Colombia: planting future
Aerial view of the Buritaca valley from the "Finca la Profunda". In the foreground, open areas degraded by cattle raising and coca plantations (now extirpated).
Red-howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus)
The core area of Ciudad Perdida. Abandoned in the 14th century, it was inhabited by the Tayrona tribe.
Jose Alberto Simungama and other people from the Wiwa tribe in Kemakumake villlage in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Luis Antonio Balaguera Paredes uploading the young trees on a mule to bring them to the "Finca Bellavista", where they will be planted.
Luis Antonio Balaguera Paredes bringing up young trees with the mules, towards the "Finca Bellavista", where they will be planted.
Chirique-Flusse tree frog (Boana pugnax) and a mayfly in the Buritaca valley
Wilfredo, a young boy of the Wiwa community in "El Encanto", showing an Algarrobo tree (Hymenaea courbaril) before plantation
Jose Alberto Simungama planting a Caoba tree (Swietenia macrophylla) between Encanto and Kemakumake
Flowered tambor tree (Schizolobium parahyba) in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
“THE HEART OF THE WORLD”: this is how indigenous populations have always defined the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. This shows how, long before scientists established the concept of “ecosystem services”, the natives had already understood how the forests and rivers of these mountains were fundamental to their livelihoods. Today, Wiwa communities, along with other communities of refugees farmers, have joined a reforestation project set up by the NGOs Environomica and Reselva. I have documented this project thanks to funding from the National Geographic Covid Emergency Fund for Journalists.
“EL CORAZÓN DEL MUNDO”: così le popolazioni indigene hanno sempre definito la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in Colombia. Questo dimostra come, molto prima che la scienza stabilisse il concetto di “servizi ecosistemici”, gli indigeni avessero già compreso come le foreste e i fiumi di queste montagne fossero fondamentali per la loro sopravvivenza. Oggi le comunità wiwa, insieme ad altre comunità di “campesinos” rifugiati, hanno aderito a un progetto di riforestazione avviato dalle ONG Environomica e Reselva. Ho documentato questo progetto grazie al finanziamento del “National Geographic Covid Emergency Fund for Journalists”.
“EL CORAZÓN DEL MUNDO”: es así que las poblaciones indígenas siempre han definido la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, en Colombia. Esto evidencia como, mucho antes de que los científicos establecieran el concepto de “servicios ecosistémicos”, los nativos habían ya entendido como las selvas y los ríos de estas montañas fueran fundamentales para sustentarse. Hoy en día, las comunidades de la etnia wiwa, junto con otras de campesinos desplazados, se han incorporado a un proyecto de reforestación establecido por las ONGs Environomica y Reselva. He documentado este proyecto gracias a la financiación del “National Geographic Covid Emergency Fund for Journalists”.