas de la región neotropical
Conservando el patrimonio natural de la región neotropical : planificación y manejo de las áreas protegidas de la región neotropical

Conservando el patrimonio natural de la región neotropical : planificación y manejo de las áreas protegidas de la región neotropical

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1986

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Enhancing Local Climate Action: Strengthening Municipalities’ Strategic Climate Adaptation Planning and Financial Integration

Guatemala is considered as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, facing threats to water and food security as well as livelihoods. Despite this, climate action has received insufficient consideration in the country’s development agenda and local planning. 

To address these issues, the EbA-LAC program has collaborated with relevant institutional teams to establish a joint approach towards guiding municipalities in the incorporation of climate considerations into their planning and budgeting processes. Through advocacy actions, key  actors have updated the public investment system to include adaptation products, providing a procedural framework for municipalities to access funding and include adaptation measures in municipal budgets. In addition, by improving inter-institutional coordination, facilitating joint municipal planning tools, as well as strengthening municipalitechnical capacities, EbA-LAC has succeeded in paving the way for municipalities to leverage synergies towards an increased resilience.

The Huemul Trail: An example of conservation, social connection, and resilience in Cerro Castillo National Park

“La Senda del Huemul” is a conservation and environmental education initiative implemented in Cerro Castillo National Park (Aysén Region, Chile) with the aim of raising awareness of the critical situation of the huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), an endemic and endangered deer species, and to strengthen the link between local communities and the protected area. This project is the result of joint work between local park rangers, local organizations, the Advisory Council, and other relevant actors involved in the management of the National Park.

The trail was designed as a two-day trekking route that covers a significant section of the park, incorporating interpretive components and experiential activities so that participants can understand the threats facing the huemul, its biology, its habitat, and the importance of its conservation in relation to the Patagonian forests, meadows, and hills that sustain it. 

Through a recreational activity, it is possible to directly help protect the huemul.

FORMULATION OF THE FIRST MASTER PLAN FOR THE DORSAL DE NASCA NATIONAL RESERVE WITH FISHER ASSOCIATIONS' SUPPORT

The RNDN, created in 2021, is the largest Natural Protected Area in Peru (6,239,205.75 ha) and the only one focused exclusively on marine ecosystems. Located 105 km off the coast of Ica, it is a vital source of resources like giant squid, sharks, and flying fish eggs for fishers from Paita, Pisco, Marcona, and Matarani. Its creation was an unprecedented multisectoral process that involved various stakeholders and governmental institutions. In 2022, the San Andres Artisanal Fishers Syndicate led the RNDN management committee, and in 2023 the Master Plan’s terms of reference were approved. The first Master Plan was developed collaboratively with fishing organizations and stakeholders, setting strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of natural and cultural resources. This plan integrates commitments to protect marine species, including the “Blue Five” (in this case whales, sharks, turtles and dolphins), and recognizes the identity and knowledge of artisanal fishers as part of the sociocultural value of the NPA.

Training skills for successful Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) contract negotiations

The concept of legally binding contracts dates back over 4,000 years. It is based on well-established principles and practices in all legal systems on the planet. However, news challenges arise from the fact that the emerging frameworks to implement the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) adds atypical elements that have never before been addressed by contract law. An ABS contract is an agreement between governments, indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), researchers and / or companies regarding access to and use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. The main purpose is to ensure the sharing of benefits arising from subsequent use, application and commercialization. Although every ABS contract is unique in its benefit-sharing section, it nevertheless shares certain characteristics with ordinary contracts. The training aims at legal and technical experts dealing with biodiversity, research and development and commercial use of genetic resources.

The RAÍCES programme in Costa Rica: Promoting economic empowerment and biodiversity conservation through Indigenous-led sustainable tourism

Indigenous peoples living near protected areas in Costa Rica have limited access to livelihood opportunities, while logging, poaching, and other challenges have threatened biodiversity in the country. Indigenous entrepreneurship in sustainable tourism can generate local income and, at the same time, contribute to biodiversity conservation and cultural heritage protection. However, restricted access to credit, particularly among Indigenous women, prevents many from engaging in this sector. 

The Government of Costa Rica, with support from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched RAÍCES — a pioneering startup incubator that provides Indigenous-led sustainable tourism businesses with non-refundable seed capital, capacity building, and support to develop nature-positive business models. 

RAÍCES has mobilized USD 1,947,019.48 to support 40 Indigenous-led businesses (64% of them led by women), contributing to the sustainable management of 2,222 hectares of forest. 

Villavicencio Nature Reserve: a story of commitment and conservation on private land (Mendoza, Argentina)

In 1999, Danone acquired the Villavicencio mineral water brand and ownership of 64,000 hectares of land where the product originates. In line with the company’s objectives, it was voluntarily decided to dedicate this territory to private conservation.

Thus, in 2000, the Villavicencio Nature Reserve was created, the only privately managed reserve in the province.

As a food company, it was limited in its ability to carry out specific conservation actions. It was decided to conduct a pilot test with an external operator to see if it was feasible to generate tourism services. The test was positive. A business plan was developed and presented internally to the company, approved, and the Villavicencio Foundation was created in 2014 to professionalize and specialize the management of the area.

This allowed for progress on various projects and improved sustainability, with the challenge of sustaining the management and conservation costs of the protected natural area.

More than four million hectares protected, a sea of opportunities for conservation in the Colombian Pacific region

The Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary is a marine treasure covering 4.8 million hectares, located 490 km off the Colombian coast. But protecting such a vast area presents major challenges, especially when resources for its management are limited. This is where collaboration makes a difference! Thanks to relationships with various key players involved in managing the protected area, especially the strategic alliance with the Biodiversity Conservation Colombia Foundation through its Silky project, support is provided to the Malpelo SFF park rangers in their daily work of navigating Colombian waters to monitor and control illegal and illicit fishing, collect solid waste, conduct research and monitoring, and ensure responsible ecotourism. The results are amazing! Since 2018, these pressures have been reduced, promoting the increase of marine populations that are key to the health of the ecosystems of the Tropical Western Pacific.

Fishing and Responsible Tourism in the Gran Golfo de Chiriquí (GGCh)

Promoting fishing, responsible tourism, and marine-coastal conservation through the use of low-impact fishing gear and activities are the pillars of FEPACOIBA’s good management practices. This is complemented by the support and coordination of partners for training, research, and data generation for decision-making, both by authorities and internally within organizations, for the management of marine and coastal resources. Also, within the framework of technological innovation and with the support of regional organizations such as MarViva, satellite monitoring is implemented to prevent illegal fishing and ensure the safety of local actors when navigating the coasts. Likewise, tourist activities are carried out with respect for the natural environment.

Green Credit and Loans in Ecuador: Supporting small entrepreneurs, empowering vulnerable groups, and using an automated software to assess social and environmental risks

Ecuador is one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, with rich fauna and flora. However, economic reliance on non-renewable resources and unsustainable agricultural practices have threatened its biodiversity. Sustainable entrepreneurship offers an alternative to align economic activities with environmental protection. Yet, low-income women, youth, and other vulnerable groups face barriers in accessing credit to start small businesses.

Amid this situation, the National Corporation of Popular and Solidarity Finance (CONAFIPS) of Ecuador, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), developed a Social and Environmental Risk Management System (SARAS) tool: a free and automated software that enables credit unions to screen loan applications against social and sustainability criteria.

As of August 2024, credit unions approved USD 804 million in green credit using SARAS, fostering a nature-positive economy, conserving biodiversity, and supporting women and the youth.

The +Mujeres +Natura (+Women +Nature) Programme: Empowering women through access to nature-positive finance and participation in decision-making for biodiversity

Women have a fundamental role in biodiversity conservation in Costa Rica and globally. However, gender-based barriers limit their access to biodiversity-related financial mechanisms, such as payments for environmental services and credit for sustainable agriculture and bio-businesses.

In 2020, the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica (MINAE) and the Biodiversity Finance Imitative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the umbrella programme +Women +Nature to promote gender equality in biodiversity. Central to this initiative are three mechanisms to increase women’s access to finance, including two credit lines and one payment for environmental services scheme.

These mechanisms have strengthened women’s agency in conservation through USD 6,979,050 in credit lines and 530 payment for environmental services contracts, contributing to biodiversity conservation and inclusive economic development in Costa Rica.

World-First Jaguar-Protection Insurance in Misiones, Argentina: Protecting wildlife and supporting livestock farmers

The jaguar (yaguareté) is the largest feline in the Americas and a national symbol in Argentina, yet fewer than 250 remain nationwide, about 90 in Misiones. Habitat loss and declining prey have increased jaguar predation on livestock and pets, harming farmer’s income and driving retaliatory killings. To transform conflict into coexistence, the Government of Misiones, UNDP (BIOFIN and IRFF), the insurer Río Uruguay Seguros, and the NGO Aves Argentinas developed the world’s first jaguar-protection insurance.

Purchased by the province of Misiones and offered free of charge to residents, the insurance provides prompt compensation to producers for verified jaguar predation. Launched in April 2025, the scheme verified five claims in its pilot phase in Comandante Andresito and has since expanded to other municipalities affected by human–jaguar conflict. By protecting rural livelihoods, the insurance discourages retaliation and protects the jaguar.

THE EXCLUSIVE ARTISANAL FISHING ZONE: A COMMUNITY INITIATIVE TOWARDS THE CARE OF MARINE MEGAFAUNA AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY.

The Exclusive Artisanal Fishing Zone (ZEPA), located in the municipalities of Juradó and Bahía Solano, in Chocó, Colombia, was created to protect fishery resources and marine biodiversity, prioritizing artisanal fishing over industrial fishing. This initiative arose in response to overfishing and the negative impact of industrial fishing, which affected the livelihoods of local communities and marine ecosystems. By promoting sustainable practices, such as the use of more selective fishing gear, the ZEPA has facilitated the recovery of species and the protection of crucial habitats for marine megafauna, contributing to essential activities such as echolocation, feeding and reproduction of these species. In addition to conserving biodiversity, it has strengthened local economies by ensuring the availability of fishery resources for artisanal fishing. The ZEPA is an example of how community management and the protection of fishing traditions can lead to ecosystem conservation and improved quality of life for communities.

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