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Guardians of the Forest

June 7^th, 2019

The starkly beautiful anthurium flower is an indoor plant in most of the world, but it thrives in the forests of Colombia.

"As a mother, I have taught my children that nature is paramount to human life. This flower, for example, gave us the opportunity to improve life and educate our children."

Yolanda del Socorro Díaz, from the Nariño region of southern Colombia, lives with nature and understands the importance of protecting forests, which are both her home and source of her work and food.

Yolanda del Socorro Díaz, from the Nariño region of southern Colombia, lives with nature and understands the importance of protecting the forests. ©UNDP Colombia/ Mauricio Enriquez

The anthurium, also known as the flamingo flower for its distinctive and brightly coloured leaves, is native to the tropical zones of South America, and in the humid zone of Nariño. Yolanda, along with other women, have found in its cultivation a livelihood and the hope of progress for her and her children in an area that for years witnessed brutal armed conflict.

"The flower project started with a small garden in the house and then we saw that it was an incentive for our children because they helped me fix the flowers, and little by little we were enlarging it," says Yolanda. An idea that began with two lots in her garden became eleven lots that today supports her the whole family.

Nine families joined the initiative and ‘Anthuriums of the Pacific (‘Anturios del Pazcífico), as they call their business, is a reminder of the opportunities that the forest gives to those who preserve it. Supported by the Small Grants Programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP, Yolanda and her friends have learned the techniques of sowing, maintaining and transporting flowers, improving their crops and increasing their income.

Fifty percent of Colombia is forested and the country’s flora and fauna represents 10 percent of all world biodiversity. But, as in the rest of the world, life and diversity are threatened by climate change, and the overexploitation of land for agriculture, as well as the lingering effects of conflict.

The country’s civil war dragged on for half a century but when peace returned the opportunities for development and prosperity came back too. Many women who, traditionally responsible for providing food, water and energy for the home, have vast knowledge about the conservation of forests and the careful management of their resources and now that peace has come, are able to capitalize on their skills.

Leila Vega faces great challenges in Montes de María, in northern Colombia. She is dealing with the after-effects of massive deforestation. Some 90 percent of the region’s forest has been cut, putting her ecosystem in perilous danger. Leila leads a project to preserve forests and recover traditional seeds. She learned that the seed species used by her ancestors are more resilient to extreme climates such as droughts, increasingly frequent, and has relied on this technique to adapt and preserve her environment.

Leila and 42 families from the region work on water management initiatives, forest conservation and recovery of native crop species such as beans, beans, native pigeon peas and purple yams.

"We are pioneers in conservation of the dry forest, the care of the microwatersheds and the fauna and flora of the region. Now we are working on rescuing traditional seeds that were lost, such as beans. These seeds only grow in this area and depend on the forest to survive," she says.

With the support of UNDP and the GEF, 488 families are guardians of the dry forest in the Caribbean and the Andean region of Colombia. Women have been instrumental in recovering of more than 1,000 hectares of land. Whether monitoring the forest, caring for the plant nurseries, sowing species, recovering their seeds and their stories; the guardians of the forest like Leila show that they can build a better future for all.

Forests are not the only a source of water and food, they also offer resources for making handicrafts. In the swamps and wetlands of La Mojana, in northern Colombia, the local plant caña flecha and other species allows weavers to produce traditional hats and accessories, while helping to preserve the ecosystem by removing invasive plant species.

Crusita Isabel Muslaco is 37 years old, has two children and is one of more than five million women living in rural Colombia. With other entrepreneurs, she receives support from the Adaptation Fund and UNDP to understand the value of forests and biodiversity.

"What we are doing with my colleagues helps protect us from climate change. The cultivation of caña flecha is allowing the recovery of soil, water, fauna and the rehabilitation of forests," she says.

The artisans sell notebooks, and purses and are designing new products and branching out into other fibres such as banana. Each month, they sell their products at local markets and their sales are growing.

"This process was important for my life and for my companions, because we are no longer neighbours, we are sisters, and we support each other among women, among artisans. I feel that life changed us all; the best part of the day is when we are together," Crusita says.

The artisans sell notebooks, and purses and are designing new products and branching out into other fibres such as banana. ©UNDP Colombia/Angely Castaño

These women entrepreneurs are also being supported by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia and Governorate of Nariño.