Protective Reforestation With Native Species in Buffer Zones – Colombia

Acción Verde is carrying out reforestation with native tree species to create buffer zones for biosphere reserves in Colombia. The project is pioneering the business model of promoting sustainability actions for private companies. This makes it not only a climate smart option for investment, but also concrete action toward environmental improvement.

Fast facts:

250,000 trees planted in Colombian forest reserves by May 2014;
Nearly 83 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent captured over 15-year period;
Evidence that wildlife is returning within restored forests;
Two-time recipient (2013 and 2014) of the B Corporation “Best for the World Environment” prize ;
More than 75 national and international companies sponsoring the projects.

The problem

Latin American countries have been negatively affected over past decades by deforestation and the indiscriminate felling of natural forests. Reforestation needs to happen, and there is potential for developing market-based support for tree-planting efforts. But this market still faces barriers, such as skepticism over whether the work has actually been carried out.

The solution

This project encourages companies to improve their corporate image through tree-planting. Protective plantings carried out through this activity are certified by the internationally recognized verifying entity PricewaterhouseCoopers using United Nations’ standards. The efforts are also recognized as a specialized reforestation enterprise by Colombia’s ministries of agriculture and environment. Forestry actions include the protection of several and varied ecosystems, wetlands, and aqueduct-supplying river basins.

Added value lies not only in technical planting expertise, but also in three-year maintenance. Each tree is catalogued, including the species, a brief description, a serial number, geo-positioning coordinates, and a photograph. All of this is then uploaded onto the Acción Verde website, allowing for unequaled traceability of the individual tree, group of trees, and forests planted.

Helping the planet

Planting trees protects endemic vegetation and fauna, while in turn preventing landslides, mudslides, and floods. Trees improve soil quality, release oxygen into the atmosphere, and fix atmospheric carbon in woody matter. All this prevents further climate change and severe impacts from natural disasters.

Helping people

The activity is generating awareness among national, multinational, and foreign companies about the benefits that forests have, encouraging them to take real, concrete action. Efforts aim to generate an economic benefit for various communities. Such communities are involved in reforestation activities at different stages of the value chain, including through the preservation of traditional knowledge of indigenous and African-descent people all over Colombia.

Scaling up

Publicizing lessons learned further enhances awareness on climate change issues and the value of life in all its forms, the need to preserve water and prevent disasters. Acción Verde intends to move more toward protecting marine environments, by opening a coral and mangrove restoration campaign followed by seagrass planting. Helping restore these endangered habitats will in turn boost sustainable fisheries. So far 2,000 mangroves have been planted, but the efforts will soon expand.