Editor

María Angélica Mejía

Editor
María Angélica Mejía

INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIÓN DE RECURSOS
BIOLÓGICOS ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT
Edition: María Angélica Mejía
Editorial Assistance: Érika Peñuela Vega
Editorial Direction .Puntoaparte: Andrés Barragán
Assistance .Puntoaparte: Juan Mikán
Editorial committee: Andrés Barragán, María Angélica
Mejía, Claudia María Villa
Guest Editor: Ana María Rueda
Authors: Adriana Díaz Arteaga, Alejandro Parra-Hinojosa,
Alejandro Zúñiga Bolívar, Alexander Velásquez-Valencia,
Andrea del Pilar Cáceres-Franco, Andrea Yinneth Saldaña
Barahona, Andrés Arias-Alzate, Ángela Rodríguez-
Calderón, Camila Argoty Cano, Carlos A. Delgado-Vélez,
Carlos Yesid Lizarazo, Carmen Florinda Londoño Zapata,
Carolina Sanín-Acevedo, Catalina Londoño Cadavid, Clara
Inés Caro Caro, Clara Lucía Matallana Tobón, Claudia
Inés Mesa Betancourt, Dafna Camila Ángel Escobar,
David Maddox, Diana Wiesner Ceballos, DianaMireya
Buitrago Lancheros, Diego Alejandro Molina Franco,
Esteban Álvarez-Dávila, Fernanda Montenegro Diez,
Francesco María Orsini, Francisco Alejandro Vásquez
Rodríguez, Georgina Avlonitis, Germán Andrés Quimbayo
Ruiz, Gladys Gómez Ariza, Gloria Aponte-García, Héctor
Andrés Ramírez, Jahuira, Jenniffer Tatiana Díaz-Cháux,
Jesús Adolfo Anaya Acevedo, Jorge Emmanuel Escobar
Moreno, Jorge Vásquez-Muñoz, Jorge Zea Camaño, Juan
Caicedo, Juan David Sánchez-Londoño, Juan Manuel
Obando, Juan Sebastián Durán Ahumada, Juana C.
Correa-Hernández, Juliana Montoya, Keith Bowers, Lina
María Escobar-Ocampo, Lina María Hoyos Rojas, Luis
Felipe Molina Rojas, Luisa Fernanda González Cortés,
Luz Helena Oviedo Villegas, Luz Marina Zuluaga Gómez,
Marco Aurelio Torres Mora, María del Pilar Arroyave Maya,
María Elena Gutiérrez Lagoueyte, María Fernanda Gómez
Ahumada, María Isabel Puerta Barco, María S. Sáchica,
María Teresa Alarcón A., Martha Isabel Posada Posada,
Mateo Hernández Schmidt, Matty González Ferrer,
Mauricio Ernesto Calderón Ramírez, Pedro de Castro da
Cunha e Menezes, Raúl Ignacio Moreno Ramírez, Russell
Galt, Sandra Isabel Granados Avellaneda, Sandra Liliana
Parada Guevara, Santiago Sierra-Paz, Sebastián Botero-
Cañola, Sebastián González, Tatiana Ochoa Cárdenas,
Valeria Meza Martínez, Willis José Acosta Valdés, Wilson
Ramírez Hernández, Yenecith Torres Allin, Zorayda
Restrepo, Zulia María Mena García
Translated by: Edward Helbein
Art Direction: Mateo L. Zúñiga y Diego Castro
Design: Mateo L. Zúñiga, Diego Castro, Julián Güiza,
Alejandro Sepúlveda, Cristhian Contreras, Helman
Beltrán, Joulie Rojas, Lina Martín, Natalia Esquivel y
Sara Vergara, Cristine Villamil
Icons: Giovanni Tagliente, Mattia Lombardini, Bud de
Alcor, Wayne Thayer
ISBN: 978-958-5418-04-2
External reviewers:
Ana María Faggi de Lenz, Engineering Faculty,
Universidad de Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Alan Giraldo López, Animal Ecology Research Group / Urban
Ecology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
Mario Fernando Garcés Restrepo, Universidad del Valle, Cali,
Colombia. University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States
Review of articles on Ecology and Urban Infrastructure,
Green Structures, Fragmented Views, Identified Nature,
Another Way of Being a City and a Biodiverse Plan:
Patricia Acosta Restrepo, Political Science and Government
Faculty, Urban Management and Development Program -
EKISTICA, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
Text review: Claudia María Villa, Ana María Rueda
Photographs: Various authors
Maps: Aburrá Natural, Offices of the Mayors of: Manizales,
Medellín (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente), Popayán and
Santiago de Cali, Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá
(Amva), Corporación Autónoma Regional de Antioquia
(Corantioquia), Corine Land Cover, Fundación Humedal
Torca-Guaymaral, Fundación Humedales Bogotá, Instituto
de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales de
Colombia (Ideam), Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi
(Igac), Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos
Alexander von Humboldt, Jardín Botánico de Medellín
Joaquín Antonio Uribe, Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo
Sostenible, Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente, Secretaría
Distrital de Planeación, Universidad de los Llanos (Unillanos)
Satellite images: Google Earth
Conversion of cartographic resources:
Felipe Huertas, Esri Colombia
Support for review of cartographic resources::
Yenny Alexandra Quintero G.
Biogeographic information:
Size of the landscape, Offices of the Mayors of: Santiago
de Cali, Florencia, Medellín, Popayán, Quibdó, Riohacha
and Turbo, Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá (Amva),
Concejo Municipal de Villavicencio, Ministerio de Comercio,
Industriany Turismo, Observatorio Rural de Bogotá, local
government of Río de Janeiro. Population, Offices of the
Mayors of Quibdó and Turbo, Departamento Nacional de
Estadística (Dane), Universidad Eafit - Centro de Estudios
Urbanos y Ambientales (Urbam) and local government of
Río de Janeiro. Altitude (meters above sea level) Office of
the Mayor of Bogotá, Offices of the Mayors of: Florencia,
Manizales, Medellín, Popayán, Quibdó, Riohacha, Santiago
de Cali, Turbo and Villavicencio, Amva, Universidad Eafit
(Urbam) and local government of Río de Janeiro. Climate
Offices of the Mayors of: Florencia and Turbo, Instituto de
Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales de Colombia
(Ideam), local government of Río de Janeiro and Worldwide
Climate Data (es.climate-data.org). Temperature (°C
average) Office of the Mayor of Medellín, Universidad Eafit
(Urbam), Instituto de Financiamiento, Promoción y Desarrollo
de Caldas (Inficaldas) and Ideam. Precipitation (average
annual mm) Office of the Mayor of Medellín, digital library
of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Ideam and local
government of Río de Janeiro. Ecosystems present Offices
of the Mayors of: Medellín, Popayán and Quibdó, Santiago
de Cali, Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis,
Corporación Autónoma Regional de Caldas (Corpocaldas) and
local government of Río de Janeiro. Urban and rural area
(%) Offices of the Mayors of: Florencia, Medellín, Popayán,
Quibdó, Riohacha, Santiago de Cali and Turbo, Concejo
Municipal de Villavicencio, Observatorio Rural de Bogotá,
Amva and Universidad Eafit (Urbam)
Acknowledgements
Noncommercial Creative Commons CC License for
Attribution –without derivatives, so this material may
be distributed, copied and exhibited by third parties
only if acknowledgment is made in the credits. No
derivative works may be made and no commercial
benefit may be obtained.
Cover and back cover:
Manizales. GoogleEarth. CNES/Astrium (2015)
Inside cover:
Ciénaga. GoogleEarth. DigitalGlobe (2016), Terrametrics
(2016), Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO Claudia María Villa was the first person Our thanks to the Legal Office and the and making us feel at home to work on
to work with me on this publication. As Financial and Administrative Sub-di- the cartographic elements of this work.
the Capacity Building Coordinator, she rectorate for their advice in completing
supported this initiative as an example this ambitious project. To Jessica H. Norris of Biohabitats,
on how diverse formats, values and thank you for your time and rigor in all
visions on biodiversity can be To Tomás Bolaños and Fernando of your communications associated
articulated. We express our warmest Remolina, thanks for sharing your with the article on experience.
appreciation to her. advices and insights when we were
just sketching this idea in early 2015. To Gerónimo Mejía, thank you for
To Brigitte L. G. Baptiste, Germán I. To Cody Evers, Samantha Hamlin, Erin reminding us of the profound commit-
Printing Andrade and Wilson A. Ramírez, our Goodling and Vivek Shandas, ment that we have to dream and
Panamericana Formas e Impresos S.A. thanks for their trust in undertaking this representatives of the doctoral
create better places for life.
experiment, proposed from a research program in Ecosystem Services
Second edition
2017 which I am sure will create valuable Supporting Urbanizing Regions –ESUR
To Puntoaparte, thank you for discover-
Bogotá, D. C., Colombia. 250 copies contributions nationwide. at Portland State University, thank you
Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos ing with us the power of small innova-
Alexander von Humboldt for your genuine interest in sharing
tions and enabling us to witness the
This publication is part of the Colección Humboldt your research results with this process.
To Juliana Montoya, my deepest creative process of your incredible team.
of the Editorial Alexander von Humboldt
thanks for her sincere engagement.
Suggested citation of complete work For believing, embracing and promot- To Susana Rudas, thank you for your
Mejía, M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature: Platform of Experiences. To the person who made it possible,
Bogotá. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos ing this project as one of her major contribution and willingness to
among many other adventures, for
Alexander von Humboldt. 2017. 216 pages. professional and academic interets. support the initiative.
approximately 120 people to fulfill the
requirements for this publication. My
To Ana María Rueda and Mauricio To Helena Gutiérrez, Martha Inés backstage accomplice: Érika Peñuela.
Ramírez, our thanks for accompanying Cifuentes, Deiro N. González and
CATALOGING FILE
us and enriching the process with the Felipe Huertas, our infinite thanks for
Urban Nature: Platform of Experiences / editor María institutional publishing criteria. opening the doors of Esri Colombia
Angélica Mejía. -- Bogotá: Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, 2017.
216 p.; 20 x 25 cm.
Includes bibliographic references, tables, figures,
maps and indexes
ISBN of printed work: 978-958-5418-04-2
1. Biodiversidad urbana 2. Servicios ecosistémicos
urbanos 3. Ecología urbana 4. Ordenamiento territorial
urbano 5. Colombia I. Mejía, María Angélica (Ed.)
II. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos
Alexander von Humboldt.
CDD: 354.35 Ed. 23
Contribution number: 533
Registry in Humboldt catalog: 14972
Cataloguing in the publication – Biblioteca Instituto
Alexander von Humboldt -- Nohora Alvarado
 Prologue
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Erik Gómez-Baggethun
Professor of Environmental Governance
Department of International Environment and
Development Studies (Noragric)
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
Urbanization is a key locomotive of the
Anthropocene. More than half of the
world’s population already lives in ci-
ties and it is estimated that this share
will increase to 60% by 2030, meaning
that urban population will grow by 1.5
billion over the next 15 years. Accele-
rating urban development involves that
more and more people live in landsca-
pes dominated by asphalt, glass and
cement, away from nature. Meanwhile,
information technologies change our
lifestyles, as we increasingly live our li-
fes through screens. One consequence
of this gradual disconnection between
ecosystems and society is that many
people are losing options for experien-
cing and appreciating nature. That the
‘green’, the ‘ecological’ and the ‘sus-
tainable’ have become buzzwords in
daily comercial and policy discourse
should not distract attention from the
ecological illiteracy caused by our dis-
connection from ecological life-support
systems. Urbanization also shifts the
baseline of environmental quality from
generation to generation. Those who
grew up under the light pollution of ci-
ties can no longer miss the stars that
Instituto Humboldt
VI
their ancestors observed for millennia,
nor the species and nature that enri-
ched life around them. Some authors
have referred to this phenomenon in
terms of a ‘generational ecological am-
nesia’ that gradually decreases our
ability to appreciate nature and the im-
portance of the species and ecologi-
cal processes that sustain human life.
This tendency has pawed the way to
one of the most deep-rooted myths of
contemporary thinking, namely, that
technological progress has freed mo-
dern societies from their historical de-
pendence on nature. Certanly, urban
societies do not depend on nature in
the same way that traditional and rural
societies did, but this does not imply
that we depend less on nature. Nature
is the source of the natural resources
that feed the city’s metabolism and
also the sink of their waste. Recent re-
search shows that physical demands
of social metabolism (our consump-
tion of water, energy, raw materials and
environmental services) have never
been higher than in today’s urbanized
planet. As illustration, the ecological
footprint of cities can typically range
from 500 to 1,000 times the size of the
city itself. Today, like like in the past,
societies depend on the ecosystems
and biodiversity to sustain long-term
conditions for human life and human
well-being. Technology has decoupled
us from nature only partially and loca-
lly, through mechanisms that enable
cities to appropriate natural resour-
ces and sinks from areas far beyond
their borders. Urban dependency on
increasingly remote ecosystems has
important social and ecological impli-
cations. First, cities with low quanti-
ty and quality of green space are more
vulnerable to climate change and siffer
from a lack of critically important envi-
ronmental services. In cities with a well
preserved urban nature, wooded areas
purify the air, regulate the local climate
through humidity and shade and miti-
gate acoustic contamination through
the absorption of sound waves. Vege-
tation root systems reduce erosion and
prevent landslides. Periurban forests
and paramos capture, purify and re-
gulate water flows, mitigating the im-
pacts of the floods that have afflicted
Colombia in recent years. Coral reefs,
mangroves and marshes are natural
barriers that protect coastal cities from
tsunamis, hurricanes, storms and other
extremes that climate change is ma-
king more frequent, intense and unpre-
dictable. Urban nature also provides
us with many cultural and intangible
benefits, such as iconic landscapes
and opportunities for exercise, relaxa-
tion and contemplation that increase
our physical and mental helath. Urban
green areas con also strengthen social
cohesion and peoples’ sense of pla-
ce and belonging. Protection and res-
toration of urban nature, and the lack
thereof, also has implications for en-
vironmental justice. As they increase
their ecological foorprints far beyond
their borders, cities shift environmen-
tal and social costs of urban develop-
ment to other areas and towards the
future, creating ecological debts paid
by the poor, future generations and
other species. Growing urban meta-
bolisms push extractive frontiers to
new territories, leaving behind a trail of
ecological deterioration and environ-
mental conflicts, sometimes displacing
rural and indigenous peoples that get
deprived from their ecological means
of subsistence. Reversing these trends
not only requires fundamental chan-
ges in the way we count for the costs
and benefits of our decisions but also
a revolution in the way we think and
plan the city. Useful lessons in this re-
gard can be drawn from the legacy of
visionary urbanists like Lewis Mum-
ford or Patrick Geddes, pioneers of an
urban ecological vision, and also from
thinkers like Julio Carrizosa, who re-
cently reminded us the environmen-
tal impacts that urban development
towards the paramo of Bogotá would
have on the periurban natural reser-
ve named after naturalist Thomas van
der Hammen. Progress towards more
healthy, resilient and environmenta-
lly just cities will largely depend on the
custodians and environmental justi-
ce organizations that stand up in ur-
ban environmental conflicts to reclaim
people’s right to nature. In Colombia,
these people sow the seeds of chan-
ge. The diverse initiatives aimed at un-
derstanding, protecting and restoring
urban nature collected in this book
illustrate that change is already under
Prologue
way. The authors of this book make
valuable theoretical and practical con-
tributions around biodiversity invento-
ries, ecosystem services, mapping of
wetlands, environmental quality, eco-
logical corridors, governance, local
participation, environmental education,
ecological restoration, protected areas,
ecological conflicts and environmen-
tal justice, while also gathering expe-
riences from other regions and cities.
Colombia stands now among the pio-
neers in urban ecology debates. This
book shows that in the streets, univer-
sities and public bodies of Colombia, a
growing number of pople are standing
up to challenge unsustainable and un-
just urban development models. It is in
the hands of this new generation of ac-
tivists, researchers, and politicians to
push urbanism away from growth and
speculation imperatives, and towards
more livable, resilient, healthy, and en-
vironmentally just cities. There is a long
way to go but many people have alre-
ady started to pave the way, and they
are not alone. People around the world
that are involved in the same struggle
will be walking besides them.
Nevado Santa Isabel -
Caldas, Risaralda and Tolima
Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2016)
VII
 To Abandon
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Cities
Brigitte L. G. Baptiste
General director
Instituto Humboldt
One of the most exciting mysteries of
archaeology has been that of aban-
doned cities. Ruins of urban spaces,
temples and deserted neighborhoods,
these silent gods and broken monu-
ments produce that anxiety that is a
mixture of scientific curiosity and the
anguish of realizing that what once
was, in the strict sense, a civilization,
has disappeared leaving no clues. Our
pride as a species makes it difficult for
us to accept that such apparently
complex social experiments associat-
ed with the building and maintenance
of cities that undoubtedly required the
work of generations can have failed.
That is also why, we, in our prejudices,
decide that there is no civilization
where there are no ruins.
Of course, I’m not talking about
magic cities that come to life one night
every 100 years to give the traveler the
opportunity to save them by buying so
Instituto Humboldt
much as one of their flowers, nor about
mythical cities on the ocean floor
because of some sort of cataclysm,
nor about those imaginary cities in the
midst of lascivious jungles, full of gold
or exotic dancers ready to please or
detain unwary travelers. Manoa, Paititi
VIII and Shangri-La, are reserved as
utopias: nonexistent places where the
human species flourishes without
conflicts with nature, without informal
and dangerous neighborhoods, where
everything is pleasure and well-being.
Cities also without ecology.
Theories about abandonment are
also a fascinating reason for study,
because the twists and turns of human
reason, denial, ideological burden and
subjectivity have led each school of
thought to avidly point to the familiarity
of the causes of urban failure from the
perspectives of contemporary
management. Thus, if the Mayan cities
collapsed in the 12th century, surely it
was due to the excesses of their elites,
which should “teach us” and nowa-
days prevent unbridled consumption.
And even more so, the contrary: every
opposition movement sees in urban
management proof of the failure of its
opponent in the fall of an empire or the
collapse of a previous society, even
when it occurs thousands of miles
away or centuries before.
Historic effort has nonetheless
shown us that rarely is there a single
cause for urban collapse, other than
natural eruptions, landslides or
earthquakes. Even then, it must be
said that neither the volcano nor the
river nor the tectonic fault provide
explanations, because the disaster
results from exposure, not the behavior
of nature. Sadly, Armero reminds us of
our evident inability to regulate our
patterns of population, in the deliber-
ate and arrogant stupidity that we
apply in relation to the events of the
landscape. And we insist on doing so,
settling along the banks of rivers that
will rise and overflow as they have
been doing for millions of years,
building where earthquakes have again
and again demolished our arrogance.
And perhaps, where we forget what
happened or why it happened, and
have made our cities a mosaic of
partial disasters, half-baked recon-
structions, a mixture of proposals
ranging from adaptation to resignation.
Contemporary urbanism faces
global challenges so that the world’s
cities, the great invention of the human
habitat, will not fail. We must recognize
that achieving coexistence and
functionality of heterogeneous
populations of millions of people is
almost miraculous: For better or worse
we direct and purify millions of cubic
meters of water every day so that we
can drink, work and manufacture; we
transport millions of tons of food and
extract wastes from a frenetic metabo-
lism; we design the space to move
about with a certain efficiency and
freedom. We even transform thousands
of hours of productive work into a
factor of inspiration, creative leisure,
enjoyment and even vagrancy. The
human city is the most genuine product
of human nature, of its neurological
projection and therefore reflects its
ingenuity, its will and also its pathology.
In the next 50 years, we will put the
urban experiment to the test as never
before, and in Colombia, where we
have cities of mangroves and deltas,
the antithesis of Mediterranean ports,
hyper rainy cities that cannot even
imagine the sandstorms of Riyadh,
cities of eternal springtime where the
seasons are musical references of
other worlds, the test includes
precisely this awareness. That of its
ecological identity, which makes them,
as in every part of the world, different
cities and which therefore face
different challenges, something that ur-
banism is only beginning to under-
stand, obfuscated and enraptured with
the idea that the word and the model
impose the reality.
For our equatorial cities, even when
the mountains sometimes disguise
them as temperate, the time for eco-
logic common sense has arrived. The
persistence of utopia was never more
harmful: the imaginary city, plagued by
traps, is a minefield, as shown by its
complexity and levels of self-organiza-
tion, its government is elusive and its
inhabitants prosper in the day-to-day
innovation of the informal, cornering the
inability of the leaderships to coordina-
te adaptation in times of environmen-
tal change, climate change and climate
chaos. And the human habitat is full of
surprises, plants, microbes, animals
and cultural practices that are all mixed
together: just when smart phones and
absolute connectivity arrive, rats and
pigeons lurk, new languages prosper,
streets are transformed… The human
ecosystem cannot impede the passage
of species and of the forests and plains
that life, always incarnated, finds spa-
Presentation
Río Cauca,
Cali - Valle del Cauca
Credit: Google Earth. CNES/ Astrium (2016),
DigitalGlobe (2016)
ces in our cities to continue its evolutio-
nary course. Even Chernobyl.
Before our very eyes, minute by
minute, in the cycles of extremophile
bacteria to which we are hosts, in the
affluence of unique indigenous and
displaced experiences, in the
multiplicity of biologic and social
experiments that are replicated, the
experience of life is changing in the
city. Some will be domestic, a lot will
be wild, including us, and we will have
to make a greater effort to understand
it under the perspective of biocom-
plexity. It will be that collective
intelligence, built in tandem with the
infrastructure, that will show us the
path of the human ecosystems of the
future. The cities contain much of what
we need in order to do so, before we
convert them into disturbing ruins for
future civilizations. IX
 Introduction
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Introduction
Río Cauca,
Cali - Valle del Cauca

Credit: Google Earth. CNES/ Astrium (2016),

DigitalGlobe (2016)

María Angélica Mejía

Biodiversity Landscape
Management Program
of the Instituto Humboldt

Four years of work in urban biodiver-
sity have led the Instituto Humboldt
to propose a collective experiment, a
call for creativity, applicability and so-
cial innovation.
The experiment consists in as-
sembling a toolkit for biodiversity
management in Colombian cities, a
platform upon which local capacities
can dialogue and inspire nature-based
solutions nationwide.
The toolkit takes its first expression
in this publication, a pragmatic outco-
me, created by a network whereupon
different systems of knowledge sys-
tems are coming to meet. The project’s
aim is to contribute to shaping a vision
for Colombian cities, in light with both
the tremendous diverse socio-ecologi-
cal contexts the country holds, and the
many actors that come into play when
addressing urban biodiversity issues.
Once this motivation was shared,
the Instituto was able to gather more
than eighty authors, who in a summari-
zed and compelling fashion presen-
ted approximately forty management
Instituto Humboldt
ones: It involves a monumental effort
to gather diverse strategies for the pre-
servation, restoration, monitoring and
social appropriation of urban nature.
And it is precisely this combination of
visions that makes the initiative pro-
foundly gratifying.
The following tools come from the
cities of Bogotá, Cali, Florencia, Mani-
zales, Medellín, Popayán, Quibdó, Rio-
hacha, Turbo and Villavicencio. In the
national realm, the Ministry of the Envi-
ronment and Sustainable Development
(Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo
Sostenible (MADS)) and the Biodiver-
sity Information System of Colombia
(Sistema de Información en Biodiversi-
dad de Colombia (SiB Colombia)) also
contributed to Urban Nature. Inter-
national experiences from cities that
have been recognized as laboratories
and epicenters for urban biodiversity
are also included, namely: Brazil (Río
de Janeiro), two initiatives in the Uni-
ted States (Biohabitats and The Na-
ture of Cities) and four case studies in
sub-Saharan Africa.
co-responsible management plans,
stressing the values social groups attri-
bute to biodiversity.
The book also addresses how local
authorities have enriched key planning
instruments with more comprenhen-
sive ecological insights. For instan-
ce, how the urban condition itself is an
opportunity to increase ecosystem ser-
vices across the city, by strengthening
biodiversity functions and processes
and thereby revitalizing the quality of
life of the urban environment.
Colombian universities and
research centers have joined current
global efforts to generate information
and knowledge on urban biodiversity.
They have provided scientific
evidence of the value of urban nature
for human well-being and have Chocó. Urbanization in biodiversity
proposed qualitative guidelines in hotspots? Yes, a reality as promising
order to make city projects formula- as it is challenging.
tion more coherent with their But national efforts in this field
ecological context. are also inspired by initiatives abroad. the first region to embrace the trend of
Finally, Urban Nature highlights Cities share innumerable solutions urbanization at the worldwide level.
situations in which the socio-ecolo- worldwide. In this regard, Urban Na- We do not pretend to have all of
gical context or personal testimony ture introduces the ideal of restoring the informationand knowledge; but as

tools to mainstream biodiversity and
ecosystem services criteria into urban
management and planning.
The authors of this initiative come
from civic organizations, local govern-
ments, universities and research cen-
ters, as well as national level entities
X and, to a lesser extent, international
The book introduces self-managed
experiences that, over time, have posi-
tioned themselves as alternative initia-
tives for identification, monitoring and
recovery of urban biodiversity.
The book mentions community-go-
vernment models which have encou-
raged deliberative assessments and
itselfconstitutes a management tool.
In regard to the contexts, the reader
will find narratives about Florencia,
Quibdó and Riohacha. These cases
provide evidence on the new and in-
evitable urban Colombia, settled in
the midst of the central tropical forest,
the Amazonia or the Biogeographic
United States cities with their ecologi-
cal potential; a personal reflection af-
ter having managed one of the most
important protected urban areas in the
world; the story behind what is per-
haps the most known open platform
for sharing knowledge on urban bio-
diversity; and finally a tale of Africa as
the national institute for biodiversity,
we make the following commitment:
To provide a platform for these types
of cities such as Cúcuta, Pasto, Ba-
rranquilla, Manizales and Bucaraman-
ga to discuss what works as they will
face the highest rates of urban grow-
th. In other words, a platform capable
of triggering cooperation in this field.
We therefore offer a thoughtful look at
what can be called the first assess-
ment on experiences of urban biodi-
versity in Colombia, an initiative that
aims to be received, adopted and dis-
cussed by all of you. XI
Contents

Indica and
Mode G. 18
Seed ity

PÁG urity ter

AB

tors
s

Sec an Wa
Green
Indice

. 192
iod Plan

PÁ
rn
s of
i v er

8
PÁG

. 18
PÁG

k
Urb

. 18 or
Ma atu 30

se

PÁG ld W
. 24

t
pp re
N G.

es
2

8 nF f
or
17 a o
PÁ

ed

Fi e

G. rb e
PÁ e U Valu
So f L 38
al

ur ife
o G.

t he
THEMATIC CATEGORIES liti
c

ce
PÁ
Ac

T
Po

h
up
un Urb n
c a ba gy
PÁ tur n Ur colo 74
G. e E G. 1
44
PÁ
Fo A Ta a ts
ur le bit
Ci of ha
PÁG ties Bio . 170
. 50 PÁG
Urban biodiversity and more functional areas
sity
UBFA
ity
Bio Ci iver nectiv
div tizen o d
Bi Con
ers
AUES Analysis of urban ecosystem services
PÁ ity
G. 6
and 62
. 1
0 PÁG
UMP Urban management and planning
Large ing
a Learn nments
Old T nd iro
PUA Protected urban areas rees Env 8
5
PÁG. 6
4 PÁG. 1
URTL Urban-rural transition landscapes Academia,
Biodiversity an Urban
d Imaginaries
Urban woodlands Development
UW PÁG. 152
PÁG. 68
SW Spaces for water
Natural
Theory and
LES Local empowerment, self-management Transitions PÁG. 146
Practice
PÁG. 72

OSK Open and shared knowledge

l and An
Socia gical dea
o lo PÁG. 1 n Amazo
Ecological restoration and communities Ec nter 44 nia
Epice 76
ERC
PÁG.
UD Urban design Urb
-up Infr an Ec
tom s a o
Bot Policie 8 PÁG struc logic
Participative monitoring . 13 ture al
PM .7 8
PÁG
n In-
ee Co Hou
II Indices and indicators Gr res
c t u 84 PÁG nse se
Stru PÁG. . 13 rva
tio
4 n
N
ale O atu
- Sc nce 0 PÁ nlin re
e a 9 G. e
rg rn G. 12
La ove PÁ 8

Pr ba
G
PÁ itie e
C tur

ot n
Ur ea 26
G s

ec
Ar G. 1
th Na

4
.9

te
PÁ
Appendix
of he

d
s
e

An Bein 0
t
St ins
T

o G. 12
PÁG am

oth g
f
PÁ
. 96
the Aga
re

Glossary

er a C
r

Gre 116
Pol ing fo
PÁG ors

PÁ
ing

Wa ity
PÁG. 198
2
. 10

G.
Politic stem
Reinv ective

en
t

Ecos s
of a C n
Go

y
lina

Reali 4
ity

PÁG. 1
entio

08
nn

Age
Behind the Experiences
PÁG. 1
Pla

y
Coll

al and
tie PÁG. 200
1

nda
Review from SURE
PÁG. 214
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Guide
The nodal structure of the book
presents each experience in a
self-contained and independent
manner, dispensing with special
thematic introductions or chapters.
The reader thus has a toolbox in his
or her hands and, thanks to the
defined labels, can navigate the work
in an interconnected fashion.
The major part of the experiences
of which the work is composed
comes from the cities of Bogotá, Cali,
Manizales, Medellín, Popayán, Turbo
and Villavicencio.
1
Principal information on the
authors (the appendix contains
the complete information).
2
Graphic resources that provide
context for the experience and,
in other cases, summarize the
results of the research.
3
QR Code (Quick Response Code)
that takes the reader to the website
of the experience. The code can be
viewed from mobile phones with
applications available for Apple and
Android; this avoids the need for
users to manually enter the
Instituto Humboldt
information into the phone.
4
A section that summarizes the main
findings and lessons from the
experience: Here the most evident
XIV points for its replication are presented.
In black, the reader will find cases
about Río de Janeiro (Brazil),
Biohabitats and The Nature of Cities
(United States), and research about
four cities in sub-Saharan Africa.
ELA
In yellow, the book focuses on the
urban biodiversity contexts of
Florencia, Quibdó and Riohacha.
Readers’ Guide
5
Biogeographic information on the
city or region involved in the
experience: Presents the size of
the landscape, population,
altitude, climate, average
temperature, precipitation,
ecosystems present and the
percentages of urban and rural
areas. The sources for these data
are indicated on the legal page of
the publication.
6
Charts with information that
supplements or focuses on a
particular aspect of the experience.
7
A legend for the cartographic
resources: title of the map,
thematic source (where applicable),
cartographic source and credits
(applies for satellite photos taken
from Google Earth indicating the
data supplier and the year).
8
Thematic categories or labels
attributed to the experience,
according to the table index.
9
The terms in boldface are
defined in the glossary.
XV
 Buenaventura -
Valle del Cauca

Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2016)

Experiences
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Seeds of Modernity
BEGINNING IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY, THE CAPITAL OF
ANTIOQUIA WITNESSED TIMID PROCESSES OF TREEPLANTING1. IN LIGHT OF A MEDELLÍN - ANTIOQUIA
380.64 km²   |  2,464,322 inhabitants.  |  1,475 meters above sea level
NEW CONCEPTION OF NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT, THE TREE EMERGED Temperate-dry   |  24 ºC  |  1,656 mm  |  72 % rural - 28 % urban

Seeds
AS A SYMBOL OF MODERNITY, BUT ITS ARRIVAL IN THE CITY WAS NOT FREE
OF CONTROVERSIES. IN HIS STUDY, THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THIS PROCESS IN
DETAIL AND PROPOSES THE KEY LESSONS THAT IT LEFT BEHIND.

of
Calle Bolivia (1928).
Francisco Mejía
Biblioteca Pública Piloto de Medellín
América Latina (2015)

Modernity
THE BEGINNINGS OF TREEPLANTING
IN MEDELLÍN AND ITS CONFLICTS

Diego Alejandro Molina Franco, University of Reading, Great Britain

THE ROOTS OF DISCORD beans and public squares where the which, over time, would become the life of the city, in acquiring the status curious ways: Whereas telephone trees were used as supports by
Instituto Humboldt

When Medellín, like many other Latin
American cities, awoke from its
colonial lethargy, it found dusty
streets. They were crossed by
wagons pulled by horses, and were
18 home to orchards with corn and
cows grazed. What could today be
considered urban wooded areas had
been reduced to mango trees that
people planted in the interior
gardens of their homes or
guanábanos that spontaneously
grew along the edges of paths and
spatial reference points for the city.
During the 19 and 20 centuries,
th th
Medellín dreamed of itself as
modern, which was why the tree,
converted into a symbol of the new
era, took over the city. Nonetheless,
despite its notable presence in the
of an element of urban fixtures, it
became part of a collective imagina-
tion of progress incompatible with
the spatial dynamics of the city.
The individual areas of trees
planted to beautify the city were
used in the most diverse and
cables were hung from some of
them, others were used for hanging
lanterns, so that the guayacan
(Tabebuia chrysantha) and ceiba
trees (Ceiba pentandra) became
germinated lampposts and utility
poles. On the other hand, many
merchants to hang their advertising
posters and also as public bath-
UW
rooms. Faced with these uses
unintended by urban nature UD
planners, educational campaigns
were undertaken to teach people to
use and protect this new nature. 19
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Seeds of Modernity
Figure 1. The evolution of a process.

The following timeline shows the tree-planting

Abundant harvest of
processes between 1850 and 1950. The mid- Samuel Restrepo writes to
grapes (Vitis vinifera) Planting begins of
19th century was chosen as a starting point The first complaint appears the City Council to cut down A nursery is created in
in the city the Great Forest of
because it was an epoch in which the first about the ceibas of the a cebollo cedar (Cedrela Piedras Blancas for tree
Article 334 of the Police Code Piedras Blancas
systematic efforts to plant trees in urban Plazuela de San Roque odorata) in the Plazuela de planting in that plain.
appears, in which cutting
spaces were recorded (the concentration of down trees merits a fine The Parque San Francisco
information in certain decades is more in de Bolívar is
inaugurated in what Another new victim Council agreement for More than 600 mangos
accordance with the availability of records or Reactivation of
Two Eucalyptuses (Eucaliptus was previously the of a cow in Medellín creation of the Bosque de la (Mangifera indica) are
editorial lines of the epoch than with the criteria planted in the Bosque the nursery of
globulus) introduced by Pastor Plaza de Bolívar Independencia
of the author or of the compilers). de la Independencia. the Bosque de
Restrepo and two ceibas (Ceiba The Society of Public
pentandra) are planted in the la Independencia
Improvements is born
Parque de Bolívar Construction Cutting down of the ceibas of
the Plazuela de San Roque Purchase of the Cattle curtail the
of the Parque The vine known as “palonegro”
First trees in the Nutibara hill tree-planting
de Bolívar (Saritaea magnifica) is
northern road 357 trees and 4,000 seeds of process on
introduced in the city.
The Plaza de Berrío Royal Palms guamo (Inga sp.) are planted A nursery is Nutibara hill
is paved with stone First seeds of (Roystonea regia) in the in the rectification process of established at the
Plazuela de San Roque Planting of trees on the the Río Medellín
Japanese medlar foot of Nutibara hill
eastern and western sides
trees (Eriobotrya
of the Río Medellín The Bosque de la The lluvia de oro vine
La Plaza de Bolívar japonica)
First Strawberry tree First tea seeds is paved with stone Independencia is (Pirostegya venusta) is
(Garcinia madruno) in Medellín Cows damage the inaugurated. introduced into the city by
planted in the city (Camellia sinensis) tree-planting process Laura Arango Echavarría
Establishment of the
Construction of the of the Bosque de la Great Municipal Forest
Parque Berrío Independencia of Piedras Blancas Process of tree planting on Nutibara hill
1810

1812

1820

1830

1832

1840

1850

1857

1860

1868
1869
1870

1878

1880

1884

1888

1890

1892
1893

1896

1899
1900

1904

1907
1908

1910

1912
1913

1915

1918
1919
1920

1924

1926

1928

1930

1937

1940

1944
1945

But the new urban wooded areas
not only came into conflict with the
elements inherent to modernity. The
cows and horses who were used in
different urban activities were seen
foraging in the streets, feeding on
the leaves and shoots of the
recently planted trees. In fact, this
phenomenon, which lasted until the
mid-20 century, delayed and in
th
Instituto Humboldt
1950
Council to cut down a cebollo cedar could throw light on similar process- involved in decision-making about materiality of the tree is maintained, elements of adornment and the
(Cedrela odorata), because of the es in today’s urban spaces. the urban space, the answers are not the discourse that has been used to backdrop for different social process-
pestilential odors that it produced. In simple. The first step could be to promote their massive planting in es. In the 20th century, the focuses on
1912, after years of notes and DECISION TREES: analyze the city in its geographic urban landscapes has been trans- both human health and adornment
indirect letters published in the KEY LESSONS context, with the aim of understand- formed, always in accordance with prevailed, whereas in the 21st century,
press, four ceibas that were ing it and its principal ecological the perspectives of each epoch. In its ideas of biodiversity and the glorifica-
destroying the pipes of the neigh-
boring houses of the Plazuela de
San Roque were cut down. On
01 The dialectic relationship
between plants and the
urban space is indissoluble and
structure as a single element, a
network that makes it possible to
integrate the material spaces with the
beginnings, in the mid-19th century,
tree planting came about in response
to the current urbanistic perspective,
tion of native species have come to
the fore. How will this topic be
addressed in the years to come?
numerous occasions, authorization profound. Moreover, cities are, in a symbols of the people and their led to a great extent by physicians
03 Finally, trees and species

some cases undermined various
tree-planting processes.
There are many other histories in
the city archives that speak of the
conflicted relationship that arose
between the city and its trees. In
20 1908, Manuel Restrepo asked the
was requested for cutting trees way, the clearest expression of a forms of habitation of the landscape. and outstanding individuals educated constitute points of
because the children, making use of
stones to knock down fruit, were
destroying the clay roof tiles of
large-scale ethnobotany that is never
exempt from conflict. The following
questions therefore arise: How to
02 Tree planting processes
have responded to different
needs and objectives that have
in Europe. They argued that a
healthier environment “would improve
the race” (understood as the set of
reference with particular connota-
tions and meanings, both for the
inhabitants of the city who interact
nearby houses. In short, in the late resolve this dispute? How to make changed over time. The ideas that qualities of the bodies and morality of with them in their daily lives and for
19 and early 20 centuries, the
th th
these two ways of existence coexist? have sustained them have been individuals). Subsequently, industrial- decision-makers and executors of
urban tree faced resistance that Given the multiplicity of factors constantly transformed. Although the ization processes turned trees into tree-planting processes. 21
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Instituto Humboldt
Avenida La Playa, Medellín (1920s).
Oscar Duperly Du-Friez
Biblioteca Pública Piloto de Medellín
América Latina (2015)
22
The role of the press. This was the battlefield
where conflicts stemming from unplanned tree
planting were made public and, at the same time,
served as a disseminating medium for campaigns
to foster love and care for trees.
Why does the first tree planting come about?
Taking into account the medical knowledge
of the period, when it was believed that air
containing miasmas propagated diseases,
starting in the mid-19th century trees began to
be planted due to their oxygenating role, which
already in 1777 had been discovered by Van
Helmont Priestley and Jan Ingenhousz
Note on the new appreciation of the urban tree.
“This matter of planting without selfish interest is
a clear sign of urban progress: planting trees is not
part of the vocabulary of the utilitarian and ignorant
peasant. Even among the people who use it, it
implies a culture of discretion by civilized people
who do not live in the hills.”2
Seeds of Modernity
Quote as: Molina, D. Seeds of modernity: The
beginnings of treeplanting in Medellín and its
conflicts. P. 18-23. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Colombia. 2017. P. 216.
23
 A Biodiverse
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

A Biodiverse Plan
THE CURRENT LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN (POT) IN SANTIAGO DE CALI IS AN EXAMPLE
CALI - VALLE DEL CAUCA
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND PROMOTES THE CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY,
564 km²  |  2,369,821 inhabitants  
PERMEATES THE CITY WITH A GREEN GRID, STRESSES RURAL POTENTIAL AND OFFERS |  995 meters above sea level.
79 % rural - 21 % urban

Plan
BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. THE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED IN THIS
POT CONSTITUTE AN AUDACIOUS EXAMPLE THAT COULD BE EMULATED BY OTHER
CITIES AND REGIONS WITH A VIEW TO STRENGTHENING THE ENVIRONMENTAL
COMPONENTS OF THEIR OWN TERRITORIAL MANAGEMENT.

LESSONS ABOUT LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT
IN SANTIAGO DE CALI
Dafna Camila Ángel E.  |  María Teresa Alarcón A.
Administrative Department of Municipal Planning of Santiago de Cali
The process of review and adjustment of the POT (Land Management Plan) recognizes the need to
support all territorial organization decisions when evaluating the environmental system of the
municipality. Sustainable development of the city could only be understood in this way. Thus, the first
level at which work was performed was the environmental system and then the next two levels, the
functional structure (associated with urban infrastructure) and the socioeconomic structure
(associated with decisions about activities and uses of the land). In this way, all decisions that were
made in search of the balanced development of the city and the rural zone, have been based on
recognition of the environmental potential and limitations. That is why one of the biggest strengths of
the proposal that was adopted stems from this change in approach to landscape management, whose
planning begins with environmental recognition.

León Darío Espinosa

Director
Administrative Department of Municipal Planning of Santiago de Cali
Instituto Humboldt

AUES
Las Palmas from La Choclona,
Meléndez River basin.
María Teresa Alarcón UMP

24 25

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
VARIATIONS AROUND THE POT
(LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN)
Colombian legislation stipulates that
all municipalities must plan their
landscapes by means of a POT1, in
which the environmental component is
a high-level determinant. To do so, it is
essential to go beyond the partial
results that characterized the
environmental dimension of the first
generation POTs. In this manner, the
expectations for biodiversity conserva-
tion and increased connectivity of the
protected areas through the ecological
structure can be addressed.
By means of agreement 0373 of
2014, the municipality of Santiago de
Cali made adjustments to the POT
and gave the environmental system
the role of landscape coordinator.
This new version, which includes
rural landscapes as well as con-
structed spaces in the urban zone,
prioritizes ecosystem conservation
and guides actions in accordance
with the potentialities of the land and
the social realities, for which purpose
it incorporates three components:
Threats and risks
The areas of threats and risks that
cannot be mitigated by natural
phenomena contribute towards
conservation because they must
remain free of occupation. At the same
Instituto Humboldt
time, they must become spaces for
recovering and maintaining vegetation
cover. For example, in areas of threats
and risks due to massive movements,
processes for restoration with native
species that facilitate soil retention and
26 increase biodiversity are prioritized.
Environmental corridors integrate natural flows The ecoparks are areas of ecological and cultural
A Biodiverse Plan
Environmental quality and sociocultural dynamics, and are aimed at importance aimed at conservation and the supply
Key strategies and projects in the framework
ecosystem connectivity, spatial coordination, of environmental services that promote recreation
social interaction and environmental culture. and environmental education. of the Principal Ecological Structure
In this respect, the POT contributes Source: POT of Cali (Agreement 0373 of 2014).
towards conservation through
La Cumbre Ecoparks
functional as well as socioeconomic
Urban land
systems. For example, it sets forth Environmental corridors
directives for the use of Sustainable
Rivers and wetlands
Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), to
Yumbo Suburban land
increase tree planting in public spaces
El C Area of expansion
and prioritize the network of bicycle hoc
ho
paths. At the same time, in the Township limits
St
Palmira
A gu a c a t
Urban perimeter
rea
socioeconomic component urbanistic
m
Municipal perimeter
transfers are increased as part of the
al R
logic of urban densification and the r and are promoted as urban biodiversi-
i ve
Dagua
increase of public space. All of the ty coordinators and drivers of the
above seek to increase the green grid Felidia River supply of ecosystem services. In
r
i
ve
Cali R
that permeates the urban areas, addition to the regulatory strategies of
generating connectivity and habitat for the environmental system, the
species. This component also limits iver
projects guide public investment in
de R
Cauca er
uses of high environmental impact and hin order to reconstitute the green grid of
Pic
Ri v
restricts the subdivision of rural the municipality.
averalejo River
properties along with uses incompati- Cañ One of the most outstanding
ble with the ecosystem base, examples is the Municipal System of
particularly on the hillsides. In this Protected Areas (Sistema Municipal
zone, there are soils of low fertility de Áreas Protegidas (Simap-Cali)), an
Meléndez R
iver Candelaria
combined with fragile ecosystems, Los Farallones de Cali initiative that has become the main
which is why incentives are provided National Natural Park strategy for biodiversity conservation
for restoration of ecosystems, nature Lili because it emphasizes the ecologi-
River
tourism and agroforestry systems. cal connectivity between Los
Farallones National Natural Park of
Municipal ecological structure Cali and the Cauca River. For this
purpose, it promotes ecoparks and
This component, conceived as the ba- Pance River environmental corridors, aimed at
sis for the ecosystem dynamics of conservation activities and civic
natural areas, classifies environmental encounters associated with the
Chon
protection lands in two categories: tadu riverbanks and railway lines.
ro S
tr e
areas of the National System for am
Protected Areas (Sistema Nacional de KEY LESSONS
Áreas Protegidas (Sinap)) and areas of ndí River
Jamu Puerto Tejada
special ecosystem importance. It also
includes the complementary ecologi-
cal structure, which corresponds to
Jamundí
01 The green grid provided for
in the new POT of Cali
connects the main elements of the
The ecoparks and suburban lands (fragmentations)
3.92 km
elements of the constructed space are part of the strategy for urban borders, aimed at principal ecological structure by
putting a stop to informal occupation. Credit: Google Earth. Landsat.
that have greater environmental value means of an urban fabric permeated 27
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

A Biodiverse Plan
MUNICIPAL ECOLOGICAL STRUCTURE
Municipal Ecological Structure (Principal
Principal Ecological Structure Ecological Structure and Complimentary
Ecological Structure)
Environmental protection lands are used to validate
Source: POT of Cali (Agreement 0373 of 2014).
Los Farallones Natural National Park of Cali La Cumbre
Principal Ecological Structure
Protected Areas of the Sinap National Protective Forest Reserve of Cali Complimentary Ecological Structure
La Laguna Civil Society Natural Reserve Urban land
Area of expansion
Protected areas of a municipal character (Simap)
Yumbo Urban perimeter
Buffer zone of Los Farallones National Natural Park
El C Municipal perimeter
Environmental zone of the Cauca River hoc
ho Rivers and wetlands
Ecological belts

St
Palmira

rea
environmental authorities: Corpo-

m
Agu
Forest protection lands

a ca
Ecoparks
ración Autónoma Regional del Valle
Riv

tal
Areas of special ecosystem importance
Dagua er del Cauca, National Natural Parks
Parks and green zones larger than 2 ha
and the Administrative Department
Conservation areas due to private and public initiatives
Felidia River for Environmental Management.

r
i

ve
Highlands of landscape and environmental value Cali R
This process took place during the
Forest Areas Protective of water resources
(AFP from the Spanish acronym) environmental dialogue ordered by

iver
Law 388 of 1997 and is an
de R

Cauca er
Aquifer recharge zone on rural lands
hin example of the capacity of
Pic

Ri v
interdisciplinary and interinstitu-
Complementary Ecological Structure averalejo River
Cañ tional work in which technical
Elements of the constructed space with environmental value
leadership overcame political
Elements of the System of Public Space with high environmental value (parks of less than 2 ha). pressures and the common welfare
Elements of the Collective Equipment System with high environmental value (universities, schools in prevailed over private interests.
the countryside, clubs, garden-like cemeteries, zoos, etc.). Meléndez R

04
iver Candelaria
The environmental compo-
Elements of the Rainwater Drainage System (canals).
nent was also validated by
Elements of the System of Mobility with environmental value (streets with sidewalks and tree-lined dividers).
Lili means of 190 sessions of community
River
Tools for managing the ecological landscape (living fences, silvopastoral and agroforestry systems, participation and 169 letters on
econeighborhoods and ecovillages).
environmental topics that were
answered. This democratic process
by rivers, canals, parks and tree-lined space through ecoparks and suburban was useful because it provided
roads. This result calls into question lands (low-density fragmentations), is a Pance River elements based on the experiences
the paradigm that separates what is tool that could be replicated and and needs of the actors that inhabit
natural from what is constructed and strengthened in the framework of other each zone of the landscape. This
Chon
incorporates human beings as part of Colombian cities with high population tadu exchange of knowledge nourished the
ro S
tr e
nature, promoting biodiversity density and urban expansion pressures am Plan and facilitated training people in
Instituto Humboldt

conservation by means of the stemming from both formal and terms of the scopes of the POTs.
transformed space. informal occupations. ndí River
Jamu Puerto Tejada

02 The strategy of the urban

border, aimed at putting a
stop to informal occupation of the
03 The environmental
component of the
process of review and adjustment
Jamundí
Quote as: Ángel, D., Alarcón, T. A biodiverse plan:
Lessons about landscape management in Santiago
de Cali. P. 24-29. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban

hillsides and increasing biodiversity
28 while promoting appropriation of the
3.92 km
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
of the POT of Cali was technically Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Credit: Google Earth. Landsat.
led by professionals from the three Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 29
 Credit: Google Earth. Landsat, DigitalGlobe (2015), CNES/Astrium (2015).
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Identified Nature
BOGOTÁ
Location of wetlands and water bodies studied by the
1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants | 2,625 meters above sea level.
Fundación Humedales Bogotá
Cold-very dry   |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban
Thematic source: Fundación Humedales Bogotá
10
UNRECOGNIZED WETLANDS 2.97 km

3 7
1. Humedales separador Autopista Norte 16
Usaquén Chapinero 15
2. Humedal Colegio San Viator Santa Fe
3. Humedal Chorrillos
La Candelaria
4. Humedal Club Los Lagartos 12 1 1 4
11 San Cristóbal
5. Humedal Salitre Greco 12 2
6 6
14 Los Mártires
6. Humedal Mamá Dominga 13 3 7
7. Humedal del Aeropuerto El Dorado Usme
8. Humedal La Florida 1 5 Antonio Nariño
4 9
9. Humedal El Burrito 11 13
Suba 2 15
6 8 Rafael Uribe Uribe
10. Humedal Tingua Azul 17
11. Humedal Los Arrayanes (Borde Norte)
3 Puente Aranda
12. Humedal Refugio de la Tingua de Pico
Verde en la Universidad de Ciencias Tunjuelito
2 4
Aplicadas Ambientales (UDCA)
13. Humedal del Colegio San Jorge Engativá 8 14
de Inglaterra (Suba) 18 Kennedy
14. Humedal Biorefugio Zasqua 19 10
Colegio Los Nogales 11
5 Fontibón 9 9
15. Humedal Laguna de Chinará (Usme) More information 5 Ciudad Bolívar
http://www.humedalesbogota.com/ 12 10
16. Chicú Jaboque Wetland: has an astronomical observatory
8
17. Humedalito del Salitre consisting of monoliths that were placed there by
18. Humedal el Cortijo the Muiscas near the Río Bogotá.
19. Humedal Nuevo Cortijo 7
Santa María del Lago wetland: eis one of the

Mapped
wetlands with the best water quality and one of the
city’s most visited.
Bosa El Salitre Wetland: is currently the only artificial
wetland recognized by law, one of the smallest and

Nature
13
one with the most recorded species of birds.

15 Capellanía Wetland: recently restored, it has

new water mirrors.
Meandro del Say Wetland: formed by the old
RECOGNIZED WETLANDS OTHER WATER BODIES course of the Río Bogotá, it is also known as the
Madre Vieja (old mother) of that same river. An
1. Humedal Torca-Guaymaral 1. Lago Parque Simón Bolívar important site for migratory birds: in 2011 and
2. Humedal La Conejera 2. Humedales del Jardín Botánico 2012 populations of approximately 3,000 Canadian
3. Humedal Córdoba 3. Lago Cementerio Jardines de Paz
COLLECTIVE CONSTRUCTION OF A MAP ducks were reported.
UMP
4. Humedal Tibabuyes o Juan Amarillo 4. Lago Cementerio Jardines del Recuerdo Techo Wetland: has one of the best forests in the
OF WETLANDS FOR BOGOTÁ 5. Humedal Jaboque 5. Lago Timiza locality of Kennedy, with a significant presence of
SW
6. Humedal Santa María del Lago 6. Parque El Lago o Parque de Los Novios plain frogs (Dendropsophus labialis).
7.
Instituto Humboldt

Humedal El Salitre 7. Lago Country Club

El Burro Wetland: recently restored, it has LES
Jorge Emmanuel Escobar Moreno, Fundación Humedales Bogotá 8. Humedal Capellanía 8. Lago Parque Ciudad Montes
considerable water mirrors.
9. Humedal Meandro del Say 9. Lago Club Choquenzá
OSK
10. Humedal Techo 10. Lagos Club Campestre El Rancho
DESPITE ITS LOCATION IN A ZONE WITH ABUNDANT WETLANDS, UNTIL RECENTLY, BOGOTÁ DID NOT HAVE AN 11. Humedal El Burro 11. Lago del Carmel Club
PM
12. Humedal La Vaca 12. Lagos Club Campestre Guaymaral *This wetland is identified by the Fundación but lies
ACCURATE INVENTORY OF THESE WATER BODIES. IN RESPONSE TO THIS SITUATION, A FOUNDATION IN THE
13. Humedal Tibanica 13. Lago Club Los Búhos outside of the area of this map.
CAPITAL CONVOKED AN IMPORTANT GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS TO CARRY OUT A COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE OF 14. Complejo de humedales el Tunjo 14. Laguna Chisacá*
30 IDENTIFICATION AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, CREATE THE FIRST LARGE MAP OF WETLANDS OF THE CITY. 15. Humedal La Isla 15. Lago Compensar Av. 68 31
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Identified Nature
CLUB CAMPESTRE GUAYMARAL
Suba
The webpage of the Fundación describes the General information about wetlands and water
routes of access to the wetlands of the city using bodies studied by the Fundación Humedales HUMEDAL TORCA-GUAYMARAL
9
the Public Transport System of Bogotá (SITP), Bogotá in northwestern Bogotá Carrera
Thematic source: Fundación Humedales Bogotá. Usaquén / Suba
including the buses of the Transmilenio, feeder or
Cartographic source: Instituto Humboldt (2015). Torca
complimentary lines. For additional information,
79,93 ha
there are mobile applications such as TransmiSitp
(available for Apple and Android). The webpage HUMEDAL COLEGIO SAN VIATOR
also shows how to arrive by bicycle or automobile
Urban center Suba
when a particular wetland is not accessible via 5,5 ha
Recognized wetland
public transportation.
Unrecognized wetland Autopista Norte
LAGO CEMENTERIO
Water body
PORTAL NORTE JARDINES DE PAZ

Locality Usaquén

Watershed
LAGO DEL CARMEL CLUB
Total area
Suba
INVISIBLE WETLANDS Transmilenio Portal
LAGO CLUB CAMPESTRE
Transmilenio station cá
Boya EL RANCHO
Bogotá is located in an area Avenida
Suba
occupied by wetlands that, at the
beginning of the 20th century, HUMEDALES SEPARADOR
AUTOPISTA NORTE
included more than 50,000 ha,
Usaquén / Suba

a
adding together the urban and rural they must have a precise and

Sub
zones at that time. At the beginning up-to-date map. In Bogota, the LAGO CEMENTERIO

nida
JARDINES DEL RECUERDO

of the decade of 2010, only 675 ha
remained in the urban area of the
city, amounting to approximately
1.35% of the original area. These
figures come from isolated and
limited but laudable efforts,
particularly tables of inventories of
the 2006 Capital District Wetlands
Policy. On the other hand, while the
concept of wetland has not yet
Ave
inventory requested by Sentence
Suba
4.27 of 2014 constituted a perfect
catalyst for the Fundación HUMEDAL BIOREFUGIO ZASQUA
COLEGIO LOS NOGALES
Humedales to take charge of the Avenida Ciudad de Cali
Suba
cartographic project. The initiative
has convoked a network of as many HUMEDAL DEL COLEGIO
SAN JORGE DE INGLATERRA
as 100 active volunteers, along with and La Isla) as well as official
Suba
various civic mobilizations, which recognition of a new total of 725 ha
have congregated approximately of wetlands in Bogotá. The map is LAGO CLUB LOS BÚHOS
8000 participants, all with the aim of expected to be available for Suba

been completely assimilated in the carrying out an alternative initiative consultation on the Internet – and PORTAL SUBA
HUMEDAL LA CONEJERA
collective imagination of the for identification of these water possibly for contributions by the Suba
inhabitants of Bogotá, the capital bodies in the nation’s capital. The citizenry, and constitutes a tool for 58,9 ha

has witnessed numerous communi-
ty demonstrations of sensitization
Instituto Humboldt
result is the first map of wetlands comprehensive and sustainable
HUMEDAL CHORRILLOS
– which includes both recognized urban planning of the capital. It
Suba

and conservation regarding these
water bodies.
In any case, so that the local
authorities and the civil society can
study, value and conserve wetlands,
they must first be sure about where
32 they are located. For that purpose,
and unrecognized ones along with
their principal characteristics – of the
urban zone of Bogotá.
By 2015, this initiative had
identified 15 new wetlands and led
to three new District Ecological
Wetlands Parks (El Salitre, El Tunjo
involves an unprecedented project
for the country –and very probably
for other areas of the world –which,
because it has produced protocols,
mechanisms and lessons to
identify urban wetlands, may be
replicated in diverse regions.
Torca-Guaymaral Wetland: has a HUMEDAL LOS ARRAYANES
considerable population of an endemic (BORDE NORTE)
species of guinea pigs (Cavia anolaimae). Suba
La Conejera: has the most biodiversity of
HUMEDAL REFUGIO
all of the wetlands of Bogotá and is the
1.8 km DE LA TINGUA (UDCA)
only place in the world where the swamp
Suba
daisy (Senecio carbonelli) is found.
Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015), CNES/Astrium (2015). 33
 Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015), CNES/Astrium (2015).
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Identified Nature
LAGO COUNTRY CLUB
Usaquén 1.6 km

HUMEDAL CHICÚ
HUMEDAL EL CORTIJO

Calle 100
Chapinero
Salitre Engativá

HUMEDAL CÓRDOBA
HUMEDALITO EL SALITRE
Suba Autopista Norte
Salitre Teusaquillo
40,51 ha
31,69 ha HUMEDAL MAMÁ DOMINGA

Teusaquillo
LAGO CLUB CHOQUENZÁ
Ave Salitre
nid
Suba aN 0,04 ha
QS

80
CLUB LOS LAGARTOS PARQUE DE LOS NOVIOS

lle
Ca
Suba Barrios Unidos

LAGO PARQUE SIMÓN BOLIVAR HUMEDAL EL SALITRE

Barrios Unidos Barrios Unidos
Salitre
HUMEDAL
6,4 ha
SANTA MARÍA DEL LAGO Ave Ave
nid nid
Engativá aC aC
iud arre HUMEDAL SALITRE GRECO
Salitre ad ra 6
de 8
10,86 ha Cal Barrios Unidos
i

do
HUMEDAL TIBABUYES O LAGO COMPENSAR AV. 68

ra
Do
JUAN AMARILLO

Avenida
El
Barrios Unidos

ida
Engativá / Suba

en
PORTAL TUNAL

Av
Salitre
HUMEDAL JARDÍN BOTÁNICO

de las Am
222,58 ha Avenida Boyacá
Barrios Unidos

HUMEDAL NUEVO CORTIJO PORTAL EL DORADO

éricas
PORTAL SUBA HUMEDAL DEL AEROPUERTO
Engativá PORTAL 80
EL DORADO
Salitre
Engativá

HUMEDAL CAPELLANÍA

Fontibón
Fucha
27,03 ha

PORTAL SUR
MEANDRO DEL SAY
Córdoba Wetland: thanks to the arrival of waters
Fontibón
from the Santa Bárbara Stream in 2010, the
Fucha
Córdoba Wetland has a sufficient ecological flow 26 ha
to purify the ecosystem, fulfill its water deficits Locality PORTAL DE LAS AMÉRICAS
Instituto Humboldt

and revitalize the aquatic biodiversity and its Watershed HUMEDAL JABOQUE
associated ecosystem services. Total area
Engativá
Tibabuyes Wetland: it is the largest wetland Hydraulic round Jaboque
General information on the wetlands and water
in Bogotá, measuring approximately 222.58 ha. 148 ha
bodies studied by the Fundación Humedales Bogotá
It has one of the largest populations of tingua Urban center
in the center of Bogotá
bogotana (Rallus semiplumbeus) and is the only Recognized wetland PARQUE LA FLORIDA
Thematic source: Fundación Humedales Bogotá.
wetland with a reported presence of swamp moss Unrecognized wetland Cartographic source: Instituto Humboldt (2015). Engativá
34 (Fontinalis bogotensis). Water body 35
 Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015), CNES/Astrium (2015). Techovita or La Vaca Wetland: The community
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Identified Nature
HUMEDAL LAGUNA DE 1.9 km
has a very important participation in processes of
CHINARÁ (USME)
change. Nowadays, the landscape is a reflection General information on wetlands and water
Usme bodies studied by the Fundación Humedales
of joint work for the reestablishment of a
strategic ecosystem for the city. de Bogotá, in the center south of Bogotá
COMPLEJO HUMEDALES TUNJO Thematic source: Fundación Humedales Bogotá
Tibanica Wetland: Tibanica Wetland: it is the only
Tunjuelito y Cartographic source: Instituto Humboldt (2015).
wetland that currently reports the presence of the
Ciudad Bolívar
cucarachero de pantano (Cisthotorus apolinari), an
LAGO PARQUE CIUDAD MONTES endemic species in critical danger of extinction.
Urban center
Puente Aranda Recognized wetland
Unrecognized wetland
HUMEDAL TINGUA AZUL Water body
Kennedy
Tunjuelo
Ave

03
30 ha nid A map of urban ecosys-
aN

Avenida de
QS
HUMEDAL LAGO TIMIZA tems must go beyond its
Kennedy recording function to become a tool

las Améric
PORTAL USME for awareness. To do so, it must
HUMEDAL LA VACA
necessarily have a digital and
Kennedy
as

Fucha
multimedia platform that would
5,73 ha (sector sur) guarantee greater accessibility.

04
2,245 ha (sector norte)
The ideal tools for
3,44 ha (sector sur)
1,17 ha (sector norte) gathering georeferenced
information on urban ecosystems
HUMEDAL EL BURRO
PORTAL TUNAL for a map are Google Maps or
Kennedy El Tunjo Wetlands complex: has six permanent
water mirrors, including La Libélula or Luciérnaga, Open Street Maps.
Fucha Avenida Boyacá

05
18,84 ha Locality La Mosca and El Colibrí. Communities that do not
Watershed La Isla Wetland: it is the last relic of the wetlands have the necessary techno-
HUMEDAL TECHO Total area complex that the Tunjuelo River basin had in its
logical tools to create georeferenced
Kennedy Hydraulic round outlet into the Bogotá River.
Fucha records of ecosystems may resort to
11,67 ha Av Transmilenio portal social cartography initiatives or
en
ida PORTAL SUR Transmilenio station
Ciu collective mapping.
HUMEDAL EL BURRITO da

06
dd
eC Maps of urban ecosys-
Kennedy ali
Fucha tems must include
KEY LESSONS
02
12 ha To create a map of this information on the surrounding rural

HUMEDAL TIBANICA
PORTAL DE LAS AMÉRICAS nature, making use of local zones of the city. However, in certain

Bosa
Tunjuelo
28,8 ha
01 A map of the urban
wetlands makes it possible
to protect zones of ecological
volunteers and members of the
communities sensitive to the studied
ecosystems facilitates obtaining
regions, such as in Bogotá, the
initiative for identification is limited
by problems such as lack of
HUMEDAL LA ISLA connectivity and buffer areas, relatively precise records. It also security, topographic hostility of
Instituto Humboldt

Bosa among others, that could become
Tunjuelo healthier and more resilient ecosys-
7,7 ha
tems in terms of risk management. In
the final analysis, it involves having
more and better elements to deal
with the challenges from climate
36 change at the level of the city.
translates into more conscious and
active communities with respect to
environmental topics that they
themselves could manage to
promote activities such as days for
restoration, environmental education
and tourism around the wetlands.
certain landscapes and lack of funds
for mobilizing volunteers.
Quote as: Escobar, J. Mapped nature: Collective
construction of a map of wetlands for Bogotá. P. 30-
37. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 37
 Source
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Source of Life
BELLO GIRARDOTA

of Life
ve

r
Ri COPACABANA
ín
d ell
Me

MEDELLÍN - ANTIOQUIA
REDISCOVERING THE ALTO DE SAN MIGUEL 380.64 km²   |  2,464,322 inhabitants   |  1,475 meters above sea level.
Temperate-dry   |  24 ºC  |  1,656 mm  |  72 % rural - 28 % urban

MEDELLÍN
Guarne
Luz Marina Zuluaga Gómez  |  Luis Felipe Molina Rojas  |  Carmen Florinda Londoño Zapata 1995, the Instituto Mi Río purchased
Alto de San Miguel Wildlife Refuge 814 of its hectares, with the aim of
1
restoring its natural habitats and
documenting its biophysical features.
THE ALTO DE SAN MIGUEL IS AN ECOSYSTEM OF GREAT ITAGÜÍ Those studies contributed to having
HYDROLOGICAL VALUE AND BIOLOGICAL RICHNESS FOR the area declared an Ecological
THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ. AFTER DECADES OF AGRICULTURAL Reserve Zone and being recognized
EXPLOITATION, CATTLE RANCHING AND CLEARING OF FORESTS, in the Metropolitan System of
LA ESTRELLA
IT WAS ADOPTED BY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTIONS, Protected Areas (Simap) in 1993, as
WHICH OVER TIME HAVE CARRIED OUT NUMEROUS PEDAGOGICAL well as a Wildlife Refuge and
ENVIGADO Source of the Medellín River in the
ACTIVITIES. THESE HAVE NOW LED TO AN EMPOWERED Ecological Recreational Park in 2001.
SABANETA Alto de San Miguel, Valle de Aburrá
COMMUNITY AWARE OF ITS ROLE IN CONSERVING THE SITE. Source: Secretariat of Environment of To guarantee conservation of this
iver

Medellín (2015)
llín R

ecosystem, the Municipality of

Medellín, by means of the Secretariat
Mede

Forests
of Environment (SMA) has led various
1. Alpujarra (Medellín) Urban area
2
2. Partidas Primavera (Caldas) Rionegro Alto San Miguel strategies to raise the declaration of
3. La Salada branch of the SENA (entry into the Alto de Rivers and streams the status of the Alto to the regional
San Miguel located in the rural district of La Clara) level, which would signify greater
4. Community seat of the La Clara rural district CALDAS 3
CONSERVING THE ESSENCE biological diversity, accounting for resources along with a clearer
(reception of tourists and orientation)
5. Alto de San Miguel Wildlife Refuge 16% of the species reported in institutional presence. Thanks to the
4 The Alto de San Miguel is one of the Colombia and offers numerous accompaniment that it has enjoyed AUES
few cloud forest ecosystems in ecosystem services. since 2005 and continues to have
URTL
Amagá Colombia, which deserves to be Although in olden times its lands from the Environmental Education
5
Instituto Humboldt

recognized and protected. In addition
to being the source of some of the
region’s principal rivers, which make
up the La Fe reservoir that supplies
water to different municipalities of the
4 km
Metropolitan Area of the Valle de
38 Credit: Google Earth, Landsat. Aburrá, it hosts a considerable
were covered by forests with native
vegetation, the passage of time
brought with it numerous cattle
ranching and forest clearing initia-
tives that profoundly transformed the
Alto de San Miguel and exhausted a
significant part of its resources. In
Center (Centro de Educación SW
Ambiental (CEA)), and since 2008
LES
support from the Community Action
Board of the La Clara rural district, ERC
the Alto de San Miguel has been the
scene of a long list of environmental
education activities. 39
 a.
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
ACTIVE COMMUNITIES
The different activities for environ-
Instituto Humboldt
mental education and awareness
implemented with the communities
near El Alto and with the inhabitants
of the Valle de Aburrá are part of a
strategy to change attitudes about
environmental problems. These
40 include artisanal workshops,
photographic competitions, environ-
mental gatherings, home visits and
environmental cinema forums.
Activities have also been coordinated
with visitors, including pedagogical
tours and visits to institutions, along
with pilot projects such as an open
butterfly house, an allelopathic
garden, a greenhouse and an installa-
tion for transforming organic material.
b.
d.
g.
These initiatives have enabled the
communities of the Metropolitan
Area of the Valle de Aburrá near
the reserve to acquire knowledge
and awareness, which is reflected
in their growing participation in the
activities proposed to improve the
area and in the delivery of unprotec-
ted wildlife that is found in the zone.
This in turn has contributed towards
e.
decreasing impacts on biodiversity
and the ecosystems, setting levels
of CO2, increasing the production of
oxygen, improving water regulation,
conserving habitats for the fau-
na and providing recreational spa-
ces. It may also be recalled that not
long ago the inhabitants themselves
constituted the greatest threat to
the biodiversity and stability of the
ecosystem because they hunted
animals, extracted orchids, vines,
zarro ferns, mosses, wax palm, cur-
ly cumin, oak trees and other forest
components, vital for the existing
natural heritage in the landscape.
Nowadays, the awareness, fruit of
the pedagogical activities, has led
to a considerable reduction in har-
mful actions.
c.
Source of Life
f.
a. Carriqui (Cyanocorax yncas).
Luis Felipe Molina
b. Orchid (Epidendrum sp.).
Luis Felipe Molina
c. Copulation of dragonflies
(Ischnura sp.).
Luz Marina Zuluaga y Luis Felipe Molina
d. Tángara cabecifósforo (Tangara
gyrola). Luz Marina Zuluaga y Luis
Felipe Molina
e. Butterly (Mesosemia mevania).
Luz Marina Zuluaga
f. Episcada polita.
Luz Marina Zuluaga
g. Orchid (Oncidium sp.).
Luis Felipe Molina
In addition to initiatives for environ-
mental education and awareness,
the SMA is promoting research in
the Wildlife Refuge, for which pur-
pose it is strengthening the Cen- 41
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
ter for the Study of Biodiversity,
Ecosystem Services and Climate
Change (Centro de Estudio para la
Biodiversidad, Servicios Ecosisté-
micos y Cambio Climático). Stu-
Instituto Humboldt
dies are also currently underway
in the fields of mastozoology,
birds and flora, with the expecta-
tion of gaining much more knowle-
dge about the natural heritage of
the zone and promoting even more
42 conservation programs.
KEY LESSONS
01
The environmental educa-
tion activities have enabled
the communities to acquire greater
knowledge about the natural heritage
of the Alto de San Miguel. This not
only means that the communities are
a proactive voice that congregates
around activities for conservation and
natural resource protection, but also
that they themselves have changed
attitudes that previously affected the
biodiversity of the zone, such as
hunting wild animals and extracting
vegetable material.
02 The pedagogical initia-
tives have been accepted
and promoted by adults, children
and young people from the La Clara
rural district and Medellín. This
shows that appreciation of environ-
mental problems is not limited by
people’s ages.
03 The inhabitants of the La
Clara rural district have
adopted good environmental
practices from their homes to
contribute to care of the environment.
04
Research into the
biophysical components
of the area of the reserve must be
increasingly consolidated, because
they must lead to actions that would
contribute towards conservation of
the natural heritage.
05 Mechanisms must be
defined to ensure continuity
for the environmental education and
awareness strategies that have been
developed with the community of
influence and visitors to the Wildlife
Refuge of the Alto de San Miguel.
Undoubtedly, part of the success of
the pedagogical initiative is due to its
continuity over time: this work has
continued for more than a decade.
Source of Life
Clean waters of the Medellín River in the
Campiño sector
Luz Marina Zuluaga
Quote as: Zuluaga, L. M., Molina, L., Londoño,
C. Source of life: Rediscovering the alto de San
Miguel. P. 38-43. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Colombia. 2017. P. 216.
43
 Urban
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Urban Acupuncture
BOGOTÁ
1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants   |  2,625 meters above sea level.
Cold-very dry  |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban

Acupuncture
ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY ON THE EASTERN BORDER OF BOGOTÁ

Diana Wiesner Ceballos  |  Luisa Fernanda González Cortés / Saliente  |  Lina María Hoyos Rojas
Fundación Cerros de Bogotá

IN RESPONSE TO THE ECOSYSTEM PROBLEM OF THE FOREST RESERVE OF THE EASTERN

HILLS, THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT OF BOGOTA IN 2007 PROPOSED THE CREATION OF AN
ECOLOGICAL AND RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR. THIS PROJECT, YET TO BE EXECUTED, IS AN
INITIATIVE THAT COMBINES STRATEGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND LANDSCAPE
TRANSFORMATION. THIS CASE DOCUMENTS THE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDED THE
PROPOSAL FOR THE PROJECT AND PROVIDES DETAILS ABOUT THE PILOT EXPERIENCE
THAT SHED LIGHT ON THIS TRIPARTITE MANAGEMENT MODEL.

A THREE BAND PROJECT
The Forest Reserve of the Eastern
Hills of Bogotá is one of the most
Instituto Humboldt
With this in mind, the District
Planning Secretariat proposed an
Ecological and Recreational
Corridor for the Eastern Hills in
scape, social and biophysical. In its
landscape dimension, the project
emphasizes the border between the
city and the reserve, while joining
dimension enable social integration
to promote the use, care and
oversight of the mountain by the civil
society. In that sense, it is expected
In its social dimension, the project
seeks to consolidate the greater
Border Pact of Bogotá, which
involves the different sectors of the
Open Air Museum.
Diana Wiesner Ceballos
Plan for the Ecological and Recreational Corridor
of the Eastern Hills (2007).

emblematic zones of the geography
of the capital. However, the high lev-
el of ecosystem deterioration that it
has gone through in recent times
has required the implementation of
environmental and social strategies
44 to restore it as regional patrimony.
2007, also known as the Regional
Corridor of the Eastern Border, right
on the border between the city and
the reserve, which is undoubtedly
the most deteriorated zone.
The Corridor is part of a strategy
that works on three fronts: land-
together pedestrian mobility
systems based on ecoroutes and
offering new areas for social
integration through education,
passive recreation and research. The
different activities proposed within
the framework of the landscape
that people will feel empowered
regarding management of the space
of the Hills, appropriating and
consolidating them as a community
meeting point in which a shared
sense of patronage towards the
mountain would be nurtured.
people that inhabit it, including the
citizenry in general, in the framework
of agreements about behavioral
changes that foster ecological
culture around activities for civic
participation and coexistence. These
activities encourage democratization
UBFA
PUA
of the space, in which, through
public use of these landscapes and ERC
the implementation of ethical
behaviors towards nature and
others, the citizenry would appropri- 45
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
ate the Hills. At the same time, the
project promotes civic initiatives so
that community members would
generate links with the common
space of the mountain and its public
access, with a view to assuming the
responsibility to be vigilant about
natural resources. Finally, everything
is handled with a managerial vision
that recognizes the people as an
interlocutor capable of supplement-
ing and possibly transcending the
local administrations.
In the biophysical realm, the
corridor seeks to recover the
ecosystem at the foot of the hills. To
this end, it increases crosscutting
and longitudinal ecological connec-
tivity by means of corridors along
the hillside and the buffer zone that
would connect the city to the region
and thereby prioritize water manage-
ment in a sustainable, recreational
and visible manner. The initiative also
proposes the basins as axes for
integration of the communities, and
structures regional connectivity
based on a hydrological network that
includes sustainable management of
rainwater in amphibious linear parks
towards the Bogotá River.
In 2013, the office of the Mayor
signed the Border Pact. That same
year, the Council of State ratified
the Adaptation Strip (Franja de
Adecuación) after six years of legal
limbo, while ordering public and
Instituto Humboldt
ecological enjoyment of the area for
the region’s inhabitants. That is the
legal support for an initiative that,
currently, is beginning to produce
its first results and envisages
initiatives for civic collaboration that
46 can generate positive results in the
landscape and environmental
management realms.
THE UMBRAL CULTURAL
HORIZONTES CASE:
COLLABORATIVE AND LANDSCAPE
TRANSFORMATION STRATEGIES
IN ACTION
This zone is a space that is man-
aged by the Fundación Cerros de
Bogotá and supported by the
Instituto Humboldt, where strategies
for collaborative and landscape
transformation are applied in the
framework of a pilot initiative.
The social dimension of the
project revolves around social and
cultural appropriation through
consolidation of an open air gallery,
which promotes artistic activism
(photographs a. and d.). There,
artists, young people and children
creatively transform the place using
ecofriendly materials and elements.
The goal is to generate reflections
about the surroundings and create
new experiences about the land-
scape, to more directly involve
people in the transformation and
management of the landscape, while
at the same time consolidating
effective appropriation of the
mountain. Additionally, the activity
and use of the landscape through
artistic strategies foster affection for
the Hills, generating a sense of
ownership on the part of the
participants. Nowadays, both the
Fundación and diverse civil society
organizations are a fundamental part
of the management and gover-
nance of the Hills, enabling this
landscape to comprehensively
Urban Acupuncture
generate appropriation and conser-
vation. At the same time, the Strategies and treatments (biophysical dimension)
Source: Andrea Bernal Zabaleta, Fundación Cerros de Bogotá.
biophysical dimension seeks to
transform and recover the area
based on strategies for ecological 1. Control of young eucalyptus trees for
clearing through banding
activism. Currently, the Umbral
2. Control of soil regeneration and
Horizontes property has 99 native enrichment
species and exotic vegetation 3. Control of soil erosion by covering with
dominated by trees such as the patches of acacia branches
4. Creation of seed racks on the land to
eucalyptus, retamo and acacia. In
determine the dynamics of dispersion
terms of biodiversity, the recovery 5. Planting of pioneer species
strategy is expected to achieve a 6. Composting with vegetable material
minimum of 150 species of native 7. Control of retamo through shade, planting
6
of trees and manual elimination
plants along with comprehensive
8. Recovery of orchids
rainwater management. Until now, 9. Control of eucalyptus trees at risk
more than 250 individuals of species
native to the Hills have been planted
with support from the citizenry, thus
enriching diversity with 28 species
such as the angelito (Monochaetum
myrtoideum –Bonpl.), myrtle
5
(Myrcianthes sp.), cajeto (Citharexy-
lum sulcatum), cedar (Cedrela 8
montana), ciro (Baccharis macran-
tha), hayuelo (Dodonaea viscosa),
spoonful (Myrsine ferruginea),
swordman (espadero) (Myrsine
coriacea), wax laurel (Morella
parviflora), raque (Vallea stipularis),
7
walnut (Juglans neotropica), 4
encenillo (Weinmannia tomentosa 1
L.f) and chochos (Lupinus spp.),
6 2
many of which are pioneers that 3
easily adapt to the adverse condi-
tions currently found in the soils of
9
the Hills. Finally, there are initiatives
such as the library of native species, Energy tower
developed by neighbors who
Existing path
appropriate the landscape.
Artistic intervention
In the landscape dimension,
management of the Umbral Horizon- Agroecological intervention
tes property focuses on creating new
Viewing platform
ways of connecting people with
nature, and strengthening their sense 47
 a.
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
b.
a. Artistic intervention Alejandro Frieri
b. Construction of the garden
c. Romero de Páramo (Rosemary)
(Diplostephium sp.)
d. Abraza-arte 2015
e. Cardito (Paepalanthus sp.)
f. Construction of gabions
Diana Wiesner Ceballos
of belonging with respect to the
Forest Reserve of the Eastern Hills.
To this end, practical workshops have
been held to consolidate gardens
and greenhouses (photograph b.),
Instituto Humboldt
along with community meetings
(mingas) to create stone gabions
(photograph f.) and diverse activities
for making use of renewable
materials and resources. Efforts have
also been coordinated with groups of
48 young people and children to
consolidate a network of schools and
strengthen the existing network of
universities: the final objective is to
promote real appropriation of the
space by these institutions while
fostering good practices with impacts
on the geographic and social
medium. Finally, this is a space for
public use that makes it possible to
physically delimit urban growth and
carry out collective practices such as
walks to permit greater appropriation.
This is reflected in a growing civic
empowerment and greater social and
environmental oversight of the Hills.
KEY LESSONS
01
Pilot projects such as the
Horizontes constitute
acupuncture exercises that, along
c.
d.
with other activities such as the
recovery of streams and the creation
of greenhouses, agroparks and walks,
among others, will make the Ecologi-
cal Corridor of the Hills projected
more than six years ago a reality for
the inhabitants of the region.
02
Creating community in
zones of high socioeco-
nomic strata is a matter of great
complexity, because there is a lot of
resistance towards actions of this
type. So much so, that the process
of effective appropriation of the area
by the neighboring community has
been slow and has required
innovative strategies and constant
accompaniment. It has also posed a
challenge in terms of obtaining
funds, in that, because it is a
neighborhood of high socioeconom-
ic strata, support has been limited.
The result is that all of the activities
have been of a collaborative nature
and involved bartering, which,
although it has made the process
difficult, has also made it possible to
formulate creative and integrating
solutions. Despite all of these
obstacles, this landscape, declared
a Civil Society Natural Reserve, is an
example of management of private
properties in the reserve.
03 Security and lack of care
in the private properties
located in the reserve are also
matters that must be resolved. To
do so, strategies of patronage,
positive practices, pedagogical
signage and “non-prohibitive”
responses have been created,
actions that foster ecological and
civic culture. These are strategies
for immediate action, while a unique
system for public-private manage-
ment is structured for this area,
which includes a comprehensive
appropriation proposal. In practice,
simple cases such as cutting down
a tree, approved by the local
authority but prohibited by the
national authority, reveal the
contradictions that persist in the
environmental realm. Therefore, the
expectation is to guarantee shared
management between the Fun-
dación and the neighbors, with the
aim of consolidating sustainable
projects on social and environmen-
tal appropriation.
e.
Urban Acupuncture
f.
The adaptation of soils and paths, the planting
of the garden of memories and adaptation of
the space for public use are other activities
implemented from the landscape dimension.
The realization of activities such as the library
of native species, the mingas (group initiatives)
for collective signage and the children’s painting
competition are fundamental for the social
dimension of the project.
More information
http://www.cerrosdebogota.org/
Quote as: Wiesner Ceballos, D., González, L. F.,
Hoyos, L. M. Urban acupuncture: Ecological and
social connectivity on the eastern border of Bogotá.
P. 44-49. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto
de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander
von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 49
 A Tale of
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

A Tale of Four Cities

Russell Galt, Project Coordinator at the South African National Biodiversity Institute;
and Advisory Board Member of the Urban Natural Assets for Africa Project.
Georgina Avlonitis, Professional Officer at ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center; and Project
Manager of the Urban Natural Assets for Africa Project.

Four Cities
URBAN NATURAL ASSETS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Russell Galt, Project Coordinator at the South African National Biodiversity

Institute; and Advisory Board Member of the Urban Natural Assets for Africa
Project. Georgina Avlonitis, Professional Officer at ICLEI Cities Biodiversity
Center; and Project Manager of the Urban Natural Assets for Africa Project.

INTRODUCTION
Economists promulgate the narra-
tive of ‘Africa Rising’; geographers
gawk at the mushrooming of African
cities; and ecologists decry the pli-
ght of African wildlife. The complex
interplay of globalisation, urbanisa-
tion and biodiversity has attracted
increasing attention in recent years.
Instituto Humboldt
Although regional peace and pros-
perity is marred by episodes of con-
flict, disease and famine, African lives
have by most accounts, improved
considerably over the past decade.
The incidence of poverty, as measu-
red by the World Bank, has decli-
ned significantly and several African
1
countries now count themselves
amongst the world’s fastest growing
presents governments with enor-
mous challenges in meeting the
needs of burgeoning urban popula- Figure 1. In the rapidly-growing city of Addis Ababa, high-rise buildings are interspersed by informal
settlements and urban agriculture. This dynamic patchwork of land-uses echoes at an underlying diversity
tions vis-à-vis food, water, health-
of urban livelihoods (credit: Georgina Avlonitis).
care, education, housing,
transportation, energy, and employ-
ment. Precedent suggests that
Africa’s urbanisation can lead to urbanisation, the right laws, policies life – may be regarded as the do their ecological footprints,
economic growth, transformation and actionable programmes must be bedrock of sustainable develop- placing natural assets – spatially
and poverty reduction, or to put in place. Much will depend on ment. It generates and mediates defined areas containing combina-

Sharing much in common, cities in
the developing world can benefit
greatly from mutual observation and
knowledge exchange. It is pertinent
to ask: in the management of urban
natural assets, what lessons can be
50 distilled from the African experience?
economies.2 Nowhere is change more
palpable than in Africa’s bustling ci-
ties: the share of Africans living in
urban areas is projected to rise from
37% in 2014 to 55% in 2050.3
The continent’s urbanisation
rate, the highest in the world,
increased inequality, the proliferation
of slums, and groundswells of urban
poverty.4 Its implications for the
livelihoods of ordinary Africans are in
fact profound, multifarious, and
non-uniform (figure 1). To reap
positive dividends from Africa’s
the ability of African policymakers to
learn from the successes and
failures of others.
In seeking to meet the escalating
needs of urban populations, African
policymakers can look towards
nature. Biodiversity – the variety of
flows of vital ecosystem services
which underpin human wellbeing
and security.5 The ways in which
biodiversity can improve the
liveability, sustainability, and
resilience of cities are well docu-
mented.6 As African cities grow, so
tions of biotic and abiotic compo-
nents that function together to
AUES
generate ecosystem goods and
services – under increasing pres- UMP
sure. Alleviating this pressure
necessitates a decoupling of
environmental degradation from 51

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
socio-economic development.7 The
poor stand to benefit most from
such decoupling as they tend to be
heavily reliant on ecosystems for
basic services that they cannot
access elsewhere.8
By reflecting on the latest fin-
dings of the project Urban Natural
Assets (UNA) for Africa , this article
9
aims to support the dissemination of
lessons learnt from biodiversity ma-
nagement in Sub-Saharan African ci-
ties. Firstly, the UNA-Africa project is
outlined. Secondly, the four partici-
pating cities and a selection of their
natural assets are described. Thirdly,
the most critical challenges and pro-
Instituto Humboldt
mising solutions pertaining to biodi-
versity management in the four cities
are identified and discussed with re-
ference to a number of case studies.
Finally, a set of lessons is distilled
which may be of value to cities in
52 other regions of the world (figure 2)
UNA-AFRICA: PARTICIPATING CITIES
AND THEIR URBAN NATURAL ASSETS
Urban Natural Assets (UNA) for Afri-
ca is a 2 year project managed by
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sus-
tainability and funded by the Swe-
dish International Development
Cooperation Agency (SIDA) throu-
gh the SwedBio Cooperative Pro-
gramme. The project is executed
in partnership with the Stockholm
Resilience Centre, South African
National Biodiversity Institute (SAN-
BI), Global Biodiversity Information
Facility (GBIF), and African Centre
for Cities (ACC). UNA-Africa aims to
inspire and capacitate local govern-
ments in Sub-Saharan Africa to fully
contribute towards the attainment
of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. To
this end, the project is engaging four
African cities (figure 3), namely, Ad-
dis Ababa, Cape Town, Dar es Sa-
Credit: Google Earth, Landsat, Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO.
A Tale of Four Cities
744 km
Figure 2. Cities worldwide share much in
common, but some characteristics are distinctly
African, like this picnic-raiding chacma baboon
(Papio ursinus) commonly found in parts of the
City of Cape Town. The Cape Peninsula is home
to 16 baboon troops, which have come into
inevitable and frequent conflict with humans as
residential areas expand and encroach onto their Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
habitat (credit: City of Cape Town). Biome: Grassland
Population size: 2.98 millon
Population growth: 3.3%
laam, and Lilongwe, to: (i) assess
capacity needs; (ii) facilitate knowle-
dge exchange; and (iii) deliver tailo-
red training. Through these activities,
the project encourages and enables Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
Figure 3. Facts on the cities
the conservation and sustainable Biome: Tropical Dry Forest
participating in UNA-Africa.10
Population size: 3.59 millon
use of urban natural assets in su- Population growth: 6.2%
pport of the urban poor.
To date, a consultative works-
Lilongwe (Malawi)
hop has been held in each city to,
Biome: African Savannah
inter alia: locate and describe im- Population size: 0.77 millon
Population growth: 6.2%
portant urban natural assets; identi-
fy critical challenges hindering their
sustainable management; enga-
ge relevant stakeholders and map
15,000,000 inhabitants
decision-making processes; and 10,000,000 inhabitants
identify solutions and opportunities 5,000,000 inhabitants
to better manage the urban natu-
ral assets. In each of the four cities,
stakeholders identified a wide ran-
ge of urban natural assets that con- Capetown (South Africa)
fer packages of benefits to citizens. Biome: Fynbos
Population size: 3.74 millon
These included forest patches, ri- Population growth: 1.6%
vers, wetlands, game reserves, pu- Diameter of reference - Number of inhabitants 53

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
blic parks, cemeteries, zoos and
botanic gardens. Here follow a se-
lection of snapshot examples
Forests
Did you know? Over 80% of Lilon-
gwe’s residents use fuelwood and
charcoal derived from nearby forests
for their energy needs.
Rivers and wetlands
Did you know? Despite domes-
tic and industrial pollution rende-
ring the Akaki River highly toxic
and visibly discoloured, many local
communities have no choice but
to continue using its water for crop
irrigation and stock watering (the
water that animals drink).12
Public parks, university
grounds, and cemeteries
Did you know? In the last 20 years
the University of Dar es Salaam’s
campus has experienced an appre-
ciable recovery of indigenous ve-
getation owing to strengthened
protection against firewood harves-
ting. It now serves as an important
habitat refuge for wildlife of the East
African Coastal Forest Ecoregion.
Zoos and Botanic Gardens
Instituto Humboldt
Did you know? With over 7000 spe-
cies in cultivation including many
rare and threatened species, Kirs-
tenbosch National Botanic Garden
is a biodiversity gem in the City of
Cape Town. Aside from supporting
54 natural forest, fynbos and a wide
a. c.
A Tale of Four Cities
variety of indigenous wildlife, the
garden provides numerous jobs and
makes a valuable contribution to
the local economy.14
Game reserves
Did you know? In the heart of the
city, the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre,
stands as Malawi’s only accredited
wildlife sanctuary. It has rescued
hundreds of animals and released
them back into the wild, while edu-
cating communities about the im-
d.
portance of conservation. Almost
200 animals are currently in resi-
dence many or which were rescued
as orphans or victims of the illegal
pet and bushmeat trade.15
e. a. Figure 4. A towering tree (Ficus
b.
sp.) in Dzalanyama Forest near to
Lilongwe (credit: Georgina Avlonitis).
b. Figure 5. Settlers in their homes
on the banks of the Akaki River
in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa
(credit: Guy Calaf).
c. Figure 6. University of Dar es
Salaam Mlimani Campus (credit:
Martin Walsh).
d. Figure 7. The canopy walkway at
Kirstenbosch National Botanic
Garden in Cape Town (credit:
Lucie Galt).
e. Figure 8. Rescued serval at the
Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in the
heart of the City of Lilongwe (credit:
Lilongwe Wildlife Trust). 55
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
ADDRESSING CHALLENGES
During the consultative workshops,
stakeholders cited critical challen-
ges and promising solutions, which
could respectively impede or enhan-
ce the sustainable management of
urban natural assets.16 These cha-
llenges and solutions can be clus-
tered into five interrelated themes.
With reference to a selection of case
studies, this section considers the
challenges, solutions, key lessons,
and relevant tools pertaining to each
of these themes.
Awareness
In all four cities, stakeholders be-
moaned a lack of awareness of bio-
diversity and its benefits, afflicting
all layers and sectors of society,
from local communities to gover-
nment departments. ‘Ecological
illiteracy’ was deemed to be an un-
derlying cause of insufficient fun-
ding for biodiversity management,
inappropriate land-use planning,
and unsustainable decision-ma-
king. For instance, in Addis Ababa
certain government-backed refo-
restation schemes plant non-nati-
ve species which grow quickly but
pose invasion risks and fail to de-
liver the multiple co-benefits asso-
ciated with indigenous species. In
Dar es Salaam, it was said that the
Instituto Humboldt
act of littering has become a social
norm while major companies do
very little to treat, manage or recy-
cle the large amounts of industrial
waste that they generate.
There are many opportunities to
56 educate and sensitize urban people:
schools, universities, museums, par-
ks, events, films, television, radio,
social media and literature. Expe-
rience from the UNA-Africa project,
suggests that in order to maximize
the impact of biodiversity communi-
cations campaigns, it is necessary
to enlist the support of partners who
can refine, reinforce and relay mes-
sages to critical audiences in com-
pelling terms. For instance, in Dar es
Salaam, the local non-governmental
organisation (NGO), Nipe Fagio, has
partnered with local government and
water-consuming companies such
as Coca Cola, to encourage citizens
to proactively restore the environ-
ment. Billboards promoting sustai-
nable behaviour with the tagline, ‘I
am the change’, have been erected
across the city. With the support of
local community leaders, a series
of beach and river clean-ups have
been organised with remarkable
numbers of volunteers turning out to
help. Local artists have been com-
missioned to build evocative sculp-
tures out of ocean waste, perhaps
inspiring local rappers to begin pro-
testing against environmental degra-
dation through their music. 17
KEY LESSON:
01 Enlist the support of part-
ners who can refine, rein-
force and relay messages to critical
audiences in compelling terms.
Relevant tools:
»» Toolkit for evaluating the effi-
cacy of biodiversity communi-
cation, education and public
awareness-raising activities
»» Ten compelling case studies
making the case for biodiversity
»» CBD Resources for Educators
Data and knowledge
What do sustainable land-use plan-
ning, conservation-priority setting,
ecological impact assessment, and
invasive alien species management
have in common? They all require ac-
cess to relevant, reliable biodiversity
data, especially species occurren-
ce data. Yet, access to such data is
patchy and restricted. The reasons
are manifold: legally, restrictive data
licencing blocks its use; technica-
lly, data management software do
not adequately support data sharing;
culturally, data secrecy is still the de-
fault position of most organisations;
politically, government agencies are
not yet fully committed to the princi-
ple of free and open access to data;
and financially, insufficient resources
are allocated towards data mobilisa-
tion activities. In Lilongwe, insuffi-
18
cient monitoring data was said to be
undermining measures aimed at ad-
dressing deforestation while in Addis
Ababa, it transpired that there is no
systematic geospatial record-keeping
entailed with reforestation schemes.
There are many ways in which the
biodiversity data management can
be improved. With expanding inter-
net connectivity, surging smartpho-
ne ownership, and countless eyes
and ears on the ground, African cities
hold great promise for citizen scien-
ce. Tools such as iSpot, iNaturalist,
and the Map of Life can generate va-
luable data while engaging, educa-
ting and sensitizing the public. The
City of Cape Town has established its
own Biodiversity Management Data-
base19 which receives species occu-
rrence records from a network of field
staff and local volunteers. It is essen-
tially a citizen science tool designed
to inform conservation management
decisions. When, for instance, an in-
vasive alien species is recorded in a
new area, the system automatically
alerts the Early Detection and Rapid
Response Programme so that swift
remedial action can be taken. Cities
unable to afford such dedicated sys-
tems may be able to use national or
international data portals affiliated
with Global Biodiversity Information
Facility (GBIF).
KEY LESSON:
02 Create a centralised portal
to facilitate free and open
access to biodiversity data and har-
ness the power of citizen science.
Relevant tools:
»» Best Practice Guide for Biodi-
versity Data Publishing by Local
Governments
»» Integrated Publishing Toolkit
»» iSpot
»» iNaturalist
»» Map of Life
Coordination
While impressive teams of practitio-
ners, researchers, and policymakers
committed to tackling environmen-
tal issues abound in all four parti-
cipating cities, much of their work
appears to be undertaken without
overarching coordination. This was
evidenced at the Dar es Salaam wor-
kshop, when several participants
came to realise that they had been
working independently on very simi-
lar projects blind to each other. The
conservation and sustainable use of
urban natural assets demand long
term, integrated and cost-efficient
solutions. It is more common, howe-
ver, to see short-term, disjointed, and
overlapping environmental projects
performed by multiple actors with
multiple funding sources. This can
lead to duplication, missed collabo-
rative opportunities, and submaximal
returns on investment. Coordination
is a major challenge worldwide, but it
is particularly acute in cities lacking
institutional capacity.
By establishing a multi-stakehol-
der biodiversity coordination group,
local governments can foster grea-
ter spatial awareness within and be-
yond the environmental sector thereby nerate nonpoint source pollution and
stimulating collaboration, knowled-
ge-sharing, best-practice transfer, and
resource-pooling. Such a group can
meet periodically to discern and track
who is doing what, where, and when
with which resources. Starting with
Dar es Salaam, ICLEI is supporting
each of the four participating cities to
better coordinate their biodiversity ac-
tivities by undertaking an institutional
mapping exercise. This entails a com-
prehensive scoping and assessment
of relevant organisations, projects, ini-
tiatives, policies and decision-making
frameworks. The information will be
made available online and distributed
to stakeholders, including city depart-
ments, with a view to strengthening
the coordination of efforts to sustaina-
bly manage urban natural assets.
A Tale of Four Cities
KEY LESSON:
03 Map the institutional
landscape and establish
a biodiversity coordination group to
facilitate long-term, integrated, and
cost-efficient solutions.
Relevant tools:
»» ICLEI Biodiversity Mainstrea-
ming Toolkit
»» Survey Monkey 
Compliance and enforcement
Regulation entails the setting of
standards, monitoring of performan-
ce, and enforcement of complian-
ce. In all four participating cities, low
institutional capacity (human, tech-
nical and financial) was deemed to
hamper monitoring and enforcement
with dispersed activities which ge-
impacts (e.g. deforestation, human
sewage sludge, urban runoff, indus-
trial operations and illegal dumping),
said to pose the greatest challenges.
Additionally, the laws and policies
regulating the use of urban natural
assets were described as complex,
usually-confusing, occasionally-con-
flicting, and compounded by weak
institutional arrangements across
multiple government agencies.
The process of restructuring,
simplifying and streamlining a re-
gulatory framework can take enor-
mous effort and many years to
accomplish. More immediate re-
sults may be attained through the
provision of practical guidance to
educate and empower society into
compliance, thereby reducing the 57
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
demand for enforcement interven-
tions. Inspiration may be drawn
from Malawi’s National Integrated
Catchment Management and Rural
Infrastructure Development Guide-
lines20 which provide: (i) procedural
guidance to planners and practitio-
ners on how to sustainably manage
catchments; and (ii) technical acti-
vity guidance to village communi-
ties on how to use natural resources
in accordance with the law. These
guidelines, coupled with country-wi-
de training, have proven effective in
fostering decentralised, communi-
ty-driven and legally-compliant ma-
nagement of river catchments.
KEY LESSON:
04 Educate and empower
society into compliance
thereby reducing the demand for en-
forcement interventions.
Relevant tools:
»» Principles of Environmental
Compliance and Enforcement
Handbook
Resources
In each consultative workshop, re-
source constraints were said to im-
pede the sustainable management
of urban natural assets. In particular,
a lack of financial resources was bla-
Instituto Humboldt
med for, inter alia, precariously low
institutional capacity, continuing use
of outdated technology, inadequa-
te biodiversity monitoring, and weak
law enforcement. Often emerging as
a scapegoat for failure or inaction, a
58 lack of financial resources was dee-
med to result from low awareness of
biodiversity and its benefits, the di-
fficulty of expressing ecosystem ser-
vices in economic terms, and a lack
of political will. It was also sugges-
ted that the little resources which are
available for biodiversity manage-
ment, are not always used efficiently.
There are various ways in which
governments can increase revenues,
from issuing bonds to increasing
taxation. For example, the govern-
ment of the United Republic of Tan-
zania has enhanced the efficiency of
tax collection by partnering with Vo-
dacom to rollout the mobile phone
application, M-PESA, which facilita-
tes easy online payments.21 While an
in-depth discussion of taxation lies
beyond the scope of this paper, the
potential for public-private partners-
hips to alleviate resource constraints
is considerable and warrants further
examination. South Africa’s Biodi-
versity Stewardship Programme is a
case in point. Through the program-
me, the City of Cape Town can enter
into agreements with private lan-
downers to facilitate nature conser-
vation.22 The landowners agree to
adopt sound conservation manage-
ment principles in return for mana-
gement advice and tax breaks. This
provides a cost-effective means to
outsourcing conservation manage-
ment. The City of Cape Town is also
notable for having made substan-
tial headway in capturing the value
of ecosystem services in economic
terms, not least by commissioning
a detailed study on the rationale for
‘investing in natural assets’. The
23
study has proven instrumental in
fostering political will and influencing
budget allocation. Additionally, the
City has overcome staff shortages
by mobilising volunteers who now
constitute one-third of its environ-
mental workforce.
KEY LESSON:
05 Alleviate resource cons-
traints by making a strong
economic case, engaging the private
sector, and mobilising volunteers.
Relevant tools:
»» Public-Private Partnerships for
the Urban Environment
»» Biodiversity Fiscal Incentives:
A Framework on Fiscal Incenti-
ves for Biodiversity
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Urban natural assets – including fo-
rests, rivers, wetlands, public parks,
botanic gardens, zoos, and game
reserves – make substantial contri-
butions to the wellbeing and secu-
rity of Africans, especially the urban
poor. As Africa rapidly urbanizes the
importance of these urban natu-
ral assets grows commensurately.
Yet their sustainable management is
hampered by critical challenges in-
cluding a lack of awareness of bio-
diversity and its benefits, inadequate
data and knowledge, poor coordi-
nation, weak enforcement, and re-
source constraints. Experiences in
Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Cape
Town and Lilongwe where various
promising solutions are already fin-
ding traction, attest that none of
these challenges is insurmountable.
Even with limited resources and low
A Tale of Four Cities
institutional capacity, small impas- EXTRA MATERIAL WHICH YOU MAY WISH TO INCLUDE
sioned teams working in local go-
vernments can make great strides a.
for nature conservation. By enlisting
the support of partners, harnessing
the power of citizen science, stren-
gthening coordination to maximize
synergy, educating and empowering
society into compliance with envi-
ronmental laws, engaging the priva-
te sector and making the economic
case for conservation, local govern-
ments can ensure that urban natural
assets are conserved in perpetuity.
By doing so, they will greatly impro-
ve the liveability, sustainability and
resilience of their cities, while pre-
serving precious lifelines to the most b.
vulnerable members of society.
a. Mules carrying loads of firewood,
harvested from the Eucalyptus
trees planted on Entoto Hill, Addis
Ababa (credit: Georgina Avlonitis)
b. A venue of endangered hooded
vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus)
on the athletics track of Addis
Ababa University (credit:
Georgina Avlonitis).
c. Young boy gathering water, Dar
es Salaam, Tanzania (credit:
Georgina Avlonitis) c.
Additional information at
http://goo.gl/23UegB
Quote as: Galt, R., Avlonitis G. A tale of four
cities: Natural urban assets of Subsaharan
Africa. P. 50-59. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D.
C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 59
 Citizen
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Civic Biodiversity
CARIBBEAN SEA together urban inhabitants with their Essentially, the campaign promoted
“natural” surroundings, remained a new way of experiencing urban
active until October of 2014. Part of biodiversity through four concrete

Biodiversity
its reason for being included the actions: intensifying the senses,
creation of visual and attractive recognizing that nonhuman life also
information for social networks, to inhabits the cities, visualizing the
1. Cartagena involve new publics and generate diversity of living urban systems
2. Medellín
content that SiB Colombia until now and becoming reconciled to the big
3. Anserma
4. Manizales had not explored. On the other hand, city. In practice, this translated into
1 5. Pereira and from a long-term perspective, a relatively simple dynamic of
DAILY REPORTS OF WILDLIFE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS 6. Circasia SiB Colombia considered that this participation that revolved around a
BOLÍVAR 7. Bogotá
“seed” invitation could be the basic slogan: “Share evidence of
8. Quebradanegra
9. Jerusalén prelude to civic science projects, so wildlife in urban surroundings”. The
10. Anapoima that people who are not scientists proposal thus focused on inviting
María Fernanda Gómez Ahumada, Instituto Humboldt 11. Cali
could also take part in enriching this city dwellers sensitive to biodiversi-
María Isabel Puerta Barco, freelancer in Web content creation 12. Quermal Dagua
13. Honda information system. ty to share photos or videos on the
14. Ibagué social networks of SiB Colombia,
15. Barichara supporting them, wherever possi-
16. Yopal
THE CITIES ARE STAGES THAT HOST A LARGE QUANTITY OF LIVING ble, with a summary.
17. Villavicencio
ORGANISMS AND PROCESSES. NONETHELESS, THE REFERENCE Every Friday afternoon, the most
POINTS OF URBAN INHABITANTS ARE SO MARKED THAT THEY COLOMBIA
recent weekly publication by SiB
TEND TO IGNORE THE DIVERSITY OF FAUNA, FLORA, MUSHROOMS 2,129,748 km²   |  48,747,632 inhabitants  Colombia for social networks was a
AND LICHENS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WITH WHOM THEY SHARE 127 km
kind of photograph of urban biodiver-
SPACES AND ENVIRONMENTS EVERY DAY, AS WELL AS THE ANTIOQUIA sity2 in different parts of the country.
15
BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS “HIDDEN” BIODIVERSITY. THAT SANTANDER What was crucial was to specify the
2
IS WHY IN 2013 AND 2014, COLOMBIA WAS THE SCENE OF A CIVIC species, site and contributor, to
PARTICIPATION CAMPAIGN TO REPORT WILDLIFE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. visualize the presence of certain
species in the cities along with the
16 participation of different people.
CALDAS CASANARE
3 Additionally, and with the aim of awak-
RISARALDA 13 8
ening the curiosity of their followers,
4 CUNDINAMARCA
5
THE SEED OF BIODIVERSITY 9
two strategies for participation were
6 7 employed with excellent results:
National participation in the 14 10
With the aim of contributing towards Urban Biodiversity campaign of QUINDÍO
SiB Colombia VALLE DEL CAUCA 17
building a different vision of the city • Inviting specialists in areas of
Source: SiB Colombia (2015) 12
and improving its quality of life, in biology and environment to
TOLIMA
May of 2013, the Biodiversity 11 META identify some of the reported
Instituto Humboldt

Information System of Colombia (SiB species, which generated an

Colombia) issued an open invitation
1
PACIFIC OCEAN interesting dynamic between
to the different audiences of the
country to share their encounters PM
Additional information at
with urban biodiversity. The initiative, Credit: Google Earth, Data SIO, NOAA, https://goo.gl/WrZHMx
U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO, Landsat, US
which came about for the purpose of Dept of State Geographer.
60 increasingly involving and bringing 61
 a.
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
b.
Among the different campaigns promoted on the
social networks of the SiB, the one about urban
biodiversity played a leading role because it was
the most shared and commented upon each week.
specialized and nonspecialized
audiences.
• Linking the species reported to
the information available in the
Catálogo de la Biodiversidad de
Colombia3 (Biodiversity Catalog of
Colombia) or on the Data Portal of
Instituto Humboldt
the SiB Colombia4, an excellent
way of anchoring the services and
products of the SiB to daily reality.
Once the initiative had been imple-
mented, contributions were received
62 from diverse Colombian cities about a
large number of biological groups,
including plants, birds, mammals,
insects, amphibians and reptiles. While
there was participation by people from
big cities such as Bogotá D. C.,
Manizales and Cali, who contributed
the largest number of photographs,
images sent from smaller population
centers such as Circasia, Sirvaná and
Quebrada Negra were also included. In
the end, a total of 32 people had
reported their “biodiverse encounters”
with more than 50 species through
photographs. However, it was the
participation by other curious individu-
als, who shared materials and
generated conversations about them,
which truly energized the campaign.
c.
d.
KEY LESSONS
01 Civic participation
initiatives like this one
awaken people’s interest while also
increasing their level of involvement
with biodiversity, because they
create new ways of relating to the
surroundings and becoming aware
of their wildlife manifestations.
02 The initiative consolidated
a set of recurrent partici-
pants who continued to contribute
photographs while at the same time
becoming important multipliers of the
initiative: the simple act of sharing a
photo awakens the interest and
admiration of wide-ranging audienc-
es, because it constitutes a “visual
rest” amidst all of the daily informa-
tion overload on the social networks.
03 Any similar project must
have continuity over time
as well as an excellent communi-
cations strategy in order to have
long ranging impact.
04
The leading role of bird
and insect species in the
publications was a constant,
probably because they are the
easiest groups to photograph and
people tend to associate biodiversity
through them. In contrast, the flora
was largely ignored, even though it
is probably the most abundant
manifestation of wildlife in the cities.
This bat, rescued in the city of Villavicencio,
was taken to the Universidad de los Llanos for
a veterinary checkup and, after a favorable
diagnosis, was released.
05 The campaign also consti-
tuted an excellent strategy to
encourage the use of the products of
the SiB, particularly because it was
linked to the species catalog and
biological records explorer.
06
In the future, thought
should be given to a
similar campaign that would involve
schools through subjects such as
biology or environmental education.
In that case, thought should be given
to more robust technological tools.
Civic Biodiversity
e.
f.
a. Iguana (Iguana iguana).
b.
Felipe Estela. Location Cali
Palma de las Canarias (Phoenix
canariensis).
María Isabel Puerta. Location: Bogotá
c.
d.
Bichofué (Pitangus sulphuratus).
Francisco Yemail. Location: Honda
Canaries (Serinus canaria). María
Fernanda Gómez. Location: Barichara
e. Gualanday (Jacaranda mimosifolia).
Elízabeth García. Location: Cali
f. Bat, (Molossus sp.).
Nathaly Rojas. Location: Villavicencio
Quote as: Gómez, M. F., Puerta, M. I. Citizen
biodiversity: Daily reports of wildlife in urban
environments. P. 60-63. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.).
Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 63
 Large and
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Large and Old Trees

MEDELLÍN - ANTIOQUIA
380.64 km² | 2,464,322 inhabitants | 1,475 meters above sea level.
Temperate-dry | 24 ºC | 1,656 mm | 72 % rural - 28 % urban

5.69 km

Old Trees Distribution of Large and Old Trees (AGA, from the
Spanish acronym) in the municipality of Medellín
A LOOK AT THE OLDEST INHABITANTS OF MEDELLÍN Source: Secretariat of Environment of Medellín
(2015).

Area of the municipality of Medellín

Urban area of Medellín

Zorayda Restrepo | Sebastián González | Jorge Zea Camaño | Esteban Álvarez-Dávila

Jardín Botánico de Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe
Presence of old trees
Areas with herbaceous and/or bush
vegetation
1,3 % of the trees
have diameters
greater than

60 cm
THE TREES IN CITIES ARE SYSTEMS THAT MAINTAIN KEY ECOSYSTEM SERVICES starting point for the Laboratory of at chest
height
FOR SOCIETY. A DETERMINING PART OF THEIR FUNCTIONING DEPENDS UPON LARGE Ecosystem Services and Climate Credit: Google Earth, DigitalGlobe (2015), CNES/Astrium (2015). (DAP, from
its Spanish
TREES, WHICH IS WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTAND THE ECOLOGY OF THESE Change (SECC), of the Joaquín acronym)

INDIVIDUALS WHEN DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGES OF LANDSCAPE AND THINKING Antonio Uribe Botanical Garden of
ABOUT ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE CITIES. THIS INITIATIVE CONSISTED OF GATHERING Medellín, which undertook research
INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE TREES AND ANALYZING IT IN DEPTH, IN ORDER TO to explore the ecosystem services
UNDERSTAND THEIR IMPACT ON A CITY LIKE MEDELLÍN. that the AGA provide in Medellín: greenhouse gases, one of the key 25% of which is captured by the words, fixed sources). However,
climate change mitigation, capture services provided by plants is to AGA (in other words, 45,083 mobile sources produce the most
of particulate material in the air help decrease these emissions. tons of CO2). If we bear in mind emissions but this data is not
and urban fauna conservation. After calculating the biomass of that only 1.33% of the individual known for Medellín.
each tree and using equations trees are old and large (AGA), • A second exercise explored the
LARGE AND OLD TREES IN These trees are significantly scarce, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF THE that associate the dimensions of we can see that the climate potential of the AGA for retaining
PERSPECTIVE representing only 1.33% of the total LARGE AND OLD TREES (AGA) the tree with its density to obtain regulation service in the city is particulate material. Based on
number of individuals, and are IN MEDELLÍN its weight, ~48% of which being provided disproportion- preliminary data on the removal
Instituto Humboldt

According to the database of the
Secretariat of Environment of
Medellín (SMA), the city has 4,392
individual trees with diameters great-
er than 60cm at chest height (DAP)
(the definition of Large and Old Trees
64 (Árboles Grandes y Antiguos, AGA))1.
distributed among 108 species,
which represent 14% of those
reported for urban forests. A
considerable number of species, 38
(~6 %) have been introduced and
one, (Leucaena leucocephala) is an
invasive species. This was the
• The first exercise, which focused
on the AGA and their relationship
to CO2, consisted of analyzing
carbon accumulated in the urban
forest. Because carbon (CO, CO2,
among others) contributes to
corresponds to organic carbon, ately by them. of particles in the air by some of UBFA
the accumulated carbon currently It is known that in 2011 in the the more common species in
AUES
in the city was estimated and the Metropolitan area of the Valle de Medellín, the city’s total invento-
proportion of carbon retained by Aburrá (Amva), ~3.5 million tons ry was extrapolated. This UW
the AGA was obtained. of CO2 were emitted, of which estimate was calculated in the
The urban forest captures 39% (~1.3 million) were produced laboratory, where the material
177,708 tons of CO2 in Medellín, by industry in Medellín (in other captured by the leaves was 65
 Number of
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
species
50
0 pared with the proportion of
Endozoochory Anemochory
Number of
species
50
0
Melitophilly Cantarophilly
weighed. To make the extrapola-
tion, the following suppositions
were taken into account: a) that
the total biomass of the leaves
of a tree correspond to three
Instituto Humboldt
quarters of the biomass of its
trunk ; and b) that on average,
2
the leaves weigh 280 g3. In this
way, if one leaf captures 0.029 g/
day of particulate material, a
tree with a trunk that weighs
66 1000 kg (with 750 kg of leaves)
Figure 1. Systems of dispersion for different
species: endozoochory (animals and birds
and which go through their digestive tract),
anemochory (wind), dizoochory (by means of
transport for storage), sinzoochory (no evident
adaptation for dispersion) and hydrochory (water).
Dizoochory Sinzoochory
Figure 2. Systems of pollination for 108 species
of AGA in the city. Ornitofilia=hummingbirds,
cantarofilia=beetles, melitofilia=bees and wasps,
miofilia=flies, psicofilia=daytime butterflies,
falenofilia=nocturnal butterflies, quiropterofilia=bats.
Falenofilia Chiropterophilly Ornitophilly
potentially captures ~78 g/day of
particulate material. According
to the calculations, it was
estimated that the AGA capture
~10 tons of particulate material
daily in the city (~3,650 tons
annually). In other words, the
AGA could potentially control the
emissions reported in Medellín
(2,830 tons per year of particu-
late material emissions in 2011;
PM, PM10 and PM2.5)4. However,
those trees are not located in
zones of pollution and the cycle
of these particulates after being
captured is unknown.
• The third and last exercise
analyzed the capacity of the
AGA as a refuge for fauna. For
this purpose, the dispersion
vectors for seeds and pollina-
tion by animals among trees in
the city in general were com-
Hydrochory
large trees that serve as food for
animals (birds, mammals and
different insects).
It was found that 74% of the
AGA are dispersed or pollinated
by animals, which is the same as
for the rest of the trees in the
city, where 95% of individual
trees have this charcteristic . The
5
analysis of the dispersion
systems shows that most of the
fruits and seeds are evidently
adapted for dispersion; this
cannot be confirmed for five of
the species or else it is difficult
to associate them with a
dispersion system, given the
Miofilia
characteristics of their reproduc-
tive organs. The mutual relation-
ship between plants and animals
is clear: zoochory is an important
syndrome in the dispersion of
the AGA. 56% (61 species, 53
endozoochory and 8 dizoochory)
of the species require fauna to
be able to disperse their fruits
and seeds, and at the same time
clearly provide the service of
conservation of the diversity of
fauna because they promote a
food supply consisting of a great
diversity of species that are
associated with the dispersion of
fruits and seeds (Figure 1)6.
The interactions between
plants and animals have
beneficial effects in two ways. In
pollination for example, the
types of vectors involved
guarantee their reproduction,
and the trees, in turn, provide
food for the fauna as a habitat
for preservation of the popula-
tions. In the urban forest of
Medellín, bees and beetles
constitute the most important
group in the pollination of
trees7, as they represent 41%
(45 species of AGA) and 24%
(26) respectively. Nocturnal
butterflies account for 11% (12);
mammals and bats 10% (11);
hummingbirds, 3.7% (4); flies,
1% (1); and pollination through
wind, 8% (9) (Figure 2).
KEY LESSONS
01 After calculating the
biomass of each tree, the
quantity of carbon currently accumu-
lated in the city and the proportion of
carbon retained by the AGA, it
became evident that these individual
trees are the principal suppliers of the
climate regulation service.
02 With the data on the
weight of the material
captured by the leaves of the AGA,
it was concluded that these
individuals are able to control the
annual emissions recorded for
Medellín. However, these trees are
not in zones of pollution and we do
not know what happens to the
particles after being captured.
03 The cited studies showed
that the urban forest
plays a decisive role in the conser-
vation of habitats and biological
diversity (fauna), because much of
the dispersing or pollinating fauna
that visits the plants are seeking
food (fruit, pollen, nectar, etc.), but
only the AGA provide services for
nesting or resting8. In that sense,
they constitute key microhabitats
for urban biodiversity conservation,
while permitting the subsistence of
other species that provide essential
services, such as insects.
04 In the city of Medellín, the
AGA are scarce and face
numerous problems due to the
urban infrastructure. It is therefore
vital to rethink the compensations
for the AGA in environmental
impact studies: a single large old
tree is equivalent to 1,095 one-year-
old trees (individuals < 3cm in
diameter) in terms of biomass.
05 Size is a characteristic
partially determined by
heredity: because the genetic pool
is finite, it eliminates part of this bias
in the next generation. This informa-
tion is particularly relevant taking
into account that the large trees are
threatened at the global level9.
06 Having a significant
number of AGA (311,112
approximately) could reduce CO2
emissions to almost 0 tons in
Medellín. However, this quantity of
trees larger than 60 cm of DAP could
create problems for the functioning
of daily life in the city. Green zones
and development projects must be
planned in order to guarantee the
longevity of the trees.
Large and Old Trees
07 A green zone designed not
to interfere with develop-
ment projects could include AGA:
they must be an additional element
for landscape planning and the
development of green zones and
areas of connectivity.
08 Knowing the proportion of
large trees and the
ecosystem services that they
provide is a necessary step for
implementing fair conservation
measures. However, this analysis
requires data obtained from
periodic measurements and records
of geographic location, along with
profound knowledge of the species.
That is why it is vital to include
permanent inventories of them
along with their functional charac-
teristics as a means for calculating
ecosystem services.
09 Pollination studies in the
cities are rare and the
floral strategies adapted to a
transformed environment, such as
cities, where it is difficult to maintain
specialized relations to guarantee re-
production, are unknown.
Quote as: Restrepo, Z., González, S., Zea, J.,
Álvarez-Dávila, E. Large and old trees: A look at the
oldest inhabitants of Medellín. P. 64-67. In: Mejía
M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación
de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 67
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Academia, Biodiversity and Development

Strategic areas of development
El Calvario and work in Villavicencio and its
different focal points of regional
development

Biodiversity and
Source: Universidad de los Llanos
(2015).
Water network
A
Productive forest
Protected nature
Agricultural

Development
STRATEGIC AREA OF WORK Protective forest
ON BIODIVERSITY AND Alluvial
VEGETATION COVERAGE Livestock

STRATEGIC AREA OF Restrepo

WATER PROTECTION
AND LANDSCAPE VILLAVICENCIO AS A SOCIOECOLOGICAL SYSTEM
MANAGEMENT
B

Río Guatiquía Clara Inés Caro Caro  |  Marco Aurelio Torres Mora  |  Sandra Liliana Parada Guevara, Universidad de los Llanos
Juan Sebastián Durán, Universidad de Antioquia
VILLAVICENCIO

Puerto López

STRATEGIC AREAS
D OF REGIONAL
URBAN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
C

D D

STRATEGIC AREA OF WORK

ON URBAN INTERVENTION
AND EQUIPMENT

ACACÍAS
Instituto Humboldt

THE INTENSE GROWTH OF THE URBAN POPULATION IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF Urban land
VILLAVICENCIO HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ITS ECOSYSTEMS AND GENERATED Land in expansion
Guayuriba river AUES
A LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY. IN RESPONSE TO SUCH A VERTIGINOUS PHENOMENON Suburban land

AND BASED ON A RECENT POLICY THAT ESTABLISHED THE ORINOQUIA AS THE URTL
Populated center, rural district San Carlos de Guaroa
NEW FRONTIER OF DEVELOPMENT, AN EXERCISE WAS DESIGNED TO UNDERSTAND
Populated center,
VILLAVICENCIO
HOW AND TO WHAT EXTENT THE CITY OF VILLAVICENCIO CAN GROW AND REMAIN other municipality
1,311.3 km2  |  484,471 inhabitants  |  467 meters above sea level  | 
68 SUSTAINABLE, IN TERMS OF ITS BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES. River, stream Warm-very humid | 25 °C  |  4,383 mm   |  4.72 % urban - 87.06 % rural  Credit: Google Earth, Google (2015), Landsat. 69
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
A
Strategic area of work on biodiversity
and vegetation coverage
The axis of Villavicencio-Bogotá repopulation,
on the national highway, is characterized by
the beauty of the landscape that it provides, for
example the Buenavista reserve. In population
terms, this landscape is home to traditional
inhabitants with a farming tradition, new
inhabitants from other areas of the country and a
large flow of visitors. The disorganized population
increase puts significant pressure on the rural and
conservation areas, given that there is a conflict
over human settlements in zones of high risk,
stemming from the logic of the highway.
B comprehensive analysis to under-
Strategic area of water protection and
landscape management
The axis of Restrepo-Cumaral repopulation, on the
marginal highway of the forest, has a refreshing
climate and scenic and landscape beauty, such as
in the Bavaria Forest and the Cerro de Vanguardia.
It also has numerous drainages, streams and
wells. This landscape has an environmental
offering recognized by its inhabitants, which is
why the population centers along this axis have
become bedroom communities.
Instituto Humboldt
70
GROWTH IN THE LIGHT OF
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
During much of the 20th century, the
urban population of the municipality
of Villavicencio grew excessively.
This is shown by the fact that it
went from 24.9% of the total in
1938 to a projected 95% in 2015 . 1
This radical change has naturally
led to greater demand for goods
and services, along with an
alteration of the urban metabolism
and its resulting impact in terms of
pollution, fragmentation of ecosys-
tems and loss of biodiversity.
In this context, in 2012, the
Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales
de la Orinoquia Colombiana
(ICAOC) (Institute of Environmental
Sciences of the Colombian
Oriinoquia) designed an initiative for
stand how Villavicencio and its
ecosystem services were connect-
ed with different focal points of
development in the region. This
effort aimed to understand how and
to what extent the city could grow
and remain sustainable, in terms of
its biodiversity and associated
ecosystem services.
A METHODOLOGY WITH VARIOUS
WORK FRONTS
The initiative began with some initial
considerations, namely: a) the role of
Villavicencio in the framework of the
policy decision to consider the
Orinoquia as the new frontier of the
country’s agribusiness, forestry and
mining development; b) the notion of
Villavicencio as a socioecological
system of population growth and
accelerated economic growth; c) the
relationship between the urban
ecosystem services of Villavicencio
and the land use as defined in the
currently-in-effect Land Manage-
ment Plan (Plan de Ordenamiento
Territorial or POT; and d) local
perceptions about the environmental
situation of the city, understood as
inputs for creating trending and
desirable scenarios that are explored
in the framework of 26 initiatives
with the communities.
At the same time, to identify the
ecosystem services and their
spatial representation, four steps
were followed: first of all, postgrad-
uate level technical documents
were compiled; then a matrix was
created for the analysis of ecosys-
tem services according to axes of
relationship of the municipality; then
those axes were contrasted with
their relationship to the locomotives
for development of the 2010-2014
National Development Plan and the
results were spatialized in the carto-
graphic base of coverage and use
of the land in the currently-in-effect
Land Management Plan.
The result of these efforts was
the characterization of Villavicencio
as a socioecosystem composed of
four axes of ecosystem services,
located in four strategic areas: the
Restrepo-Cumaral axis, an area of
water protection and landscape
management that provides water
regulation and scenic beauty; the
Villavicencio-Puerto Gaitán-Puerto
Carreño highway, which is an area
of regional- urban economic
development involving oil and
agribusiness activities, along with
changes in land use and transfor-
mations of traditional forms of
production; the national Villavicen-
cio-Bogotá highway, an area of
work on biodiversity and vegetation
cover that provides climate
regulation, recreation and tourism
services; and the Villavicen-
cio-Acacías-Granada-San José del
Guaviare highway, on the edge of
the forest, an area of work on urban
intervention and equipment that
produces food and minerals along
with cultural and historical services.
KEY LESSONS
01 An initiative of this nature,
which, essentially consists
of thinking of Villavicencio as a
socioecosystem or socioecological
system, enables coordination of the
supply of ecosystem services with
the social dynamics and to begin to
understand the existing flows in a
short period of time. It also helps to
conceive of urban development
plans as a kind of log, with which
the city government can take on the
challenge of recognizing the space
in all of its ecosystem, socioeco-
nomic, political and cultural
dimensions, so that living in the
place constitutes, finally, an act of
placidity and happiness.
02 An academic initiative such
as this favors a compre-
hensive and non-sectoral vision,
which incorporates perspectives of
sustainability, fairness and comple-
mentarity. At the same time, it
influences environmental land
management so that biodiversity and
ecosystem services are maintained
as bases for the functional urban
axis of the Orinoquia.
03 This type of initiatives
recognizes the importance
of having active participation and
feedback from local actors, with a
view to exploiting their knowledge,
perceptions and realities in the
framework of workshops and
roleplaying. Such initiatives also
generate an active citizenry, with a
tendency towards an environmental
culture aware of the intangible value
of ecosystem services and the
importance of structuring municipal
institutional programs as well as
formulating projects applied in
diverse educational strategies.
Academia, Biodiversity and Development
C
Strategic area of work on urban
intervention and equipment
On this Villavicencio-Acacías-Granada-San
José del Guaviare repopulation axis at the
edge of the forest, the road infrastructure,
agricultural and livestock production and fossil
fuels extraction support population growth. The
urban settlements that are consolidated around
these locomotives of economic development
benefit from a constant supply of employment
and improvement of public services.
D
Strategic area of urban-regional
economic development
This Villavicencio-Puerto Gaitán axis of
repopulation is a niche of oil and agribusiness
activity and is recognized as the place of the
new llaneros (people of the eastern plains). In
this case, and despite being a locomotive for
economic development, changes in land use and
in forms of traditional production have generated
socioenvironmental conflicts and dynamics.
Quote as: Caro, C., Torres, M., Parada, S, Durán,
J. Academia, biodiversity and development:
Villavicencio as a socioecological system. P. 68-71.
In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 71
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Natural Transitions
ENGATIVÁ
BOGOTÁ
Calle
63 1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants | 2,625 meters above sea level.
Cold-very dry   |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban

International Airport
structuring operation:
Refers to projected interventions in the
1
Capellanía Wetland Management Plan surrounding area of the Airport. Includes work
Diagnosis of the functional system of the locality of Fontibón. for airport enlargement, road consolidation,
Source: Secretearía Distrital de Ambiente (2008). connection with the Transmilenio (accordion
bus network) and connection with the bicycle
Av paths (ciclorrutas); enlargement of the sewage
1. El Dorado International Airport en
ida system and aqueduct works; and construction
2. Central Fontibón Ca
lle of Capellanía Park in the surroundings of the
3. Duty-free Zone of Bogotá 26
wetlands1. This structuring operation has not
yet been regulated.
International Airport Structuring Operation
Fontibón Structuring Operation
Capellanía Wetland Fontibón structuring operation:
2 Refers to the plan for consolidating an

Aven
Avenida Longitudinal de Occidente (Western Longitudinal Avenue), second stage industrial zone in this locality, connected with
Wes

ida
Avenida Longitudinal de Occidente (Western Longitudinal Avenue), first stage te the residential and supply units that currently
rn R

Ciuda
ailw exist, and benefitted by an improved transport
ay
network. The interventions will involve measures

d de
Natural
for renovation to fulfill the needs for social

Cali
equipment and public space, making it possible
to recover elements of the Principal Ecological
Structure, and with that, connectivity with the
wetland ecosystem2.

Transitions
THE CAPELLANÍA WETLAND AND ITS BUFFER ZONE
3

Avenida Calle 13

Fucha River
FONTIBÓN

THE CAPELLANÍA WETLAND

Although this wetland was protect-
ed by District Accords 06 of 1990
and 19 of 1994 and classified as a
Wetland District Ecological Park by
the Land Management Plan (Plan de
Ordenamiento Territorial (POT)) of

Bogotá river
UNDER PRESSURE Bogotá, it is currently affected by
numerous pressures that could
Mauricio Ernesto Calderón Ramírez, Fundación Colombia Ambiental Jorge Zamudio Numerous research initiatives have irreversibly alter it (Figure 1).
shown the biological potential of the After analyzing possible
THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGES THAT ARE AFFECTING THE CAPELLANÍA WETLAND WERE THE INCENTIVE FOR Capellanía Wetland, which consists alternatives to guarantee conserva-
Instituto Humboldt

A GROUP OF ORGANIZATIONS TO LEAD THE CREATION OF A REGULATORY SYSTEM FOR CONSERVATION. THIS of 27 ha and whose juncales tion of the biodiversity of the UMP
HAD PREVIOUSLY ONLY BEEN USED IN ZONES THAT ARE PART OF THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF PROTECTED (marshes) and small water mirrors wetland, the Fundación Colombia
SW
AREAS, AND HAD NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN PROTECTED AREAS OF A REGIONAL AND LOCAL NATURE, serve as a refuge for numerous Ambiental Jorge Zamudio (FUNCOA
INCLUDING URBAN ONES. THE RESULT WAS A LEGAL, COLLABORATIVE AND DEMOCRATIC INITIATIVE THAT WILL species of native, aquatic migratory JZ) concluded that the National LES
LEAD TO IMPROVEMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE PROTECTION OF WETLANDS AND THE CREATION OF A SIGNIFICANT birds. It also offers a large seed System of Protected Areas should
LEGAL PRECEDENT FOR OTHER CITIES OF THE COUNTRY. bank, which, if restored, would be implemented in the protected
72 Credit: Google Earth, DigitalGlobe (2015). increase the diversity of habitats. urban areas: the buffer zones. These 73
 Credit: Google Earth, DigitalGlobe (2015). The Wetlands Committee of the Capital District
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Natural Transitions
FUNCOA JZ was created in 2004 in memory of
is the scenario for meetings and dialogue ble, conditioned and prohibited
Jorge Humberto Zamudio Bolívar, historic leader of
1 among the environmental organizations and activities in the buffer zones.
the Capellanía Wetland. It should be emphasized
that the Fundación is part of the Network of governmental institutions for conservation of
• A set of strategies for manag-
Wetlands of the Savanna of Bogotá (Red de the wetlands and for follow-up, control and
oversight of implementation of the Capital District ing the landscape, public space
Humedales de la Sabana de Bogotá).
Wetlands Policy. The committee consists of and green infrastructure,
representatives from eight district entities and
Av compatible with existing urban
en eleven environmental organizations3.
zones mitigate disturbances caused ida development and works.
La
by human activity around the Es • A regulation for the installation of
pe
ran
different areas of the National za public services in the buffer zones4.
Natural Parks System, with the aim

Av
en
of preventing disturbances or KEY LESSONS

ida
Ca
alterations of the ecology or wildlife.

lle
01

62
Once the FUNCOA JZ ap- Although Colombian
proached the District Secretariat of legislation has numerous
2
Environment (Secretaría Distrital de norms for protection of the environ-

Ave
Ambiente (SDA)), the Network of ment and biodiversity, it still has

da ni
Wetlands of the Savanna of Bogotá regulatory gaps regarding urban

Ci
uda
developed a proposal for urban centers. In that sense, it is neces-

de d
buffer zones, which was presented sary to explore and study the

Cal
i
to the Wetlands Committee of the regulations with a view to proposing
Capital District (Mesa de Humedales innovative structures.
del Distrito Capital) for it to be
forwarded to the Ministry of
Environment and Sustainable
02 Involving venues for
participation makes it
possible to generate collective
Av
Development, the National Wetlands en construction processes that, beyond
ida
La
Committee and the Congress of the Es
pe
also giving rise to complaints and
ran
Republic, with the aim of modifying za frustrations, can foster consensus
currently-in-effect regulations. and generate fertile solutions for the
In general terms, the proposal administration and planning of cities
incorporated the following elements: and their protected areas.
Figure 1. Pressures on the Capellanía Wetland Management Plan
Capellanía Wetland Land uses and social practices
• A definition of the buffer zone in SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC Source: District Secretariat of Environment, 2008.
PRESSURE
the context of urban centers,
1. El Dorado International Airport
which also took into account the 2. Capellanía Wetland
precedent of the proposal by the
Urban Land uses
SDA regarding protected areas. Social practices
growth Collective equipment
• A legal and ecological justifica- Erroneous connections
Industrial Basic urban services Birds
Instituto Humboldt

tion, relevant for creation of this Displacement

Residential of sediments Water body
structure in order to plan and AVESCO: environmental debt
Residential, commerce and services
administer the landscape from Solid wastes
Infrastructure Residential and economic activity Challenger: ammonia odors
deposited in the Airport Noise Quote as: Calderón, M. Natural transitions: The
an environmental perspective. Residential zone Parking lot
wetland capellanía wetland and its buffer zone. P. 72-75.
Agglomerated commerce
• Some regulatory directives that Zone unsuitable for development
Noise Sector of industrial use In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
establish the principal, compati- Road Qualified commerce Football field
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Loss of area
74 Multiple zone Avenida Longitudinal de Occidente Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 75
 Social and
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Social and Ecological Epicenter

QUIBDÓ - CHOCÓ
Pacific | 3,337.5 km2  |  97,714 inhabitants  |  43 and 53 meters above sea level
  | Warm-rainy | 26 °C  |  7,815 mm  |  425 ha rural

Ecological Epicenter
LIFE IN QUIBDÓ, ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST BIODIVERSE CITIES

Zulia María Mena García, Alcaldía de Quibdó / Saliente I Yenecith Torres Allin, Secretariat of Environment and Biodiversity / Outgoing

QUIBDÓ IS A PRIVILEGED CITY IN TERMS OF SOURCES OF WATER AND BIODIVERSITY, Nonetheless, this natural wealth is in
WHICH COULD BE CONSOLIDATED AS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF ECOSYSTEM considerable contrast to the
SERVICES. NONETHELESS, ITS DEFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND VERY LARGE socioeconomic reality. For example,
POPULATION OF DISPLACED PERSONS THAT IT HOSTS NOT ONLY IMPEDE CARRYING the city receives tens of thousands
OUT SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION INITIATIVES, BUT ALSO TRANSLATE INTO PRACTICES of people in a situation of displace-
THAT ARE DETRIMENTAL TO THE RESOURCES OF THE ZONE ITSELF. ment every year, who settle in zones
near the banks of water sources,
most of which are considered to be
at high risk . This situation makes it
3
A POTENTIAL THAT FLOWS also the most diverse floristic area difficult to plan in the landscape and
of the biogeographic Chocó . These generates pressure on water
2
treated water is just 26% (it was
hoped to achieve more than 90%
coverage by the end of 2015).
GREEN HOPE
Despite these ecological and social
challenges, the municipality has
promoted local biodiversity and
spread the benefits from it among
the inhabitants of Quibdó and its vis-
ecological functions associated with
improvements in air quality, protec-
tion from winds, protection against
solar radiation and reduction of
odors and noise, along with
integration of the public space with
the green zones of the municipality.
KEY LESSONS
01 The principal lesson is
opportunities must aim, in the first
place, to carry out studies for the
evaluation of existing services, a
fundamental step towards recogni-
tion of the local context, actors and
synergies associated with ecosys-
tem services. That initiative of
recognition is vital for implementing
strategies compatible with the needs
of the population and coherent with
their worldview.

In Quibdó, capital of the Depart-

ment of Chocó, numerous water
sources of great socioeconomic,
environmental and cultural impor-
tance converge, including the
Atrato and Cabí Rivers, and the El
Caraño, La Aurora and La Yesca
streams. The municipality of Quibdó
Instituto Humboldt
conditions make the zone a place
of great potential for providing
humanity with ecosystem services
of supply (water and food), flood
regulation and erosion control
(presence of species of flora such
as Pithecellobium sp. –pichindé–)
and of support (photosynthesis and
sources because of the disposal of
solid wastes, deforestation and
improper disposal of excretions. At
the same time, only 13% the
population of the urban center of
Quibdó has sewerage service, while
illegal mining continues to increase
in alarming quantities in the upper
itors by means of the Plan for Tree
Planting, Ornamentation, Reforesta-
tion and Maintenance of Quibdó, a
component of the 2012-2015
Quibdó MIA United, Fair and
Friendly Development Plan. That
initiative, which seeks to recover and
generate green spaces in the city,
that the complexity of the
sociopolitical situation of Quibdó
makes it difficult to generate
03
sustainable incentives for to protect
green spaces and associated
ecosystem services. It is impossi-
ble to think about adequate
responses for conservation without
To come up with practical
contributions and
governmental schemes based on
payment for ecosystem services, it
is necessary to create and imple-
ment policies with a differential
approach, aimed at the regulation
and protection of natural resources.

also has the highest amount of
average precipitation in South
America1, while the central tropical
forest, which includes Tutunendo, a
formation and storage of organic
material). Finally, it is a fertile space
in terms of opportunities for
recreation, thanks to the townships
parts of the rivers and streams in
nearby municipalities. Undoubtedly,
these factors substantially affect the
water quality and represent a danger
has facilitated ornamentation with
more than 5,000 seedlings in areas
of great cultural importance for the
inhabitants, such as the Aeroparque,
resolving the circumstantial UMP
problems of the population that
SW
should help to assume them and Quote as: Mena, Z., Torres, Y. Social and ecological
which would benefit them as well. epicenter: Life in Quibdó, one of the world’s
UW

township of that same municipality,
not only reports a significant
76 diversity of species of fauna, but is
of Pacurita, Tutunendo, Icho and
Guayabal, located just 30 minutes
from the urban center of Quibdó.
to the health of the inhabitants of
Quibdó, because the percentage of
inhabitants who currently receive
Malecón, Alameda Reyes and
Parque Centenario, among others.
The result is a restoration of
02
most biodiverse cities. P. 76-77. In: Mejía M. A.
To enjoy the potential of
(ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación de
ecosystem services in Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
the city of Quibdó, management Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 77
 Bottom-up
Protected rural areas
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

From the National to the Local

According to their zoning, the Nare River
National Protective Forest Zone (Reserva Forestal
Protectora Nacional Río Nare) and the Aburrá-

Policies
Cauca Regional Integrated Management District
(Distrito Regional de Manejo Integrado Aburrá-
Cauca) have limited preservation zones, mainly
located in public properties or those belonging to
the Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM). In the
rest of these protected areas, there are problems
Barbosa
of governability and management.

Protected urban areas

The Parque Natural Regional Metropolitano
Cerro El Volador and the urban recreation areas
Girardota
FIRST POLICY OF BIODIVERSITY AND URBAN of Cerro Nutibara and La Asomadera are places
with important processes of public appropriation.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN COLOMBIA Nonetheless, there are problems of institutional
coordination for their management and financing,
and difficulties in their being recognized, not
Valle de
only as public spaces for recreation, but as
Carolina Sanín-Acevedo, Corporación Parque Explora ANTIOQUIA Aburrá
areas of value for biodiversity conservation.
Jorge Vásquez-Muñoz, Fundación Grupo HTM
Bello Copacabana
THE LAUNCHING OF A NATIONAL POLICY FOR MANAGEMENT
OF BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES STIMULATED AN
INTERINSTITUTIONAL EFFORT, LED BY THE SECRETARIAT OF ecosystem services in Medellín.
ENVIRONMENT OF MEDELLÍN, TO TRANSLATE ITS MORE GENERAL The second phase focused on the
DIRECTIVES TO THE LOCAL LEVEL. THE RESULT WAS A MANAGEMENT creation of a baseline of information
PROPOSAL, WHOSE CONCEPTION AND EXECUTION CONSTITUTE This map shows the levels of spatial convergence and knowledge, whereas the third
Medellín
AN IMPORTANT PRECEDENT FOR OTHER COLOMBIAN CITIES. of the areas with greater value for conservation of and last involved the construction of
biodiversity, in accordance with the overlapping a comprehensive management
of consulted sources.
proposal and an action plan to make
AN INTERINSTITUTIONAL EFFORT the Botanical Garden of Medellín the guidelines in question operative.
and the Parque Explora to seek At the same time, throughout the
In 2012, Colombia launched its ways of applying the National Policy Offering of habitats for process four crosscutting topics
National Policy for Comprehensive at the local level. The result was a biodiversity were proposed, which provided a
Source: PGIBSE Medellín, based on
Management of Biodiversity and Proposal for the Management of Itagüí secondary sources (2014).
more comprehensive vision for the
Envigado
Ecosystem Services (PNGIBSE, from Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services project, namely: a) biodiversity (com-
the Spanish acronym), based, (PGIBSE) in Medellín, a pioneering pilation, systematization and
among other reference points, on initiative in the country. Sabaneta Very high analysis of biological records), b)
Estrella
High
the approach of the Millennium Medium ecosystem services (analysis of
Ecosystem Assessment. That was A SYSTEMIC AND SYSTEMATIZED Low supply and demand, in terms of
Very low
how the Secretariat of the Environ- PROCESS landscape jurisdictions in which
Instituto Humboldt

ment of Medellín convoked the
Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt, Parques Nacionales
Naturales de Colombia, the Socie-
dad Antioqueña de Ornitología
78 (Antioqueñian Ornithology Society),
The methodology applied consisted
of three phases, the first of which
dealt with the construction of a
conceptual and methodological
framework for comprehensive
management of biodiversity and its
Municipal centers these dynamics occur), c) participa-
Limits of the Valle de Aburrá tive construction (gathering of the
Municipal limits AUES
perspectives of fundamental actors
Caldas
for management of biodiversity in UMP
6.54 km the municipality) and d) legal and
MEDELLÍN - ANTIOQUIA
political aspects. In practice, this
Credit: Google Earth, DigitalGlobe (2015), 380.64 km² | 2,464,322 inhabitants | 1,475 meters above sea level.
CNES/Astrium (2015). Temperate-dry | 24 ºC | 1,656 mm | 72 % rural - 28 % urban last point requires a strategic 79
 Based on the review of 10 studies on aspects
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
associated with this ecosystem service, the
effects of the communes of Guayabal, Robledo,
Approach to the current supply of cultural
Aranjuez, Villa Hermosa, and of the Townships
ecosystem services: leisure, recreation
and esthetic enjoyment of Santa Elena, San Antonio de Prado and San
Source: PGIBSE Medellín, based on secondary Sebastián de Palmitas stand out.
sources (2014). In the urban zone, El Volador Hill and
Valle de the corridor with the Universidad Nacional,
ANTIOQUIA Aburrá
Universidad de Antioquia and the Botanical
High Garden of Medellín are important, along with
Medium the green areas associated with institutional
Low installations in the Commune of Villa Hermosa
Very low and Buenos Aires (Parque La Ladera-Cerro Pan
de Azúcar-Seminario Mayor), Guayabal (Olaya
Herrera Airport - Campos de Paz Cemetery -Club
El Rodeo), and El Poblado (Club Campestre).
In the rural zone, the northernmost part of
the upper basin of the Piedras Blancas Stream,
the La Eca forests and some areas of the El Plan
rural district in Santa Elena, where conditions of
accessibility and the ecological, scenic, historic
Bello Copacabana and cultural attractions are maintained, are
widely recognized by the population and by the
technical instruments that have addressed the
topic. To the west of Medellín, the upper basin of
1 the La Suiza Stream in the Township of Palmitas,
the Cerro del Padre Amaya (Palmitas and San
5 5
Antonio de Prado), its extension towards the
2 southeast (Cuchilla El Barcino-Manzanillo) and
the water divide of the Doña María basin in the
rural districts of Potrerito and Montañita in the
6 6
Township of San Antonio de Prado.
The biggest managerial challenges for
these areas to consolidate their value as
3 supply units for cultural ecosystem services
are associated with their security, accessibility,
adaptation as public spaces, ecological and
4 landscape restoration, and essentially their
Envigado
proper collective social appropriation
Itagüí
While Medellín has many parks and squares,
they are insufficient for the size of the population
and their ecological functionality is precarious.
Estrella The index of Effective Public Space (índice de
Espacio Público Efectivo (EPE)) in this city is barely
6,54 km
3.8 m2/inhabitant, whereas the Conpes 3718
suggests 15 m2/inhabitant.
Municipal centers
Medellín municipal limits
Township limits
Instituto Humboldt
framework (which defined principles,
1. Township of San Sebastián de Palmitas general and specific objectives, and
2. Township of San Cristóbal
strategic lines for the GIBSE in
3. Township of Altavista
4. Township of San Antonio de Prado Medellín), and an operative frame-
5. Urban zone work, which covered collective work
6. Township of Santa Elena (with technical, scientific and
80 academic teams, as well as with
According to Empresas Públicas de Medellín
From the National to the Local
(EPM), the areas that supply water for the Valle
de Aburrá are: the La Fe reservoir basin (58%),
Services of water provision
the Río Grande II Reservoir basin (33%), the
and regulation
Source: PGIBSE Medellín, based Piedras Blancas Reservoir basin (3.5%), and
on secondary sources. various areas in Medellín –San Cristóbal, San
Antonio de Prado, Altavista, Santa Elena–, Caldas
Valle de and Barbosa (5.5%). It is evident that Medellín
ANTIOQUIA Aburrá Very high
is almost totally dependent for water on areas
High
outside of its jurisdiction. However, a significant
Medium
population in rural, suburban and periurban
Low
zones depends on local water resources. The
protection of these areas of supply for the rural
district basins is an opportunity for biodiversity
restoration and preservation.
Bello Copacabana
1
local experts, territorial entities,
2
environmental authorities and civic
leaders) and a draft version of a
Municipal Agreement (created as an
input to promote discussions,
3 additions and subsequent adoption
by the Municipal Council)
4 The initiative produced results
Envigado
such as a reliable registry of the
Itagüí
number of plant and fauna species
in Medellín, along with figures on the
different ecosystem services. The
Estrella timely publication of this information
6.54 km facilitated its application in the
redefinition of the principal ecologi-
Municipal centers
Municipality of Medellín Limit cal structure that took place during
Limits of Townships the review of the Land Management
Plan (Plan de Ordenamiento
1. Township of San Sebastián de Palmitas Territorial, or POT). Finally, the
2. Township of San Cristóbal
Secretariat of Environment was
3. Township of Altavista
4. Township of San Antonio de Prado successful in getting the Medellín
5. Urban zone Council to adopt the PGIBSE of
6. Township of Santa Elena Medellín by means of the signature
Credit: Google Earth, DigitalGlobe (2015), CNES/Astrium (2015). of Municipal Agreement 010 of 2014. 81

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
KEY LESSONS
01
The main lesson of the
project has to do with
access and availability of informa-
tion. In the first place, the method-
ological route depends on a very
broad range of actors, including
academic institutions and the State,
sharing their information to create
the baseline in a timely manner and
within established time frames. In
the second place, the different
inputs must speak the same
language in terms of skills, methods,
sources etc. Finally, efforts must be
made to identify gaps in information
when formulating the thematic and
territorial research agenda.
02 The technical team must
surmount a process of
internal education, because it must
apply a multidisciplinary vision to
unify approaches and concepts in
terms of ecosystem services and
public policies. It also needs to have
scientific leadership that validates
the methodological decisions,
approves the conceptual approach-
es and generates trust in the
academic sphere.
03 The urban contexts are in
constant transformation
and are the target of multiple
economic pressures. In that sense,
when thinking about comprehensive
management of its biodiversity, not
Instituto Humboldt
only must restoration and preserva-
tion objectives be considered but
also viable and sustainable uses.
04 It is important that an
interinstitutional process
like this be led by an organization
82 whose mission facilitates forging con-
Approach to the spatiality of the
current supply of the service for
food provision in Medellín
Source: PGIBSE Medellín, based on
secondary sources (2014)
Agriculture
Cattle raising
Valle de Aburrá
Limits of Antioquia
Limits of municipalities
structive dialogue among academics,
state agencies and the citizenry. At
the same time, it must be an entity
able to reach agreements with all of
the people and institutions that
provide information, because it must
manage conflicts about intellectual
property and carry out logical
initiatives in terms of the public value
and social efficacy of the research.
05 The leading institution must
constantly include in its
management efforts to build relation-
ships of trust and encourage the
interest of the participants in the
project. Although this involves a
long-term task, it is a key factor in
guaranteeing technical, social and
political legitimacy of the analysis and
Credit: Google Earth, Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO, Landsat, US Dept. of State Geographer Food consumption in the Valle de Aburrá is
From the National to the Local
6,000 tons per day. Medellín produces only
95 km 2.5% of the food it consumes (specifically in
the Townships of Palmitas and San Cristóbal),
showing a great regional dependence for food.
The rest of Antioquia provides 29% (Eastern,
Urabá and the Northern subregions), 37%
comes from the departments of Valle del Cauca,
Tolima, Cundinamarca, Caldas and Córdoba,
BOLÍVAR and 34% from the rest of the country and from
imports. These figures demonstrate a very low
degree of food sovereignty. At the same time,
food insecurity is high; it is estimated that
58.9% of households in Medellín and 72.9%
of rural households have some degree of food
insecurity1, and that every day in the wholesale
food market (Central Mayorista), 20-25 tons
of food are wasted. Another study by the
Universidad de Antioquia, based on interviews
CÓRDOBA
with people in Medellín knowledgeable about
the rural areas, found that 302 species of
medicinal flora are employed, with 255 uses for
241 illnesses or symptoms2.
the proposals. It must also search for
novel pedagogical languages and
ANTIOQUIA tools to enable the citizenry to
increasingly appropriate the concept
of ecosystem services and the
implications of its application.
06 The evaluation and
management of biodiversi-
Medellín SANTANDER
ty in an urban environment, in which
numerous economic, institutional,
social and political actors coexist, is
complex, because it must deal with
CHOCÓ
a great variety of meanings, visions
and interests that converge around
the ecosystem services.
Quote as: Sanín-Acevedo, C., Vásquez-Muñoz, J.
Bottom-up Policies: First policy of biodiversity and
urban ecosystem services in Colombia.
CALDAS P. 78-83 In: Mejía et al. (ed). Urban Nature.
Instituto Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D.C.,
Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 83
 Green
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Green Structures
MANIZALES - CALDAS
571.84 km2 (2012)  |  396,075 inhabitants (2015)  | 
2.150 meters above sea level | 18 °C  |  797 mm  |  91 % rural - 9 % urban

Monteleón
Structures
LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING IN MANIZALES

Ecoparque Los Alcázares Tatiana Ochoa Cárdenas, office of the Mayor of Manizales
Ecoparque
Los Yarumos BY INCORPORATING THE ECOLOGICAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE AS A STRUCTURAL AXIS IN THE PROJECTION
MANIZALES
OF LAND MANAGEMENT, THE MUNICIPALITY OF MANIZALES CREATED A NEW WAY OF APPROACHING URBAN
La Aurora PLANNING IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES.

Parque Central Universitario

Urban ecological support structure (ESS)

Source: Proyecto Plan de Ordenamiento
Territorial 2015 – 2027 (Landscape
Management Plan Project)
Cerro San Cancio Areas of environmental interest
Corridors of connectivity
Villamaría
Perimeter hillsides
Urban environmental hillsides
Chinchin
áR
ive Water protection zone

Functionality based on connectivity r Drainage

Bosque Popular
Figure 1. Principles ENVIRONMENTAL
and components of PROTECTION LAND
the ecological urban Principle 1 Principle 2 The Urban Ecological Support Structure (ESS)
Biodiversity Ecosystem
support structure services of Manizales is defined as the interconnected
Ensuring biological Significance in the supply
Source: Proyecto Plan diversity of ecosystem services system of areas that sustain the essential
de Ordenamiento ecological processes of the landscape and of
Territorial 2015 - the supply of (current and future) ecosystem
Instituto Humboldt

2027 (Landscape Natural areas Seminatural areas Transformed areas services, with the aim of providing support
Management
capacity for the socioeconomic and cultural
Plan Project)
development of the population. AUES

Principal Ecological • Hillsides of environmental interest

Ecological UMP
Areas of environmental Structure • Corridors of connectivity
Infrastructure (EI) • Riparian buffer zones
interest (municipal) (PEP)
• Green infrastructure
Urban ecological
support structure Urbana
84 (ESS) 0.62 km 85
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
0.38 km
Prioritization of areas for provision of
ecosystem services in the urban zone
Source: office of the Mayor of Manizales (2013).
High
Medium
Low
The principle of ecosystem services was
developed based on the category of supply
services (three subcategories), regulation and
support services (seven subcategories) and
cultural services (three subcategories). The
weighting of the ecosystem services in the
ESS was carried out using two tools: the Expert
Choice application, a tool that records the
weights of preferences between two elements
of the same level of analysis; and multi-criterion
analysis to calculate a weighted value of
importance between different elements.
Instituto Humboldt
A SYSTEMIC REVISION
In 2012, the municipality of Manizales
revised its Land Management Plan
(Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial
(POT)), which showed the need to
86 better coordinate its policies with the
MANIZALES
national objectives and regional
environmental imperatives. The result
was an agreement signed between
the municipality and the Corporación
Autónoma Regional de Caldas, to
undertake a diagnosis of the Principal
Ecological Structure (PES) of the
municipality, as well as to generate
tools for its management and funding.
Based on the diagnosis of the current
environmental system (local and
regional), the prospective analyses
according to the principles of
biodiversity and ecosystem services
and the results of the civic participa-
tion processes, the Fundación Grupo
HTM developed a PES proposal for
Manizales projected until 2025.
In order to coordinate that
proposal with the process for
formulation of the POT, the technical
team from the Secretariat of Planning
incorporated supplementary studies
on the urban system, such as
delimitation of the protective strip for
flows and plans for tree planting,
micro-landscape management and
environmental management. Addition-
ally, to develop the densification
occupation model, (which is necessary
because of the topographical
limitations of the municipality and
focused on generating links between
housing, workplaces and services),
certain aspects of the technical study
were reconfigured, specifically,
distribution of the urban and rural
areas and the proposed areas of the
Ecological Infrastructure (EI), all with a
view to supplementing and coordinat-
ing the system of urban public space.
The main strategies of this reconfigu-
ration were as follows: a) development
of subcategories of the Ecological
Support Structure (ESS) according to
the vocation of each protected area in
the urban context, for example,
locations for preservation and
knowledge, landscape and cultural
services provision, ecotourism supply,
0.38 km
connectivity and urban border, among
others; b) harmonization of the uses of
the subcategories with the uses
established in Decree 1076 of 2015
(principal uses, compatible and
conditioned uses); and c) application
of the principles of biodiversity and
ecosystem services as a starting
point for assigning usage and develop-
ment strategies in each area of the
ESS. Regarding the principles of
biodiversity and ecosystem services,
in methodological terms, an analysis
was made of the status and valuation.
In the principle of biodiversity, the
analysis was based on the criteria of
“Structure and composition of the
ecosystem” and “Functionality of
ecosystems”; and for the principle of
ecosystem services, the classifica-
tion of the National Policy for
Integrated Management of Biodiver-
sity and its Ecosystem Services
(Política Nacional para la Gestión
Integral de la Biodiversidad y sus
MANIZALES
Servicios Ecosistémicos (PNGIBSE))
was followed; the services were
emphasized that were considered
essential for the context of the
municipality of Manizales and whose
information was available in order to
carry out measurements and
specializations, and the respective
weighting was made. According to
the result, the areas that would fulfill
the conditions for being part of the
PEP or the EI were identified.
The reconfiguration of the urban
system and evaluation of the
principles of biodiversity and
ecosystem services made it
possible to create the design of the
ESS composed of the PEP and EI,
which would constitute the backbone
of the POT (Figure 1).
The proposal for instruments to
manage and fund the areas of ESS
was based on the principles of
biodiversity and ecosystem services
and on the occupation model
Green Structures
Prioritization of areas for biodiversity in the
urban zones
Source: office of the Mayor of Manizales (2013).
Very high priority
Low priority
High priority
Medium priority
The principle of biodiversity consisted of two large
criteria for analysis, with the respective indices
of measurement and scoring. The first was the
“Structure and composition of the ecosystem”
broken down into subcategories of threats to
species, evolution of the biome, representativeness
and transformation of the ecosystems. The second
was “Functionality of the ecosystems”, which used
structural connectivity as the sole subcategory.
proposed for the POT. Specifically,
the identification of instruments
depended on the following aspects:
type of ecological process and
ecosystem service provided by a
particular area, classification of land
and predominant form of landholding
(public or private); review of the
available instruments (national, 87
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
regional and local) applicable to the
areas; and interests of the key actors
in the definition and maintenance of
the ESS. As a result, four manage-
ment instruments are applied for the
Structure (acquisition of properties,
transfer of urban burdens, obligatory
public cessions, and transference of
rights for building and development)
along with two management
instruments for funding (tax incen-
tives or exemptions from real estate
taxes or value-added taxes, and
payment for environmental services).
This was based on two strategies:
areas of conservation for enlargement
of the public domain, and areas of
incentives for conservation on
predominantly private lands.
Essentially, incorporation of the
ESS in the process for formulation
of the POT will facilitate the
conception of an interconnected
environmental system that is
Instituto Humboldt
88
coherent with a municipal policy,
which aims to sustain the socioeco-
nomic and cultural development of
the population.
KEY LESSONS
The proposal for incorporating the
urban Ecological Support Structure
in the POT of Manizales constitutes
an innovative way of identifying and
managing the natural elements of the
urban areas, in that:
01
It incorporates the principles
of biodiversity and ecosys-
tem services as contributions
towards the urban functional system.
02
It defines differential
values for each area,
providing connectivity between the
urban and rural ESS through
delimitation of the areas on the
exterior border of the urban
perimeter. This facilitates a healthy
transition between urban and rural
developments, which in turn has
repercussions on the ecological
connectivity of the city and the
mitigation of urbanistic impacts.
03
Promotes restructuring of
connectivity networks,
which not only contribute towards
mobility of the fauna and genetic
flows, but also promotes native tree
and vegetation species with charac-
teristics that will help to improve air
quality, acoustic regulation and
landscape quality.
04
Conceives of natural
spaces or those in the
process of reestablishment of their
natural state as places for enjoyment,
recreation, education, improvement
of environmental quality and social
valuation of nature.
05
Leads to a reduction of
informal occupation
because an adequate management
Green Structures
of the Ecological Structure through It was recently found that in response to the challenge of climate change, the
best strategy is to implement adequate occupation of the territory, and our
sustainable development enables
proposal for a revision of the POT focuses precisely on that. Having a study
moderation of informal settlements and definition in accordance with the ecological structure opens the possibility
on the protected land. of making better and more adequate decisions in response to the challenges
06
and possibilities that we have as a society. Thanks to the contributions and
The classification of
experiences that were shared with us from so many venues, we now have a
management and funding highly significant value-added proposal for sustainable development, which is
instruments makes it possible to why we are convinced that Manizales will be a positive reference point and that
the ideas that we adopt and include will contribute towards the management of
visualize the city as a system and not
knowledge and social appropriation of our landscape.
as fragmented development. On the
one hand, management instruments José Fernando Olarte Osorio,
Secretariat of Planning of Manizales / Outgoing
facilitate the acquisition of proper-
ties, and on the other, instruments
aimed at guaranteeing the exercise
of private property in harmony with
the goals of environmental conserva-
tion are identified.
07
In general terms, all of
these achievements are
summarized in one determining
factor: the incorporation of the ESS Quote as: Ochoa, T. Green structures: Land
management planning in Manizales. P. 84-89.
in the POT of Manizales represents
In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
a systemic and sustainable path for Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
urban planning in the municipality. Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216.
Panorama of the Parque Central Universitario.
Jorge Sanabria González
89
 Credit: Google Earth, Landsat. Transversal Path Pico del Águila
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Large-Scale Governance
Las Delicias Stream Pilgrimage Path to Monserrate
3.3 km BOGOTÁ
La Vieja Stream circuit Guadalupe – El Verjón wetland 1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants | 2,625 meters above sea level.
Horizontes - Las Moyas Plaza de Bolívar – Guadalupe Cold-very dry   |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban

Teusacá River SANTA FE

Laguna del Verjón
47
2.5 %

USAQUÉN
80 km
of paths included
Urban area of the Capital
District indicating the results
of the research
111 CHAPINERO in the management Source: District Secretariat
6.1 %
157 2 SAN CRISTÓBAL plan for the of Planning, Julieth Monroy
1
8.6 % Adaptation Strip Hernández (2014)
SUBA 82
4.5 %
3
245 4
CANDELARIA
13.4 % BARRIOS 6 24 Forest reserve
UNIDOS 5 1.3 % Parks
Bo
go 2
tá
Riv 0.1 % LOS
er Adaptation strip
TEUSAQUILLO MÁRTIRES Localities with the greatest
111 32 percentages of respondents to
6.1 % 1.7 % ANTONIO
the citizen perception survey
NARIÑO
RAFAEL about the Hills (Cerros)
25
ENGATIVÁ PUENTE
1.3 %
URIBE URIBE Localities
ARANDA Paths
182 48
57 2.6 % USME Water network
9.9 %

Large-Scale
3.1 % 25

r
ive
R 1.3 % 1. Sanctuary of Monserrate
a TUNJUELITO
ch 27 2. Sanctuary of Guadalupe

Fu
1.4 %
FONTIBÓN
74 KENNEDY CIUDAD Starting points:

Governance
BOLÍVAR 3. Los Venados Building
4% 157
8.6 % 54 4. Club del Comercio
2.9 % 5. Parque Nacional
6. Teleférico

BOSA an ecological corridor and an aquifer Georeferencing of the paths in localities of

THE ADAPTATION STRIP OF THE EASTERN HILLS Bo
56 recharge zone. Pursuant to Resolution
Usme, San Cristóbal and Usaquén is expected
3% to be completed with support from the
go
(CERROS ORIENTALES) OF BOGOTÁ 76 of 1977, 14,000 ha were declared
tá
ve organizations that took part in this process for
Ri
r Santa Fe and Chapinero.
as the Protective Forest Reserve of
GENESIS AND MANAGEMENT OF the Eastern Forest of Bogotá. In 2013,
Claudia Inés Mesa Betancourt  |  Héctor Andrés Ramírez Hernández
District Secretariat of Planning THE ADAPTATION STRIP the Council of State ratified the (CAR) and the Ministry of Environment
exclusion of approximately 973 ha to and Sustainable Development, a
Instituto Humboldt

IN RECENT YEARS, THE EASTERN HILLS OF BOGOTA (CERROS ORIENTALES DE BOGOTÁ) HAVE HELPED The Eastern Hills (Cerros Orientales) of create the so-called Adaptation Strip management plan for the unoccupied UMP
TO IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL HEALTH OF THE CITY’S INHABITANTS. Bogotá go through the city from south (a zone in which informal and formal properties of the strip, in order to
PUA
IN THE WAKE OF A SENTENCE BY THE COUNCIL OF STATE, THE DISTRICT FORMULATED AND ISSUED to north, are part of the Eastern Moun- settlements have come about). The make them of ecological and
DECREE 485 OF 2015, WHICH MANDATED ADOPTION OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE ADAPTATION tain Range of the country and Council also ordered the District to recreational use for the inhabitants of LES
STRIP DERIVED FROM THE EASTERN PROTECTED FOREST RESERVE OF BOGOTÁ. FOR THAT PURPOSE, IT constitute one of the city’s main regulate the settlements and to Bogotá; the Council also ordered the
IMPLEMENTED VARIOUS CIVIC PARTICIPATION MECHANISMS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, CHIEF AMONG WHICH strategic ecosystems, as well as a formulate, jointly with the Corporación CAR to formulate the Environmental
90 IS THE VIRTUAL SURVEY, WHOSE RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS CONSTITUTE A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE. geographic barrier that functions as Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca Management Plan for the Protective 91
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Large-Scale Governance
Figure 1. Places visited: the most visited sites have accompaniment from Figure 2. Activities carried out: the main interest is sports and Forest Reserve (Reserva Forestal KEY LESSONS city with the Adaptation Strip, the
the police and some type of signage, such as the path of the La Vieja reconnaissance. The inhabitants of Bogotá like to walk around the Eastern Protectora (RFP)). Eastern Forest Reserve of Bogotá
Stream in the case of Monserrate, and the Guadalupe Hill. Hills (Cerros Orientales) and view the city from there.

1200 1200
1028
Accordingly, the District led
formulation of the management
plan for the Strip. With this in mind,
01 Because it is a border
landscape, the Eastern
Hills (Cerros Orientales) involve a
and the region. The survey clearly
showed the need for the plan to de-
sign and activate spaces for collec-
1000 1000

800
779
800
the District Secretariat of Planning significant number of social and tive enjoyment, focused on activities
577 proposed a strategy for social institutional actors. They therefore involving hiking and environmental
600 600
404 432 participation that would involve the require efforts that combine tradition- education. In that sense, the initiative
400 400
240 inhabitants and the diverse actors al tools, such as workshops, social that the District Secretariat of Plan-
200 170 159 200 settled there along with external cartography and meetings, with ning carried out with diverse groups
131
67 27 53 40 27
2 actors that in some way enjoy or other technologies such as public of hikers (Amigos de la Montaña,
0 0
Monserrate

La Vieja
Stream

Guadalupe

Las Delicias
Stream

Parque
Nacional

Soratama

Walking
and hiking

Observing the city from

the lookout points

Visiting a
religious site

Going to bars
and restaurants

Horseback
riding

Other

Buying stones
and materials

Doesn’t know /
doesn’t respond
Others

make use of it. These internal
actors included 60 neighborhoods
of informal origin, 5 universities and
25 educational centers, among
others, whereas the external actors
included other universities and the
Figure 4. Activities that they like to undertake: in the future, it is important for
Figure 3. Required spaces: the inhabitants would like to encounter more people to continue to have spaces for walking, sports and getting to know the approximately 8,000,000 inhabi-
natural spaces that could be adapted for hiking and other sports. landscape with their families. tants of Bogotá, who are potential
surveys with precise georeferencing
of the data, which can help to plan
and implement more effectively.
02 The social networks, virtual
spaces and surveys are
useful tools in the social participation
processes needed to formulate
management plans for protected
Geoandes – Universidad Nacional
de Colombia, Caminantes del Águila,
Kaminantes del Silencio, Rekorridos
and Kundurimarca), with the aim of
geo-referencing the paths, was a suc-
cessful part of the process, because it
enabled the inclusion of a proposal in
the plan for 80km of paths.

1500 1425 1424 1500 1374

beneficiaries of the Hills or Cerros.
Undoubtedly, social participation
areas in urban zones inhabited by a
great quantity and diversity of actors. 06 The successful participa-
tion in the project by the

1000
866
1000 943 910
787
was a key tool for consolidating the
diagnosis and formulating the
management plan, particularly in
03 The use of tools such as
surveys on the one hand
facilitate processes of consultation
communities demonstrated the
capacities of the social organizations
for enjoying the landscape without
defining its programs and projects. and appropriation by the citizenry of negatively impacting it, and even in
500 500
372 307 the principal ecological structure, contributing towards its restoration
313 266
A COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCE and, on the other hand, provide follow and beautification. Therefore, in the
65 55
0 0 up on civic perception of its public governance strategy plan, it was
Natural space

Paths for walking

Place for sports

Museums

Infrastructure
for architects

Other

Walking

Extreme or
adventure sports

Outing with
group of friends

Outing with
the family

Horseback riding

Sports

Others
The project had three stages. First,
work was carried out directly with
the communities and the actors that
inhabit the Strip (interviews, working
committees, training sessions, etc.),
1500 Figure 5. Impediments: insecurity is undoubtedly after which experts were consulted
1202 the major cause for refraining to visit the Cerros
about specific topics (financial
Orientales, along with lack of adaptation of the
1000 area and difficult access. management, communication and
use, among other management topics. proposed that the paths be co-man-
04 Because of the strategic
role of the universities, it is
suggested that they provide technical
aged with the local communities or
with groups of hikers, as is the case
in other cities of the world.
advice for a type of social and envi-
ronmental observatory, which can be
undertaken jointly with the local com-
munities. Among other things, this ven-

738 security and coexistence) to define ue would be responsible for developing

Instituto Humboldt

536 strategies; finally, a civic perception survey initiatives among the inhabitants
500
350 survey about the Cerros was carried of Bogotá as a baseline to measure
More information
156 http://goo.gl/tkV4mB out via the Internet. This poll was their perception of public use of an Quote as: Mesa, C., Ramírez, A. Large-scale
130
made using the webpage of the ecosystem, in this case, the Cerros. governance: The adaptation strip of the eastern
0

05
hills (Cerros Orientales) of Bogotá. P. 90-93.
Insecurity

Lack of spaces
and infrastructure

Distance
(too far)

No easy
access

Architectural
barriers

Other

District Secretariat of Planning and A network of paths in a

In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
had 1,823 volunteer respondents, landscape such as the Cer- Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
92 from 19 of the city’s 20 localities. ros makes it possible to connect the Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 93
 The Nature
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
of Cities
A WORLD-CLASS NEW YORK BLOG
David Maddox, Founder and editorial director, The Nature of Cities
DAVID MADDOX CREATED A BLOG DESIGNED TO COVER THE DEFICIENCIES IN
WEBPAGES ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT AND APPROPRIATION OF GREEN AREAS IN
THE CITIES, IN WHICH HE CONVOKED A HANDFUL OF WRITERS TO TALK ABOUT THE
TOPIC. THREE YEARS LATER, HIS INITIATIVE IS A WORLD-CLASS REFERENCE POINT
AND AN INELUCTABLE DESTINATION FOR EVERYONE INTERESTED IN THINKING ABOUT
SUSTAINABLE, HABITABLE AND RESILIENT CITIES.
THE PRINCIPLES OF A PLATFORM
The blog, which is called The
Nature of Cities, began in June of
2012. It came about in response to
the fact that the webpages that at
Instituto Humboldt
that time discussed topics of
sustainability, did not explore the
green spaces of the cities. But its
name not only alludes to the natural
elements of the urban spaces but
also the character –the other
94 meaning of the word nature- of the
cities and their inhabitants. How to
design big cities that work for
people as well as nature? Around a
dozen writers began to contribute
to the blog, without at any time
thinking that this small platform
could grow as exponentially as it
did in subsequent years.
The vision of the blog, focused
on the idea of finding ways to create
habitable, sustainable and resilient
cities, has been built on three key
principles. The first one argues that
More information
www.thenatureofcities.com
in order for such an effort to be
successful, there is a need to
propose solutions stemming from
processes of dialogue and discus-
sion, in other words, the eminently
democratic nature of the problem
must be recognized. The second
principle consists of approaching the
city as a place where many people,
and therefore numerous points of
view, converge. It follows that to
design better big cities, a multidisci-
plinary viewpoint must be applied,
which brings together contributions
from architects, designers, artists,
business professionals, etc.
(although the latter have not yet been
successfully involved in the project).
Finally, the third principle affirms that
all cities, no matter what part of the
world they are located in, share at
least part of their problems, and can
thus learn from the experiences of
others and apply solutions adapted
to each context.
In these three years, the blog
received more than 250,000 visits,
from 3,000 cities and 170 coun-
tries. At present, The Nature of
Cities, which now operates more
like a virtual journal, provides a
multimedia experience. This
approach came about because
such a diverse audience demands
different and customized formats.
For example, some readers prefer
lengthy essays, whereas others like
short texts, podcasts or even
twitter-length messages of just 140
characters. These changes have
helped to spur the growth of its
audience at a rate of nearly 4% per
month, and the team of writers
currently consists of 200 people,
the great majority of whom come
from academic and scientific
sectors in many countries and
apply multidisciplinary approaches.
Their gender distribution is nearly
equal. The vision of The Nature of
Cities is therefore that of a
collaborative initiative based on
dialogue among cities throughout
the world and experiences of
different urban actors.
KEY LESSONS
01
Platforms for information
dissemination similar to
The Nature of Cities must produce
contents in diverse formats,
ranging from the most orthodox to
include the most summarized and
practical. Additionally, the contents
The Nature of Cities
must incorporate more graphic of Cities feels that if it were to be
languages and less erudite launched without achieving
reflections to make the information considerable participation early on,
more accessible. the momentum of the initiative
02 Beyond the platforms
providing contents created
by scientists and academics, the
could be lost and prematurely
ended. In that sense, this collabora-
tive and democratic effort would
publication is neither academic nor require a bit more time in order to
seeks to provide an intellectual function successfully.
reading experience as such. In fact,
this is one of its strengths, thanks to
which it has convoked a much wider
05 Cities like New York have
sufficient funds to resolve
many of the problems they face,
audience and become a sort of which is not the case in most of the
“movement”. However, the commu- world’s cities. Nonetheless, they do
nication is essentially unilateral to share something else: They all
the extent that it consists of experts suffer from problems that, in most
talking to other experts, or experts cases, could benefit from sharing
transmitting information to some experiences. This is the great
readers. In the future, it is hoped that lesson of The Nature of Cities: the
more innovative forms of interaction necessary solutions for resolving
between users will be generated. the problems of the cities will come
03 The most important
reference point for the
team to think about future improve-
from collaborative efforts in which
responses successfully implement-
ed in an urban space will be
ments is the Apple webpage. There, adapted to local contexts.
a person who is not an expert in
technology can visit a forum and
pose a question, no matter how
basic it may seem. After doing so,
that individual receives responses
from different people, which range
from empirical experts to profes-
sionals from the company, address-
ing the problems from their own
experience or based on their
knowledge. They are people talking
UBFA
with other people, something that
would be valuable when collecting AUES
successful experiences about cities
OSK
with a view to sharing them.
04
Although there are Quote as: Maddox, D. The nature of the cities: A
UD
world-class New York blog. P. 94-95. In: Mejía M.
technologies for setting
A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación
up an infrastructure of interaction of de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
this kind, the team from The Nature Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216 95
 Going Against
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
the Stream
A REVIEW OF THE STRUCTURING AXES OF
THE LANDSCAPE IN THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ
Gloria Aponte-García  |  Lina María Escobar-Ocampo
Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana
URBAN PROCESSES IN THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ HAVE IGNORED THE GORGES. THESE SPACES, WHICH SHOW THE
HUGE DISCONNECTION BETWEEN THE REAL PLACE AND ITS THEORETICAL REPRESENTATION, COULD PLAY A
ROLE AS STRUCTURING FACTORS OF THE LANDSCAPE IN URBAN PLANNING, WITH THE AIM OF PROMOTING
GREATER VALUATION OF THE NATURAL COMPONENT IN OUR WAY OF THINKING ABOUT HUMAN SETTLEMENTS.
AFTER STUDYING VARIOUS GORGES, KEY GUIDELINES WERE ESTABLISHED FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS INITIATIVE.
THE LANDSCAPE IN PERSPECTIVE
Discussions about urban morphology
tend, to a great extent, to ignore the
natural morphology in which they are
located, particularly in relation to the
relief and water system. In this sphere,
streams play an important role,
because they not only have reliefs but
also show a natural dynamic (or the
constant water flow and continuous
evolution of the processes of life that
they sustain), which transcends static
Instituto Humboldt
urban analyses. Proof of this can be
found in two-dimensional graphs, or
“planimetrics”, that are the quintessen-
tial language for expressing the
regulations, standards and rules of
urban policies. Such records also
96 present another problem: they
promote a quantitative perspective
that tends not to include relevant
variables of a qualitative type.
In order to mitigate this discon-
nection between two-dimensional
records and reality, certain landscape
guidelines have been proposed with
the aim of rethinking the design of
interventions in situations of
urban-rural borders. These guide-
lines promote streams as structuring
axes of the landscape (such as
natural corridors and corridors of
biodiversity), particularly at the
entrance to urban surroundings.
The approaches and guidelines
presented below are derived from
research entitled Paisaje de borde: el
papel estructurante de las quebradas
en las laderas de Medellín (Border
Credit: Google Earth, DigitalGlobe (2015)
Me
d e
llín
Ri
ve
r
Enlarged view of the central zone
of Medellín, emphasizing the
Medellín River and the streams
on the northeastern hillside
Rivers and streams
Landscape: the Structuring Role of
Streams on the Hillsides of Medellin),
led by the Laboratory for Architecture
and Urbanism + Landscape (Labora-
torio de Arquitectura y Urbanismo +
Paisaje (LAUR+P)) of the Master’s
program in Landscape Design at the
Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana.
SKETCHES FOR A NEW VIEW
The emphasis of the research was
on the landscape, because adopting
MEDELLÍN
this approach implies recognizing
that the natural component –and,
within it, the biodiversity (flora and
fauna) – permits, determines and
guides the diverse forms of develop-
ment of human settlements.
The organization of workshops
that promoted holistic visions of the
components of the landscape
(natural, social, morphological,
spatial-visual and regulatory) and
analysis of the secondary information
from the Metropolitan Area of the
Valle de Aburrá (Amva, from the
Spanish acronym), made it possible,
specifically in matters of flora and
fauna, to obtain a diagnosis of the
problems, potentialities and recom-
mendations needed to define the
guidelines dealt with in this research.
Stream Views
1 km
MEDELLÍN - ANTIOQUIA
380.64 km² | 2,464,322 inhabitants | 1,475 meters above sea level.
Floodable zone
Temperate-dry | 24 ºC | 1,656 mm | 72 % rural - 28 % urban
Stream stream
Figure 1. Diverse situations in the relationship
between relief and water flows. Source: Gloria Aponte.
A
Axis of
stream
Withdrawal accor- Withdrawal accor-
ding to regulations ding to regulations
Profile of low slope
0 10  30 m
B
Profile of mixed slope
0 10  30 m
C
Profile of high slope
0 10  30 m
In particular, this initiative facilitated tion of the natural, morphological
tracing practical guidelines for inter- and social components, in which UBFA
vening the streams in three specific the former play a dominant role,
UMP
situations always present in their and particularly biodiversity (vege-
profile and course: flow, buffer zone tation and fauna). URTL
or “withdrawal zone” and intersec- In terms of the temporal dimen-
SW
tions with roads. These guidelines sion of urban processes, the research
were created especially for situa- compared the three determining UD
tions of urban-rural borders and in moments in the definition of interven-
light of the focus on the landscape, tions (planning, design and imple-
in other words, promoting integra- mentation) with three sets of criteria: 97

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
natural (hydrological functionality,
promotion of the biota and contribu-
tion to environmental conditions),
functional (valuation of the landscape
of the hillside strip, minimization of
risk and awareness of the historic
present) and human (responsible
appropriation of the streams on the
hillside, recreational benefit and
pedagogical benefit).
The result was a matrix that
differentiates the guidelines to be
taken into account given the special
circumstances of the streams: the
flow, buffer zone (or withdrawal) and
the intersections with infrastructure
mobility works in the three above-
mentioned moments and based on
three sets of criteria.
KEY LESSONS
01
As a contribution to the
achievement of a more
gratifying and harmonious urban life,
a more fertile dialogue must be
promoted between the natural and
constructed realities from a holistic
and balanced perspective.
02 Although the research in
question focused on the
municipality of Medellín, the
principles that guided are applicable
to similar projects in the municipali-
ties of the Valle de Aburrá, particular-
ly those located between ancones.
03
The work was carried out
Instituto Humboldt
with certain target audienc-
es in mind, namely: municipal
mayors, secretariats of environment
and offices of planning, the Metropol-
itan Area of the Valle de Aburrá, the
Empresa de Desarrollo Urbano
98 (Urban Development Company) and
other governmental, mixed or private
entities involved in configuration of
the border habitat. In order for these
authorities to appropriate strategies
focused on the landscape, the
following actions are recommended:
• Organize and carry out work-
shops with employees through
agreements between the admin-
istrative institutions and the Uni-
versidad Pontificia Bolivariana
(UPB), which has the only existing
Master’s Program in Landscape
Design in Colombia, to achieve
assimilation and appropriation of
the concepts expressed.
• Include these guidelines in the
terms of reference for projects
awarded through competitions
and for contracting by municipal
administrative entities.
• Include what is relevant to the im-
plementation stage in the insti-
tutional manuals, with the aim of
incorporating social and environ-
mental variables in the works.
• Test the guidelines in ongoing
projects or review already fin-
ished designs as part of the ini-
tiative to understand where they
have failed in terms of the land-
scape as well as to make the ad-
justments that such guidelines
could require.
• Disseminate these guidelines
among middle and higher edu-
cation institutions, NGOs, real
estate promoters and profes-
sionals in general.
• Project the application of this
work over the long term, so that
it goes beyond the periods of
public administration.
a.
b.
c.
Once a stream becomes part of the gray
infrastructure, to avoid the regulation about
“withdrawal”, the site can be paved with no
consideration whatsoever of its morphology
and natural functioning, or of its significance
in local memory.
a. When water is separated from the
other natural elements, less use is
made of its benefits (Tinajas Stream).
b. La Pabón Stream.
c. Application of regulation about
“withdrawal” in La Guayabala Stream.
Gloria Aponte-García
Quote as: Aponte-García, G., Escobar-Ocampo, L.
Going Against the Stream: A review of the
structuring axes of the landscape in the Valle de
Aburrá. P. 96-101. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Colombia. 2017. P. 216.
Stream Views
TABLE 1.
Guidelines for planning, design and Intervention of the flows. Flow
CRITERIA PLANNING DESIGN INTERVENTION
Guarantee natural continuity of the flow from Avoid modifications to the course of the stream
Prefer soft or permeable materials that are in
1 Hydrological beginning to end. that prevent percolation of the recharge water.
accordance with the hydrological functionality.
functionality Ensure the hyporheic flow of the basin through Prevent interventions that disturb the
Seek to have the largest permeable land area.
preservation of the original bed. healthiness of the hyporheic zone.
Restore the original vegetation of the banks to Make use of hygrophilous vegetation Avoid interventions in the floor of the
2 Promoting protect the watercourse. associations. watercourse.
the biota Promote the aquatic fauna for the health and Make use of riparian vegetation that contributes Deal with the different velocities and depths of
equilibrium of the ecosystem. towards the presence of bird life and water quality. the water flow.
Decompress or breakup services that Withdraw existing impermeable materials in the
Apply alternative systems for managing household
3 Contribution to prevent vertical connectivity of the profile of the riparian lands.
watercourse with its flow.
wastewater for on-site treatment.
environmental Prevent disposal of debris, trash and other
conditionss Promote the use of rainwater and runoff, to
Promote systems for healing to avoid spills into materials that prevent proper functioning of the
contribute towards maintenance of the flow.
the watercourses. watercourse or can lead to its clogging.
Consider the hydrological and geological Consider the hydrological and geological
Maintain the functional hydrological and
Valuation of the withdrawal zones as part of the watercourse withdrawal zones as part of the watercourse and geological withdrawal strips, corresponding to
4 landscape strip and the hydrological functionality of the stream. of the hydrological functionality of the stream. seasonal increases of the flow.
on the hillsidea Visualize the watercourses of the stream as Visualize the watercourses of streams as part Integrate elements inherent to the site such as
part of the hillside landscape. of the hillside landscape. cliffs or stones.
Formulate policies and regulations for Formulate policies and regulations for
intervention in accordance with regional and intervention in accordance with regional and Make the watercourse connatural wherever
Awareness of
5
local identity. local identity.
the historic possible.
present Involve social organizations in the care of Involve social organizations in the care of
Apply follow-up plans in the interventions.
the stream to foster appropriation by the the stream to foster appropriation by the
community. community.
Strengthen the links of the community with Strengthen the links of the community with
6 Responsible
appropriation
of the hillside
elements of the hillside landscape.
Educate and train the community about
elements of the hillside in landscape.
Educate and train the community about
Employ local labor for the scheduled
interventions.
streams knowledge of the hydrological network, knowledge of the hydrological network,
location, history and behavior. location, history and behavior.
Train the community about the hydrological Train the community about the hydrological Ensure cleanliness of the watercourse to avoid
dynamic as well as the situations of risk dynamic as well as the situations of risk torrential flows resulting from damming due to
Minimization
7
associated with it. associated with it. the accumulation of trash.
of the risk
Implement strategies to prevent occupation of Implement strategies to prevent occupation of Involve the community in monitoring
borders and pollution of water courses. borders and pollution of water courses. hydrological behavior to prevent disasters.
Make use of the watercourses of the streams Make use of the watercourses of the streams Carryout adaptations to enable people to
Recreational
as structuring axes of the landscape for scenic as structuring axes of the landscape for scenic remain and for visual enjoyment of the
8 benefit
beauty and ecological richness. beauty and ecological richness watercourse
Teach the importance of the watercourses in the Teach the importance of the watercourses in the
Educational hydrological cycle and the need to respect them. hydrological cycle and the need to respect them. Involve the population in the process of
benefit appropriation and care of the resource.
9
Convene educational programs that make use Convene educational programs that make use
of the natural base as a teaching method. of the natural base as a teaching method.
Frame the plans for organization and
Prioritize low maintenance interventions both Mitigate impacts caused by the interventions.
Environmental management in the local environmental and
for infrastructure and vegetation.
sustainability landscape regulations. Apply a plan for managing landscape impacts
10
Encourage community organization to control Favor minimal interventions. before, during and after the interventions.
water pollution.
99
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
TABLE 2.
Guidelines for planning, design and Intervention of the rounds.
CRITERIA PLANNING
Conceive of riparian buffer zones as ecological
corridors of high landscape and identity value.
1 Hydrological
functionality Each stream should be treated in particular
because its ecological functionality depends on
many geographic variables.
Connect the riparian forests to the mountain
protection system and the green system of
2
Fostering the urban public spaces.
biota
In all interventions, reserve a green space that
contributes towards ecological connectivity.
Recover drains previously used for depositing
Contribution to
3 3
trash and debris.
environmental
conditionss Encourage the use of biological and
geoengineering treatments for land recovery.
Envision landscape management involving
Valuation of the containment embankments with low impact
4 4
landscape strip techniques.
on the hillside a Use stabilization and protection techniques
preventively.
Promover la recuperación de territorios
5 Awareness of
impactados por minería y otros.
the historic
present Protect zones of ecosystem importance from
the pressures of urbanization.
Make use of tools such as social cartography to
6
promote landscapes desired by the community
Responsible
and which are possible from the perspective of
appropriation of the institutions.
hillside streams
Carry out sensitization campaigns about the
streams.
7
Encourage passive use of the riparian buffer
Minimization zones without direct human intervention.
of the risk
Prevent human settlements and development
of infrastructure on riparian buffer zones.
Determine the location of passive uses in
8
accordance with the environmental offering for
Recreational
each part of the stream or zone of the micro-basin.
benefit
Conceive of the riparian buffer zones as an
integral part of the system of green spaces.
Provide means for scientific research and
education through interinstitutional agreements
9 with the community.
Instituto Humboldt
Educational
benefit Make use of community organizations for access
to community training and knowledge of the
streams and the importance of maintaining the
buffer zones clear.
10
Conserve the higher parts of the relief as forest
Environmental reserves for landscape protection.
sustainability Connect the remaining large green areas to the
100 corridors to facilitate genetic transit.
DESIGN
Maintain the minimum required distances for
hydrological functionality of the strips of riparian
buffer zones on both sides of the stream.
Apply formulas for calculating corridors at
each stream according to the conditions and
needs of the site.
Implement artificial wetlands for recovery of the
water quality as habitat for fauna.
Establish strategies for maintaining contact
between the stream and its hyporheic zone
and facilitate the existence of the necessary
microorganisms for its health.
Avoid transformations of the relief and of the
natural course of streams.
Prevent the disposal of wastes and debris.
Eliminate impermeable and obsolete structures to
avoid erosion and continuity of inappropriate use.
Stress the natural landscape attributes of
the site.
Connect spaces for landscape restoration with
the network of public spaces.
Promote the use of public spaces as a
common good
Strengthen the identity provided by the streams
and their corridors for the hillside landscape.
Create designs that respect the natural
functioning of the hydraulic round and in
accordance with the needs of the site.
Maintain the embankments free of high-impact
interventions.
Use preventive geo-engineering techniques for
stabilization of embankments of the riparian
buffer zones
Make use of the diversity of the relief with diverse
scenarios for enjoyment of the landscape.
Promote educational recreation in which people
learn about the landscape and its values
through play.
Create representative vegetation groupings to
teach their benefits.
Encourage knowledge of the geography of the
valley and of the local area for greater identity
with the site.
Involve rainwater management in the design for
its maximum exploitation.
Treat wastewater on-site using biological
mechanisms.
Round
INTERVENTION
Use materials that facilitate percolation of the
water for recharging and storage.
Plant native vegetation with hygrophilous
qualities in accordance with the altitude of
each part of the stream.
Combine vegetation in all strata to
provide niches and habitats for a variety
of fauna.
Use native vegetation according to the zone
of life.
Supplement native vegetation with hygrophilous
and aquatic plants that provide oxygen for the
water of the stream.
Plant native tree species along the banks in
accordance with the zones of life.
Replace loss of vegetation and soil caused by
the development of projects.
Incorporate on-site alternative treatments of
urban wastewater and runoff, before pouring
them into the stream
Prioritize designs with low maintenance
vegetation.
Set up civic communities to care for the vegetation
of the buffer zones and to monitor embankments.
Implement programs for recognition of the
natural surroundings so the inhabitants will be
the ones to care for the site
Implement actions to decrease undermining of
embankments that contribute sediments to the
watercourse.
Create hydrological studies to define the exact
needs of each stream in terms of stabilization.
Make use of the condition of the hillside of the
stream to enjoy panoramic views.
Use the vegetation as signage and milestones
in places for recreation in the buffer zones.
Apply alternative techniques and use them to
demonstrate their benefits.
Involve the community in activities associated
with streams to increase knowledge and
valuation of them.
Program medium and long-term maintenance of
networks, infrastructure and vegetation.
Create hydrological and biological monitoring
plans for the streams.
Stream Views
TABLE 3.
Guidelines for planning, design and Intervention of the intersections. Intersections
CRITERIA PLANNING DESIGN INTERVENTION
Give proper importance to the water network in Use the water dynamic as a determining factor Avoid interferences of any type that could affect
the road layout. when designing intersections the functioning of the streams
1 Hydrological
functionality Prioritize water functioning over
the immediate economy in road
Include specific details in the design to
reduce the impact of civil works on the
Control harmful spills in quality, quantity or
intensity into the watercourse or the buffer
infrastructure. water dynamic. zone.
Prioritize ecological connectivity of the water Pay special attention to the selection of
2
Fostering the Use native species attractive to fauna whether
body (watercourse- flow-buffer zone) over vegetation in the intersections to guarantee
biota as habitat or for food.
civil works. continuity of the biological corridor.
Contribution to Make sure that planning of the road Adapt centers for collection and handling of
Make use of CO2 capture by the vegetation to
environmental network addresses the different levels of organic wastes in these nodes that contribute
improve air quality.
conditionss the water system. fertilizer for the vegetation.
Make use of the intersections as possible
Valuation of the Promote supplementary uses at the Use materials that are adequate for the
vantage points to promote awareness
landscape strip intersections that facilitate visual contact surroundings and that stress the landscape
among passersby of the existence of the
on the hillside a with the stream. values of the site.
watercourse.
Consider successful international
5 Awareness of
the historic
present
benchmarks for intersections between
infrastructure and the water system and
Decelerate the speed of transit over the
streams to create awareness of their presence.
Establish plans for adequate management
and mitigation of nature at the site and at
the interventions
adapt them to the particular identity.
6
Responsible
Reestablish healthy coexistence between the
appropriation Improve the scenic quality of the intersections Avoid depositing trash and other wastes at the
community and the streams by means of these
of the hillside to make them representative of the site. intersections.
places of intersection.
streams
Innovate alternative solutions in place of
Promote policies conducive to clearing streams Use technology that is adequate for the
7
Minimization box culverts and coverings of streams,
and dismantling channeling in order to recover land and the conditions of accessibility and
of the risk thus avoiding blockages while minimizing
the natural water balance. connectivity of the site.
possibilities for torrential flooding
Identify the landscape potential of the different Encourage visual recreation for vehicular Create adaptations for pedestrians in
8
Recreational
intersections and characterize them according transit passengers through configuration of accordance with the site and with low
benefit
to their vocation for use. the space of the intersection. environmental impact.
Document the ecological values of the streams Increase educational processes through Demonstrate different ways to care for the
9
Educational for the community and demonstrate them in demonstration at the intersections of the basins to ordinary inhabitants to increase their
benefit
the intersections. relationship between water, flora and fauna. valuation.
Learn from the international movement for Identify the main existing intersections at each Adopt plans for cleaning and maintenance
10
Environmental
unblocking rivers that seeks environmental stream to diagnose their current state and of the watercourses to avoid blockages of
sustainability
sustainability of water systems. promote adequate interventions. hydraulic infrastructure.
Source: Research project Paisaje de borde: El papel estructurante de las quebradas en las laderas de Medellín. Master’s program in Landscape Design and LAUR+P
(Laboratorio de Arquitectura y Urbanismo + Paisaje) UPB, Medellín. 101
 Planning for
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Pollinators and Planning

THE UNDERVALUED ROLE tus and conserve their populations3. potential for studying and promoting
OF THE POLLINATORS The role of the pollinators in the en- its ecological functionality6. The

Pollinators
Pollinators are of fundamental impor-
tance for most terrestrial ecosystems
because they enable the production of
fruits and seeds for approximately 90%
of tropical plants and are essential links
of the food chain, serving as prey for
other fauna1. However, there has been
a dramatic Worldwide decrease in their
ECOLOGICALLY FUNCTIONAL AREAS IN THE GRAN CHICÓ
populations due to habitat loss, frag-
mentation or degradation .
Although little is known about the
Juan Caicedo, Asociación Bogotana de Ornitología | María S. Sáchica, neighbor of the Parque El Virrey
Ángela Rodríguez-Calderón, José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden of Bogotá pollinators in Bogotá, it is logical to
Alejandro Parra-Hinojosa, Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt assume, in accordance with the pre-
cautionary principle, that the world-
THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY IN GETTING TO KNOW THE BIRDS wide trend applies here as well. It is
PRESENT IN THE URBAN HABITATS OF A SECTOR OF BOGOTÁ MOTIVATED ITS therefore suggested that actions be
INHABITANTS TO RETHINK THE VISION TOWARDS A MORE COMPREHENSIVE undertaken to understand their sta-
MANAGEMENT OF GREEN SPACES, CONSIDERING OTHER GROUPS
6
OF FAUNA TO INCREASE ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONALITY. A SERIES OF
vironmental management of Bogo-
tá is practically nonexistent because
the criteria for selecting vegetation
still lack comprehensive ecological
guidelines. This is because, among
other factors, the majority of studies
that support these policies have fo-
cused on birds, which limits a fuller
understanding of the biodiversity and
its threats. The result is that topics
2
such as structural diversity of the ha-
bitat and its phenology5, other fauna
such as invertebrates and bats, and
the impacts of pesticides have not
gained greater visibility in the design
of these policies.
Even though the Gran Chicó is a
highly urbanized area, it offers great
Corredor Ecológico de Ronda El Vi-
rrey (CERV) (El Virrey riparian ecolo-
4
gical corridor) was the starting point
for research into the richness and dy-
namics of pollinators of the area. Be-
ginning in June of 2014, community
efforts made it possible to document
more than 90 species of pollinators
and identify better practices for the
design and management of public or
private green areas.
PHASES OF THE PROCESS
The process undertaken in the Gran
Chicó involved the following steps:
• Search for areas with high polli-
nator activity at different times of
the day (early and late for birds,

11
era
5
RECOMMENDATIONS WAS DEVELOPED TO INCORPORATE POLLINATORS IN sunny days for insects, nightti-

Carr
l 4a
URBAN PLANNING AND CONSOLIDATE A MORE SENSITIVE AND PROACTIVE me for bats). Taking photographs

ra 15
rsa
COMMUNITY WITH RESPECT TO CONSERVATION.

sve

Carre
n
Tra
1. Parque El Chicó Norte 1
Vía a la Calera

2. Parque El Virrey
3. Seminario Mayor de Bogotá
Calle 9 Calle 8
4. Parque/Museo El Chicó Mercedes Sierra de Pérez 2 Calle 9 8
5. El Chicó Riparian ecological corrdior 0
2
6. El Virrey Riparian ecological corridor Aerial view of the Gran Chicó showing

Autopista norte
the principal components of connectivity
with the Eastern Hills (Cerros Orientales)
4 Fuente: Google Earth, Digital Globe (2015). Birds Bees

3 Private areas 72 10
Figure 1. Preliminary richness of the Species
Public areas Species
species of pollinators of the Corredor
Riparian ecological corridors Ecológico de Ronda El Virrey (CERV).
7

22 10
ra
rre

Pollinating species
Instituto Humboldt

Species of pollinators
Ca

1 Flies Butterflies and moths Bats UBFA

40 40 2 PM
Species Species Species

BOGOTÁ
1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants | 2,625 meters above sea level. 20 40 1
102 Credit: Google Earth, DigitalGlobe (2015) Cold-very dry   |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban Pollinating species Pollinating species Pollinating species 103
 Rodríguez-C., Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis |  Alejandro Parra-H., Instituto Humboldt
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
a. b.
e. f.
a. Bee (Caenohalictus sp.). Juan Caicedo
b. Butterfly (Serdis venezuelae fractifascia). Juan Caicedo
c. Bee (Thygater aethiops). Juan Caicedo
d. Flower fly (Eristalinus sp.). Juan Caicedo
and making notes7 of the polli-
nators and of the species of flora
in which there is greater activity.
At the same time, making use of
dead specimens to photograph
and study in greater detail, and to
document threats such as the use
of pesticides, pruning practices,
presence of feral cats, etc.
• Identification of key players,
such as governmental and en-
vironmental organizations,
community action boards, admi-
nistrators of buildings or residen-
tial developments and, above all,
neighbors sensitive to the topic.
Instituto Humboldt
Also, detect opportunities to in-
corporate better practices for
silviculture or gardening mana-
gement proposed for the area.
• Development of a plan for ha-
bitat conservation and im-
104
c.
g.
e. Hummingbird (Colibri coruscans). Juan Caicedo
f. Butterfly (Dione glycera). Juan Caicedo
g. Flower fly (Toxomerus sp.). Juan Caicedo
h. Recognizing the value of pollinators in the Gran Chicó.
María Sáchica
provement, with the following
measures:
»» Design actions that enrich
the quality of the existing habi-
tat. This involves: a) Incorpora-
tion of plant species that provide
a constant and varied supply of
food throughout the year, b) inclu-
sion of plant species with diffe-
rent heights and c) Identifying and
prioritizing sunny areas for garde-
ning interventions.
»» Incorporating nesting resour-
ces according to the types of po-
llinators of the zone. For insects,
include host plants, bare ground
and decomposing tree trunks,
and also consider artificial nests
for insects, birds and bats.
»» Avoid pruning trees, gardens,
lawns and embankments of ca-
nals at times of high flowering
and activity of pollinators.
d.
h.
»» Maximum reduction of the
use of toxic pesticides and the
promotion of integrated pest
management.
• Implementation of efforts for en-
vironmental education. Trans-
mit the importance and function
of certain pollinators with ne-
gative perceptions (bees, bats,
etc.), recognize the role of host
plants, show the negative im-
pact from the use of pesticides
and incorporate strategies for
training and incentives.
KEY LESSONS
01 The lack of knowledge
about pollinators is not an
obstacle for implementing actions for
their conservation. The steps indica-
ted above are universal, although the
species in each region may differ.
1 Canopy Figure 2. Conceptual illustration of
Pollinators and Planning
structural diversity.
Source: created by the authors.
2 Subcanopy
3 Shrub layer
4 Herbaceous layer
(gardens)
5 Ground cover
Table 1. Conceptual
phenology calendar Jan Feb Mar Abr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
highlighting diversity of
colors and types of flowers Tree
to attract a greater number
of species.
Shrub
Source: created by the
authors
Shrub
Herbaceous
Herbaceous
Open flowers
Tubular flowers Herbaceous
Raceme flowers
Herbaceous
Flowers in umbel
Impact of gardening. A community garden in their local pollinators, and multiply areas, in collaboration with experts
San Luis Obispo, California, was enriched with
their experience among members of in pollination, landscape architects,
selected plants to attract native bees, and in
three years the number of bee species grew their community. With more sensitive urban forestry and gardeners, so
from 5 to 408. and informed citizens, the informa- that different visions of urban design
tion gap can be filled through citizen and ecological functionality con-
02 The incorporation of pollina- science and pressure can be brought verge in a multidisciplinary fashion.
tors in the design and plan- to bear for the development of poli-
ning of urban green areas facilitates a
more comprehensive understanding
cies that incorporate and value the
role of pollinators. Quote as: Caicedo, J., Sáchica, M., Rodríguez-C.
04
and management of their biodiversity. The next phase of this pro- A., Parra-H., A. Planning for Pollinators: Ecologically
03
functional areas in the Gran Chicó. P. 102-107.
Any person, without be- cess is to propose species
In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
ing an expert, can crea- of flora recommended for increa- Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
te favorable habitats, get to know sing the biodiversity of urban green Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 105
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Pollinators and Planning

Bolsero dorsiamarillo (Icterus
chrysater).
Juan Caicedo
Instituto Humboldt

106 107
 Collective
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Collaborative Urban Conservation

Travel along the Río Meléndez within the urban CALI - VALLE DEL CAUCA
564 km²  |  2,369,821 inhabitants  |  995 meters above sea level.
area of Cali

Reinvention
79 % rural - 21 % urban
Source: POT Cali (2014).

Municipal perimeter
Urban perimeter have increased the number of
Blocks droughts, periods of rationing and

of a City
Forest cover and protected areas the risk of disasters and epidemio-
Río Meléndez Environmental Corridor logical diseases, along with the loss
Rivers and wetlands of spaces for leisure and recreation.
All of these factors led to a social
movement in defense of water and the
Guanabanal natural heritage in Commune 18 in the
THE PIONEERING EXPERIENCE OF THE RÍO MELÉNDEZ Township of La Buitrera. Since 2008, a
Jordán number of movements and protests
have occurred, led by the inhabitants
Santiago Sierra-Paz  |  Andrea del Pilar Cáceres-Franco
Corporación para la Gestión Ambiental BIODIVERSA of the Río Meléndez basin. Although
in 2006 the community had filed a
DECADES OF CHAOTIC AND IMPROVISED ORGANIZATION HAVE LED TO RADICAL collective action demanding that the
DETERIORATION OF THE RÍO MELÉNDEZ AND ITS RIPARIAN BUFFER ZONES, CALI municipal government put a stop to

Cauca er
EMBLEMATIC WATER BODIES IN THE CITY OF CALI. EVEN SO, THAT DRAMATIC housing construction in forest zones,

Ri v
SITUATION SERVED AS THE LAUNCHPAD FOR A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE OF they had to wait until 2011 to receive a
COORDINATION AND PARTICIPATION WITH DIVERSE LOCAL ACTORS, BOTH PUBLIC AND favorable ruling: the decision ordered
PRIVATE, IN DEFENSE OF THE NATURAL HERITAGE OF THE CALEÑOS the competent environmental

THE BRANCH OF HEAVEN…
AND OF WATER
For the Caleños, the Río Meléndez
and its riparian buffer zones have
not only served as one of the
principal water sources1, but also a
space for recreation and rest, with
great landscape, social and cultural
value. The main factor in the
accelerated deterioration of the
natural values of the Río Meléndez
Instituto Humboldt
occupation, a phenomenon that has
become more acute in recent
decades due to the actions of legal
or illegal developers, private or
public and small or large scale . 2
These occupation processes
have led to acute deterioration of the
Río Meléndez due to pollu-
tion,wastewater spills and solid
waste disposal, the disappearance
of water sources, destruction of
significant portions of forests
MELÉNDEZ R
authorities to carry out a management
IVE
R plan for recovery of the river3.
Parque Nacional Natural Then, in 2012 a collaborative
Los Farallones de Cali effort began among key actors in the
sector, including community ones4,
but also institutions5. It was then that
the Administrative Department of
Environmental Management
(Departamento Administrativo de
Gestión Ambiental (Dagma)) and the
Corporación Autónoma Regional del
Valle del Cauca (CVC) decided to cre-
ate venues for reaching agreement in
Commune 18 and in the Township of

and its riparian buffer zones has
been improvised urban develop-
ment. The continuous waves of
migration from the countryside to
the city due to the phenomena of
violence and economic and social
108 marginalization have accentuated
through logging and intentional fires, La Buitrera, to begin to resolve the PUA
local extinction of flora and fauna socioenvironmental problems. With
SW
species characteristic of a dry Jamundí participation by the Municipal
tropical forest, increase of erosive Administrative Department of LES
processes and increased instability Planning (Departamento Administrati-
of the land, among other damages. vo de Planeación Municipal), they
At the same time, these situations Credit: Google Earth, Landsat. agreed to join efforts to protect the 109
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Collaborative Urban Conservation

river and its natural surroundings.
One of the planned activities, led by
the Ecosystems group of the Dagma,
was to participate in the Conserva
Colombia convocation, Sponsored
by Fondo Acción and The Nature
Conservancy. The result of this
initiative, which coordinated the
efforts of these entities with the
technical and social work of theFun-
dación Danza y Vida and of the
Corporación para la Gestión
Ambiental Biodiversa (Corporation for
Biodiverse Environmental Manage-
ment), was a process to declare the
natural zone in the middle basin of
the Rio Meléndez as a protected
area, and, possible joint work with
the Municipal System of Protected
Areas of Cali (Simap-Cali) to include
it within the Municipal Agreement of
the Land Management Plan.
THE METHODOLOGY APPLIED
To obtain the declaration of the
middle basin as a protected area
required efforts and implementation
of various specific steps, namely:
1. Diagnosis of the natural
resources and socioeconomic
and landholding conditions in
the area
After applying the Area Conservation
Planning Methodology (Planificación
Instituto Humboldt
ment that would need to be
approved by the Municipal Council.
2. Diagnosis of the social and
community actors with
potential for participation in
conservation initiatives
To facilitate participation by
institutional and community actors7
at different levels of the process, the
APL zoning of the Río Meléndez as a protected area
in the Simap-Cali
Source: POT Cali (2014).
Restoration for sustainable zone
Sustainable use
Restoration for preservation
Preservation
following venues were agreed upon
in the framework of collaboration:
Community venues
Community environmental activists
group (co-researchers). Consisting
of community members chosen for
that purpose for their leadership
abilities and knowledge of the area.
This group supported all of the
activities of the technical team.
Support group. Composed of six
individuals knowledgeable about
M ELÉNDEZ RIV
ER
the landscape and inhabitants of
the area who helped to gather
information in the field.
Accompaniment group. Consisting
of at least 10 community leaders
recognized for their extensive
knowledge of the problems of
the landscape.
These community venues constituted
the primary scenario for socialization
and feedback about the process.
Institutional venues
Local committee. Created for
comprehensive management of the
declaration process, it was com-
posed of representatives of the Club
Campestre (Country Club), Cantón
Militar Pichincha, environmental
committees, community organiza-
tions and environmental authorities
in the municipality (Dagma and
CVC). It formed the basis of the
subsequent Committee for Co-man-
agement of the area once it had
been declared as protected.
Enlarged local committee. This is
the same local committee but
includes participation, according to
each case, by other entities from the
municipal sphere with involvement in
the process and with full capacity to
interact with the municipal adminis-
tration (Secretariat of Housing,
Secretariat of Government, Munici-
pal Planning, and National Natural
Parks, among others).
These venues facilitated full
participation by local actors while
CALI
Universidad del Valle
fostering feedback and validation of
the progress made. It must be
emphasized that the entire process
implied a training plan for the
environmental activists and local
actors in order to facilitate and
deepen the strategy for participation.
3. Definition of the values to
conserve in the area
The principal values for conservation
in the area, defined from both the
technical and community perspec-
tives, were:
The water system
The river, streams and wetlands con-
stitute a “network of connectivity”,
responsible for viability of the
biodiversity at all of its levels of
organization.
The relicts, patches of
forests and vegetation
covers of the ecosystems of
the area under study
Includes the remainders of vegeta-
tion covers of the ecosystems
present in the area and mentioned in
the ecosystem updating study
(made by the CVC at the scale of the
department of the Valle de Cauca).
Guacharaca Colombiana

para la Conservación de Áreas6 Sustainable use (subzone for development) (Ortalis Columbiana)
(PCA)), the delimitation, categoriza- Sustainable use (subzone for private recreation) Buitrera
tion and zoning of the area to be Public use for recreation Known as the guacharaca, it is an
Club Campestre
declared as protected was pro- endemic bird species with wide
posed. A management plan for that local distribution and which
iver
area was then created, along with a Lili R disperses seeds.
110 draft version of a Municipal Agree- Credit: Google Earth, Landsat, DigitalGlobe (2015). 111
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Collaborative Urban Conservation

Carnaval por la vida de la cuenca Meléndez,
movilización de 5.000 personas por el agua
Municipio de Cali.
Andrea Cáceres

Mirador El Morro (El Morro

Lookout)
meléndez), whose mission is to
contribute to the administration and
management of the protected area.
A place of great cultural value, it en- The community leaders promoted
joys considerable community
recognition because of its land-
scape value.
forums, had dialogues with municipal
council members, interacted with the
Municipal Ombudsman’s office and
etc. and working on various fronts,
the the Municipal Council in the
POT8 declared 655 ha as a Munici-
pal Reserve for Sustainable Use of
the Río Meléndez, in the framework
of the Simap-Cali.
60 water sources that empty into
the Río Meléndez. The system
supplies water to more than
300,000 people in Commune 18
and the Township of La Buitrera.
03 The community must be
involved from the very
beginning of the process to
ended up influencing the updating
of the city’s Land Management
Plan, thus facilitating the declara-
establish land management plans tion process.

KEY LESSONS
for a protected area, because it is
they who must appropriate the
process and its discourse.
06 The training plan imple-
mented and the community
participation activities created a fertile

4. Organization of community
actions
carried out negotiations with other
community organizations and with
the community in general. One of the
THE FRUITS OF THE EFFORT

The relicts, fragments and riparian 01 One of the main achieve-

The community, often spontaneously,
organized numerous activities that to-
gether pressured the environmental
authorities to resolve the legislative
activities was the Carnaval for the
Life of the Meléndez Basin, an event
financed through small donations
from the community and in which
5000 people from the sector
zones of dry forests and other tree
coverages represent almost 30% of
the area and are home to 134 wild
vegetation species and 132
cultivated species, which serve as a
ments was to help position
the Sinap-Cali in the collective
imagination of many Caleños as the
best way to manage the principal
ecological structure of the city.
02 The training plan imple-
04 In addition to managing
the landscape among
various actors to contribute to wards
context to enable the inhabitants of
the zone to appropriate the process
and provide support from the
the conservation and principal biological and regulatory perspectives.
ecological structure of the
municipality, the necessary elements More information
were adopted to provide visibility to http://www.biodiversaenlinea.com
the conservation objectives.

05
Instituto Humboldt

aspect. These are some examples:
On their own initiative, the leaders
of Commune 18 and the Township of
La Buitrera set up the Association for
the Protected Areas of the Meléndez
River (Asociación para las Áreas
112 Protegidas del Río Meléndez – Apro-
expressed their agreement with the
process for a declaration.
In 2014, after carrying out
initiatives for institutional coordina-
tion with entities such as the Dagma,
CVC, Municipal Planning, Cantón
Militar Pichincha, Club Campestre,
refuge for more than 234 species of
birds, 21 species of mammals, 5
species of amphibians and an equal
number of reptiles.
It also serves as a site for
biological corridors. This vegeta-
tion currently protects more than
mented along with
community participation starting
from the socialization process and
throughout the project enabled the
inhabitants of the zone to appropri-
ate the declaration process.
The success of this
process stemmed from
the mechanisms for coordination
and participation by the local actors
involved, always within a vision of
co-research, co-management and
coordinated political action, which
Quote as: Sierra-Paz, S., Cáceres-Franco, A.
Collective Reinvention of a City: The pioneering
experience of the río Meléndez. P. 108-113.
In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 113
 Political and Ecosystem
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Realities
CONTRASTS IN THE CASE OF RIOHACHA
Matty González Ferrer  |  Carlos Yesid Lizarazo  |  Willis José Acosta Valdés
Corporación Preservar
THE SYSTEM OF WETLANDS OF THE TOURIST AND CULTURAL DISTRICT OF RIOHACHA
HAS BECOME AN ELOQUENT EXAMPLE OF THE REALITIES OF COLOMBIA: IN THE
CONTEXT OF A MAGNIFICENT ECOSYSTEM AND CULTURAL POTENTIAL, SOCIOPOLITICAL
CONFLICTS, ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES AND INSTITUTIONAL FOLLIES HAVE CREATED A
WEAK URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH DAY AFTER DAY UNDERMINES THE WATER
RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY OF THE REGION.
THE NATURE OF THE RESOURCES
Riohacha, capital of the Department
of La Guajira, has an urban center
divided into 10 communes, consist-
ing of 105 neighborhoods1 and
inhabited by 259,492 peeple . There 2
are members of indigenous popula-
tions (of the wayuu, kogi, wiwas and
Instituto Humboldt
a zenú council), afro-descendants
and colonies representing depart-
ments such as the Santanderes,
Antioquia and the Caribbean region,
along with the Creole population .
Such a varied mixture of races,
114 customs and traditions explains the
decision by local leaders to seek a
development model in accordance
with the tourist and cultural industry.
Over the past 20 years, the urban
population of Riohacha has doubled,
to a considerable extent because the
city has been the destination for
displaced populations and, more
recently, migrant populations from
places such as Venezuela. The result
is that the city’s infrastructure, which
has not been able to fully respond to
this demographic transformation,
3
currently faces numerous challenges
for satisfying the basic needs of its
inhabitants and this has had a
profound impact on the region’s
wetland complexes, with the resulting
ecological damage.
Riohacha’s lagoon system “is
composed of four wetland ecosys-
tems, interconnected by the natural
slope of the micro-basin that
contains them and which empties
into the Caribbean via the Ranchería
River delta” . The complex, which
4
consists of four wetlands (Las
Mercedes, La Esperanza, Boca-
grande and the Laguna Salá5,
undoubtedly of great historical,
heritage, landscape and environmen-
tal value), acts as a huge sponge,
retains excess water during rainy
periods and stores it for dry seasons.
It thus serves as a regulating organ
when the rivers rise, a preventive
mechanism in the face of potential
floods and a fertile scenario for a
varied number of habitats and
species, as well as a large supply of
ecosystem services. Specifically,
the lagoon ecosystem promotes a
natural equilibrium associated with
the buffering of floods, charging and
control of the water flow, control of
erosion, sediment and toxic sub-
stance retention, desalinization of the
water that reaches dry land,
production of organic material and
fallen leaves, exportation of bio-
mass, stabilization of microclimates,
a supply of nesting areas for a
considerable number of bird species
and vulnerable marine organisms or
those in danger of extinction, a
supply of breeding places for fish
and crustacean species, the
production of oxygen and transfor-
mation of carbon dioxide, and the
supply of opportunities for educa-
tion, scientific research and con-
struction of the historical memory of
the municipality .
6
However, this supply is under-
mined by factors that include the
current situation of the wetlands,
whose sanitary, hydrological,
landscape, biological, ecosystem,
socioinstitutional and even urban
conditions are precarious.
Caribbean | 3,084 km2 | 259,492 inhabitants | Warm-very dry
KEY LESSONS
01 The factors that have had
the greatest influence on
the ecosystems are the building of
structures unsuitable for managing
rainwater, cutting of mangroves to
build housing, lack of a specially
designed site for final disposal of
debris and lack of coordination
between the trash collection
company and people who work with
animal-drawn vehicles.
02 Despite agreements such
as 024 of 1975, 028 of
1983 and 03 of 2001, along with
ordinance 031 of 1986, a class-action
suit filed with the Administrative
Dispute Tribunal of La Guajira in 2001
and a proposal regarding the
currently-in-effect Land Management
Plan (POT), all of which are regulatory
initiatives to promote protection for
the Salá Lagoon, none have resulted
in concrete actions to guarantee its
care7. This shows the large gap that
exists between theory and practice.
03
For several years, public
and private institutions
such as Corpoguajira, the office of
Political and Ecosystem Realities
RIOHACHA - LA GUAJIRA
27 °C  |  541 mm  |  99.2 % rural - 0,8 % urban
the Municipal Mayor of Riohacha, the
Universidad de La Guajira, the
National Risk Management Unit
(Unidad Nacional de Gestión del
Riesgo), Environmental NGOs
(Preservar, Corpoder, and the
Creacua and Asoderes foundations),
and communications organizations
such as Radio Revista Entornos,
among others, have undertaken
actions for conservation of the
wetlands. Their joint efforts, essen-
tially coordinated around the Environ-
mental Management Plan of the
wetlands, have helped to sensitize
the communities and produced
results in mitigating the deterioration
of these ecosystems. The Environ-
mental Management Plan and the
city’s new status as a tourist and
cultural district must become a
platform for joining forces and
working to achieve decisions that
would recover the lagoon system. AUES
UMP
Quote as: González, M., Lizarazo, C., Acosta, W.
Political and ecosystem realities: Contrasts in SW
the case of Riohacha. P. 114-115. In: Mejía M.
A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación
de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 115
 Green
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Green Agenda
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR PRIORITY RESEARCH
BY GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

Agenda
Conservation of habitats for Townships of San Sebastián
biodiversity de Palmitas and Altavista
Movements in mass and Communes 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, and 13 and
erosion control Townships of Santa Elena and San Cristóbal

Sptial representation of the landscape La Fe, Riogrande and

Water provision and regulation
agenda of urban ecosystem services Piedras Blancas basins
for Medellín Townships of San Cristóbal and
Thematic source: PGIBSEM, Secretariat of Environment Pollination
San Sebastián de Palmitas
of Medellín et al. (2014). Cartographic source: Instituto
Geográfico Agustín Codazzi (Igac) (2008). Leisure, recreation, cognitive Townships of San Antonio de Prado
development and spiritual well-being and Santa Elena
PROPOSALS FOR RESEARCH INTO ECOSYSTEM Eastern Antioquia, Urabá
Food provision
SERVICES FOR MEDELLÍN and Northern Antioquia
Capture of particulate material
Central and Southwestern Medellín
from the air and noise mitigation

Jorge Vásquez-Muñoz, Fundación Grupo HTM Cultural and regulation ecosystem

Northeastern and Northwestern
services associated with urban
zones of Medellín
tree planting

IN MEDELLÍN THERE IS AN IMPORTANT BODY OF STUDIES ON ECOSYSTEM SERVICES (E.S.), This agenda seeks to focus on research topics
CARRIED OUT BY A NUMEROUS AND QUALIFIED SET OF LOCAL RESEARCH GROUPS. THIS into ecosystem services according to the specific
INFORMATION CONSTITUTES A LEGACY OF KNOWLEDGE THAT MUST BE CONSULTED, BOTH BY needs and geographic situations in the
urban-regional sphere of Medellín.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORITIES AND THE CIVIL SOCIETY, WHEN MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THE
SOCIOECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY. CRITICAL PROBLEMS AND GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE
GIVE RISE TO A PRELIMINARY RESEARCH AGENDA ON ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

GENESIS OF THE PROJECT This agenda proposed topics around

The Proposal for Comprehensive
Management of Biodiversity and Eco-
system Services in Medellín (PGIB-
SEM from its Spanish acronym),
developed in 2013, constituted a first
effort to implement national guidelines
for biodiversity conservation from an
urban perspective. One of the compo-
nents of the proposal was developed
Instituto Humboldt
which research in Medellín should
revolve and suggested specific land-
scape areas where the municipali-
ty should consolidate some of these
research efforts. This would make
use of the valuable results from the
entire process, and enhance them
through promotion and support for
different strategies and mechanisms
for cooperation. It should also be
influence on the decisions made by
our leaders and governments. The
research agenda into E.S. described
here and created in the framework of
the PGIBSEM, constitutes a possible
response to these petitions.
In short, the agenda came about

focusing exclusively on ecosys- pointed out how different sectors of with the aim of sharing a proposal in-
tem services, with a view not only to society, with increasing frequency volving core topics about ecosystem
methodologically link biological, social and growing vehemence, demand services for Medellín, which could be 58.7 km

and political aspects, but also to for-
mulate a research agenda into urban
ecosystem services, the first of its
116 kind in Colombia.
a greater connection between sci-
entists and people’s most pressing
problems. At the same time, aca-
demics are asked to have greater
enriched by all of the city’s actors in
the field of knowledge management
and could influence its governance
and decision-making processes.
AUES
MEDELLÍN - ANTIOQUIA
380.64 km² | 2,464,322 inhabitants | 1,475 meters above sea level.
Temperate-dry | 24 ºC | 1,656 mm | 72 % rural - 28 % urban Google Earth. Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO, Landsat, Departamento Geográfico Estatal de Estados Unidos. 117
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
THE PROCESS
The creation of the research agenda
on ecosystem services required
three central processes. The first
consisted of formulating the neces-
sary key questions to guide knowl-
edge about the topic; the second
to create a state-of-the-art about
it; and the third, to establish some
clear principles of functioning.
The following questions were for-
mulated to guide the work:
• How is Medellín in terms of qual-
ity of life and human well-being?
• What are the dependencies
and associations between
levels of quality of life and
the supply of E.S.?
• What services does biodiversi-
ty in Medellín provide and where
are they?
• What are the pressures on bio-
diversity in Medellín and what
are their causes?
• What are the civic perceptions
and demands on biodiversity
and E.S?
• Who is involved in their compre-
hensive management and how
do they act and relate?
• What is the legal and regulatory
framework with respect to biodi-
versity and E.S.?
Instituto Humboldt
The result of this collaborative ef-
fort was a list of 180 problems as-
sociated with the biodiversity and
ecosystem services of Medellín.
This set of questions was not only
useful for creating a problem tree
118 (which made it possible to de-
fine the strategic and cooperative
framework of the PGIBSEM), but
also brought to light the two prin-
cipal problems that the city faces
stemming from inadequate man-
agement of biodiversity and E.S.:
harm to human well-being and loss
of territorial competitiveness.
At the same time, the state-of-
the-art research found 187 studies
and research works, 30 of which
were used as inputs when develop-
ing a methodology for identification,
spatialization and analysis of the
supply and demand of ecosystem
services in the city. This initiative
shed light on key variables, such as
the topics addressed by these ini-
tiatives focused (31studies focused
on water resources, 25 on risk man-
agement and 24 on urban flora).
At the same time, the approaches
of the different studies were clas-
sified in categories and 113 re-
search groups were identified that
are working on topics related to the
management of E.S.
Prior to constructing the the-
matic and landscape agenda, six
principles were suggested for it:
landscape relevance of the research,
cooperation with differentiated lead-
erships in accordance with their
specialization, integrality of focuses
and approaches, inter and transdis-
ciplinary nature of teams, public-pri-
vate concurrence, and permanent
transference and pedagogy.
KEY LESSONS
01
Neither the approach
nor the concept of eco-
system services is explicitly in-
corporated in the language of a
large part of the identified research
groups. This means that there is
still a need to carry out efforts for
interdisciplinary dialogue and dis-
semination in this regard.
02
The city of Medellín has
a significant number of
human health researchers. How-
ever, they do not explore the con-
nections between environmental
health and human well-being in de-
tail: to promote real changes, it is
necessary to generate bridges be-
tween both fronts.
03 It is important to identi-
fy the legacies of exist-
ing basic and applied knowledge
in a city in order to coordinate and
provide continuity to knowledge
building, in this case in the field of
ecosystem services.
04 The identification efforts
are important, because
they constitute recognition of previ-
ous research capital and an oppor-
tunity to build relationships of trust
among actors in knowledge man-
agement. This collaborative notion
of work is fundamental for the future.
05
When examining land-
scape problems of
access and use of ecosystem
services, a multiscale approach
must be applied because metro-
politan and urban needs are not
necessarily the same as those for
zones and localities.
06 Ecosystem services re-
quire a multidisciplinary
approach. In that sense, there must
be effective scientific communi-
cations tools and techniques that
would guarantee a harmonious re-
Ecosystem
Services and
Human Well-Being
Aimed at quantifying nexuses be-
tween ecosystem services and
quality of life.
Functional
Ecology
Aimed at studying the connections
between the characteristics of bio-
diversity and the supply in quantity
and quality of E.S.
Thematic agenda of urban ecosystem
services for Medellín
Source: PGIBSEM, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de
Medellín et al. (2014)
This agenda points to sensitive topics that with
varying intensities are of concern and interest to
the diversity of institutional actors in landscape
management, from knowledge generation
(research) to intervention and follow-up, including
urban design and planning.
lationship among different disci-
plines. At the same time, so that
the agenda can position itself as a
driving instrument and platform for
dialogue among the diverse actors,
it is of fundamental importance that
the municipality reaffirm its commit-
ment to the research.
Green Agenda
Social
Political
Valuation of E.S.
Ecology Aimed at evaluating civic percep-
Aimed at studying the distribution tions and interests regarding com-
of burdens and benefits implicit prehensive management of E.S.,
or explicit in the management of civic science and the different as-
ecosystem services and their role pects of social education and peda-
as a potential equity factor. gogy about the importance of E.S.
Ecological
for E.S. Valuation of E.S.
Aimed at quantification of the va-
riables of demand and pressure
Aimed at aspects of greater techni-
cal specificity in relation to ecological
of ecosystem services, an area in
valuation of ecosystem services and
which there is an urgent need for
particularly the study of their vulnera-
management from the point of view
bility in the face of climate change.
of society and the public sphere.
Economic Decision-
Valuation of E.S.
Making
Guided by aspects of economic
valuation of the spatial and tempo-
ral availability of the E.S.; initially
Guided by research into incenti-
those associated with comprehen-
ves, environmental taxation, risk
sive valuation of urban trees as the
transference and regulatory fra-
backbone for many of the percep-
meworks associated with E.S.
tions of civic well-being and public
management of E.S.
07 When carrying out public
management tasks asso-
ciated with biodiversity and eco-
system services, as well as when
formulating research proposals, one
Quote as: Vásquez-Muñoz, J. Green agenda:
Proposals for research into ecosystem services for
Medellín. P. 116-119. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban
should start with an exhaustive anal-
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
ysis of knowledge compiled in the Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
corpus discussed in the present text. Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 119
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Another Way of Being a City

THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF
BOGOTÁ AND THE FARMER
OCCUPATION MODEL
The Southern urban-rural border of
BOGOTÁ Bogotá, which covers the localities
of Usme (Uval, Requilina, Corinto,
Soches and Agualinda-Chiguaza
Bogo rural districts) and Ciudad Bolívar
tá R
ive
r (upper and lower Mochuelo rural
districts, upper and lower Quiba
and Pasquilla rural districts, in the
Tunjuelo River basin), is considered
BOGOTÁ
1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants | 2,625 meters above sea level.
Cold-very dry   |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban
to be a transition strip1 between
the rural area and urban consolida-
tion. In contrast to the northern,
eastern and western borders of the
city, the southern border is the
scene of an occupation model of
agricultural origin that has favored
an increase in knowledge and care
for the ecosystem services that
this rural zone provides for the
urban part of Bogotá.
At the same time, it incorporates:
• Water management through rural
district aqueducts.
• Sociocultural dynamics for
recovery of historic and
landscape memory.
• Progressive reconversion of
productive farming systems.
• Protection of the biodiversity,
which has led to an increase in
knowledge and care of the
ecosystem services that the
rural areas provide for the urban
zone of Bogotá.
The border and its landscape are
subject to pressures and affecta-
tions associated with urban
expansion. Proof of that is that small
agricultural and livestock-raising
properties converge with a series of
high impact nonrenewable mining
activities (mining for construction
materials), dumps such as the Doña

Another Way of
Juana landfill and formal and
informal urban settlements.

Being a City
Social management systems
of the landscape
A social organizational form that groups together
strategies and instruments for the organization,
governance and management of the landscape.

BIODIVERSITY AND FARMING COMMUNITIES ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF BOGOTÁ

Location of social management systems

Fernanda Montenegro Díez, Specialist in environmental affairs and management |  Gladys Gómez Ariza, Landscape management consultant of the landscape under study and
Germán Andrés Quimbayo Ruiz, Independent consultant for environmental matters   |  Clara Lucía Matallana Tobón, Instituto Humboldt surrounding biomes
Source: Instituto Humboldt (2014).
Instituto Humboldt

Social management systems of the landscape UMP

IN THE LANDSCAPE OF THE SOUTHERN URBAN-RURAL BORDER OF BOGOTÁ, THERE ARE TENSIONS BETWEEN Subparamo
URTL
THE FARMING LIFE OF SOME OF ITS INHABITANTS, URBAN DYNAMICS ASSOCIATED WITH BOTH FORMAL AND Upper Andean biome
INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS, AND CERTAIN ACTIVITIES OF GREAT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. WITH THE AIM OF Andean biome LES
Paramo
PROTECTING THE BIODIVERSITY OF THE LANDSCAPE, PRESERVING THE FARMING LIFE OF ITS INHABITANTS AND
COUNTERACTING THE EFFECTS OF URBAN EXPANSION, THE COMMUNITY IN THE ZONE JOINED WITH VARIOUS Streams 58.7 km

120 ENTITIES TO PROPOSE THE SO-CALLED SOCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS OF THE LANDSCAPE. Intakes Credit: Google Earth. Landsat. 121
 Experiences
of experiencias

Another Way of Being a City

for Ciudad Bolívar, where there are was proposed that is contained in activities and urbanization on the rural
no consolidated venues for commu- Category V of the International Union area and the protected areas of the
nity participation in relation to the for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Capital District. On the other hand, for
Platformde

BOGOTÁ urban-rural border, a management “protected landscape and seascape”, the systems associated with the
Plataforma

route was proposed to clarify the the aim of which is to maintain the Fucha River basin (Usme) and the
expectations of its inhabitants. integrity of the traditional relationship basin of the Trompeta Stream (Ciudad
Nature 

In terms of regulatory viability, for of the farming culture with the natural Bolívar), the benchmark was the
urbana 

the farming, ancestral and environ- areas for protection, maintenance and “parque agropolitano” (agripolitan
Urban
Naturaleza

mental landscape of Usme, a system evolution of the landscape. In the park), a system recognized by the
context of Usme, this system seeks to Rural Public Policy of the Capital
control and mitigate the pressures of District, designed to facilitate social
fragmentation produced by productive valuation by the entire citizenry of the
ecosystem services associated with
the rural landscape, particularly those
Bog
otá that combine farming, ancestral and
Riv
environmental elements.
er

Cota a
Both in Usme and Ciudad Bolívar,
these systems essentially aim to
generate greater autonomy for
b farmers in managing their landscape,
include proposals more in harmony
with institutional possibilities for
organization and strengthen local
governance, with a view to influenc-

c ing decisions at the regional level.

NEW SYSTEMS FOR Pasocolorado
Stream
THE LANDSCAPE

A joint effort by the community of

the urban-rural border, the District
Secretariat of Environment (SDA)
and the Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt made it possible to define
the social management systems of
the landscape as forms of social
organization. These combine
Instituto Humboldt
instruments of organization for the
d
and rural environments of the
a. Protected landscape. Farming, ancestral
country. After carefully analyzing and environmental lands of Usme
systems and considering the b. Parque agropolitano de Usme,
expectations expressed by the Fucha basin
c. Parque agropolitano de Ciudad Bolívar,
community, attention was drawn to
Trompeta basin
those with the largest autonomous d. Protected landscape, Yerbabuena basin

strategies and instruments to
manage the landscape and guaran-
tee its adequate organization for
solid governance.
The process began with an
initiative to compile information about
southern border of Bogotá. To do so,
existing secondary information was
reviewed, workshops were held with
the community in the localities of
Usme and Ciudad Bolívar, experts
were consulted and experiences
social management component and
that also had regulatory support. Proposal for southern strip
Mining activity
The social viability (or autono- Approach to the four social management
Landfills
systems of the landscape under study,
mous social management compo-
indicating surrounding pressures and water
nent) was evaluated as follows: for bodies in the city of Bogotá
2.71 km
Usme, initiatives taken from its Source: Instituto Humboldt (2014).

122 different relevant legal systems and shared with other cities and urban roundtable were proposed, whereas Credit: Google Earth. Landsat, DigitalGlobe (2015). 123
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Figure 1. Protected landscape. Farming, ancestral and
environmental lands of Usme
KEY LESSONS
01 In order for proposals by
the communities and
social organizations to materialize in
planning and organization instru-
ments in accordance with the social
and ecological realities of the
Instituto Humboldt
landscape, they must be created
jointly with facilitators and local and
regional level entities.
02
Furthermore, the dynamics
of governmental entities
are frequently incompatible with
124 community dynamics. That is why
Figure 2. Parque agropolitano de Usme, Fucha basin
processes for maintenance of the
social and ecological values of the
landscape must transcend the
policies of the moment and be
projected with continuity over time.
03 Implementing disorga-
nized institutional interven-
tions or initiatives that ignore
community structures generates
mistrust and creates difficulties for
community-state relations.
04
There is a huge gap
between the public and
private interests that converge in the
zone. It is therefore essential to
strengthen channels and dynamics
for conflict resolution that help to
generate trust when reorienting
landscape management towards the
common good.
05 Management along the
borders is a determining
factor when putting a stop to
disorganized and uncontrolled
expansion of the urban landscape;
it must also be an objective of the
respective land management plans
and be based on a definition of
what the city views as its border or
transition strip.
Figure 3. Parque agropolitano de Ciudad Bolívar, Trompeta basin
06 The conflicts and opportu-
nities are different in each
landscape, which is why the
particular conditions for each case
must be taken into account.
07 The local organizational
structures and dynamics
must be recognized, both public and
private, in order to generate
management proposals that can be
assimilated by the actors and that
would be viable in practice.
08
The communities
maintain a constant
relationship with the biodiversity in
Another Way of Being a City
Figure 4. Yerbabuena basin protected landscape system
their surroundings. This knowledge
must be recognized when formulat-
Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015).
ing landscape management
proposals in the border zones.
09 The southern border epito-
mizes the social reality of
Colombia: it is a place where
More information
https://goo.gl/IKiKwK
numerous socioenvironmental
conflicts coincide that respond to
political and economic interests that Quote as: Gómez G., Montenegro, F., Quimbayo.
make it difficult to implement G., Matallana, C. Another way of being a city:
resilient landscape management. Biodiversity and farming communities on the
southern border of Bogotá. P. 120-125. In: Mejía
M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación
de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 125
 Protected
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Protected Urban Areas

this zone are demanding and require its near total abandonment: the KEY LESSONS
RÍO DE JANEIRO - BRASIL that ecosystem services, such as subsequent proliferation of
1,225 km2  |  6,320,446 inhabitants  |  1021 meters above sea level
Tropical   |  23.7 °C  |  1,069 mm  |  47.3 % rural - 52.7 % urban water, climate regulation of the city domestic animals, a series of
01 The main objective of the

Urban Areas
and mitigation of the risks of fire and
accidents, be guaranteed. The
well-being that the PNT provides for
more than 6 million inhabitants of
Río de Janeiro can also be mea-
sured by the nearness that all
human settlements must have to
forest ecosystems, according to
research in this field: that the park
THE PARQUE NACIONAL DE TIJUCA health, are useful as shared spaces enables people to have access to a
IN RÍO DE JANEIRO AS A SCENARIO for social interaction, connect forest after a 10 minute walk and
forest fires and constant solid
waste accumulation only served to
perpetuate the idea that protecting
urban parks should not be a
national priority. However, every-
thing began to change in 1999,
when the Mayor of Río de Janeiro
and the Minister of the Environ-
ment signed an agreement for joint
management of Tijuca, in light of a
new policy for protection of areas
urban green areas is to
educate in order to transform the
mentality of the inhabitants and
guarantee sustained and sustain-
able impact.
02 Urban parks must
implement management
practices different from those of the
national parks systems, because
their urban counterparts are located
in populated areas. They must

FOR EDUCATION people to their regional environment, consists of a minimal area of two that promoted intensive use of therefore generate greater impact in
define the identity of cities and hectares shows that it fulfills public spaces and protection of terms of conservation, while at the
generate awareness about biodiver- international human health and hydrographic basins. Two years same time gaining the support of
Pedro de Castro da Cunha e Menezes, vice president of the Group of Specialists sity conservation. Urban protected recreation standards. later, the initiative was consolidat- public opinion, in other words, of the
in Urban Affairs of the World Commission for Protected Areas, International Union
areas are also spaces for research At the same time, the park, ed through implementation of the politicians, the media, and in general,
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)1,2.
and knowledge generation while which is divided into three large Mosaico Carioca de Áreas of everyone who has the power to
providing ecosystem services areas, is home to important tourist Protegidas (Carioca Mosaic of bring about cultural change.
DURING THE COMING DECADES, THE WORLD POPULATION WILL BE INCREASINGLY
URBAN, A REALITY THAT WILL HAVE DRAMATIC CONSEQUENCES FOR THE
BIODIVERSITY OF THE PLANET. SIMILARLY, PHENOMENA SUCH AS CLIMATE
associated with the supply and
storage of potable water, reduction
of air pollution and strengthening of
and cultural landmarks of the city,
such as the monument of Cristo
Redentor, on Corcovado Hill. There
Protected Areas), a project to
coordinate 28 national and local
protected areas on municipal
03 The protected urban
areas are spaces that
must be managed in a public-pri-
CHANGE WILL AFFECT MORE AND MORE CITIES. URBAN GREEN ZONES WILL resilience in the face of climate is also the Vista Chinesa lookout borders. Currently, the Mosaico vate manner, combining innovation,
THEREFORE BE VITAL SPACES FOR GUARANTEEING MORE SUSTAINABLE change. Finally, the green spaces of and the Piedra de Gavea and consists of a corridor that goes knowledge and an entrepreneurial
URBAN MODELS, BUT, ABOVE ALL, SPACES FOR CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION the cities, which are now more Piedra Bonita moors. The Park through 250 km of protected areas spirit with local knowledge, social
AND ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN URBAN COMMUNITIES AND NATURE. frequently incorporated into receives approximately two million and has become a great tool for responsibility and environmental
management plans, offer tourist visitors each year, producing creating awareness among the awareness3. The PNT is a case in
attractions and can serve as significant revenue for the city. general population. point, in which reforestation and
URBAN GREEN ZONES AS cities as well as in remote areas. economic locomotives. The current location of the Today, although the Parque joint cooperation go hand in hand
THE SPEARHEAD Then there is climate change and a Parque Nacional Tijuca was a coffee Nacional Tijuca is the responsibility of with social inclusion.
series of meteorological phenomena THE CASE OF THE PARQUE plantation from 1809 to 1861. After a the office of the Municipal Mayor of
The United Nations (UN) estimates that will primarily affect the natural NACIONAL TIJUCA (PNT), RÍO DE while, the land became eroded, Río de Janeiro and the Ministry of En-
that, between 2010 and 2030, 60% world and which, in the final JANEIRO which generated a water supply vironment, it is managed by the
of the population of the planet will analysis, will demonstrate the crisis in Río de Janeiro. At the same Instituto Chico Mendes para la
live in urban spaces and that, by importance of urban protected The PNT is one of the world’s largest time, deforestation eradicated much Conservación de la Biodiversidad
Instituto Humboldt

2050, that figure will reach 67%. An
increase in urban settlements of that
magnitude will dilute the border
between the countryside and the
city and generate increasing
pressure on protected areas, both
126 those in the zones surrounding big
zones, because they will be the only
onesable to mitigate impacts.
In the urban sphere, protected
areas are particularly important
because they promote people’s
health and wellbeing, contribute to
physical, intellectual and emotional
urban forests, unusually submerged
in the urban grid of the city of Río de
Janeiro and surrounded by diverse
types of communities, from favelas
to luxurious condominiums.
Because of the urban connotation of
the PNT, regulations on land use in
of the native fauna and favored
invasive species, which over time
displaced the bird populations.
Even though in 1960 part of the
native fauna was restored, the Park
was eclipsed by other protected
areas in the country, which led to
(ICMBio), which is also responsible
for protected areas at the national
level. It should be pointed out that
the Park is easily accessible to
visitors, enabling people to become
familiar with its spaces and under-
stand the importance of protecting it.
UMP
Quote as: Cunha e Menezes, Pedro. Protected
urban areas: The parque nacional de Tijuca in Río
PUA
de Janeiro as a scenario for education. P. 126-
127. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 127
 Nature
Credit: Google Earth. Landsat.
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Nature Online
Escala 1:25.000
10

5.57 km

Online
VALLE DE ABURRÁ - ANTIOQUIA
9
1,165.5 km² | 3,731,447 inhabitants | 
2,800 meters above sea level | 84 % rural - 15 % urban

Chucha orejas blancas (Didelphis pernigra)

a
Chucha común (Didelphis marsupialis)
Bello b
7 Chucha de agua (Chironectes minimus)
c
A DIGITAL AND COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCE Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)
d
OF BIODIVERSITY IN THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ 8
Armadillo coletrapo (Cabassous centralis)
e
ENVIGADO SABANETA
Perro de monte (Potos flavus)
1
a b c d
2
a b c d f
Carlos A. Delgado-V., Centro de Estudios Urbanos y Ambientales (Urbam), Universidad e f g h e f g h
Olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina)
Eafit | Andrés Arias-Alzate, Laboratorio de Análisis Espaciales, Instituto de Biología, i j k l i j k l g
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México | Sebastián Botero-Cañola and Juan Cusumbo mocoso (Nasuella olivacea)
m n ñ o m n ñ o
David Sánchez-Londoño, Grupo de Mastozoología, Universidad de Antioquia | h
p q r s p q r s
Juana C. Correa-Hernández, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cusumbo solino (Nasua nasua)
Wollongong, Australia | Juan Manuel Obando, Universidad Nacional de Colombia,
t u t u i

Meddelín River
Medellín Campus. 6 Perico ligero (Choloepus hoffmanni)
j
Porcupine (Coendou rufescens)
GIVEN THE LACK OF MEDIA THAT PUBLISH INFORMATION ABOUT CALDAS ITAGÜÍ LA ESTRELLA k
Guagua de montaña (Cuniculus taczanowskii)
THE BIODIVERSITY OF THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ, THE INDEPENDENT 3 a b c d
4 a b c d
5
a b c d
l
e f g h e f g h e f g h
PORTAL WWW.ABURRANATURAL.ORG. WAS CREATED. ITS OBJECTIVE Black rabbit (Dasyprocta punctata)
i j k l i j k l i j k l m
IS TO DOCUMENT THE NATURAL HISTORY AND BIODIVERSITY OF m n ñ o m n ñ o m n ñ o Tigrillo lanudo (Leopardus tigrinus)
n
THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ AND ENCOURAGE THE LOCAL POPULATION p q r s p q r s p q r s
4 t u t u t u Yaguarundí (Puma yagouaroundi)
TO GET TO KNOW, VALUE, ENJOY AND CONSERVE ITS DIVERSITY OF ñ
PLANTS AND ANIMALS, THE INTERCONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEM Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
o
1
AND THE SPACES WHERE THEY OCCUR. Puma (Puma concolor)
5 MEDELLÍN p
2 BELLO COPACABANA
Rabbit (Sylvilagus brasiliensis)
6
a b c d
7
a b c d
8
a b c d q
e f g h e f g h e f g h
Zorro perro (Cerdocyon thous)
i j k l i j k l i j k l r
m n ñ o m n ñ o m n ñ o Taira (Eira barbara)
p q r s
s
p q r s p q r s
Valle de Aburrá, associated coverages and number Weasel (Mustela frenata)
t u t u
of species of medium and large mammals reported t u t
in the municipalities of the Valle de Aburrá from Raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus)
Instituto Humboldt

2009 until 2015, through a combination of various u

methods such as camera traps, observations based
3 GIRARDOTA BARBOSA
on daylight and nocturnal censuses and tracking OSK
Thematic source: Aburrá Natural (2015). 9
a b c d
10
a b c d More records Urban area
Cartographic source: Igac and Corporación Autónoma e f g h e f g h Forests PM
Regional de Antioquia (Corantioquia), 2007. i j k l i j k l Heterogeneous agricultural areas
Semi-detailed collection of land coverages: m n ñ o m n ñ o Grasses
Departamento de Antioquia (Corine Land p q r s p q r s Artificialized green zones
128 Cover 1:25.000 scale), Igac. t u t u Fewer records Transitory annual crops 129
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Nature Online
THE POWER OF INFORMATION

The Valle de Aburrá is a subregion of

Antioquia that has been the scene of
phenomena common to Latin
American urban and periurban
areas : high levels of population
1
growth, urbanization and deforesta-
tion, along with a growing number of
automobiles and roads. While some
species of wild fauna and native flora
disappear in urban surroundings
because of anthropic activities and
expansion of the infrastructure,
others persist or colonize areas
within or very close to the urban
center . Such is the case in this
2
local biodiversity among the
inhabitants, in 2009 the website
aburranatural.org was created. Its
objective is to compile, report and
share observations about natural
history and local biodiversity in a
simple form, thus showing the
diversity of fauna and flora to the
inhabitants of Medellín and
neighboring cities.
The information gathered in the
portal essentially consists of notes
written by the principal members,
accompanied by videos and
photographs. However, the venue is
open so that anyone may participate,
because knowledge, enjoyment and
as the puma (Puma concolor), but
also disseminates and promotes
projects for valuation and conserva-
tion of urban and periurban biodiver-
sity among the population. The notes
also have found evidence of threats
and impacts from urbanization and
anthropic activities on the local
biodiversity, such as running over wild
fauna3, thus becoming a potential
national benchmark among studies of
urban ecology and transport, civic
science and natural history4. The
result is that the portal is accumulat-
ing a solid base of information on
Andean urban and periurban
biodiversity, with an emphasis on the
• Documentation and promotion
of the natural history of the
Neotropic.
• Education and dissemination of
the biodiversity of the Valle de
Aburrá and surrounding areas.
• Research into the effects of
linear infrastructure and other
types of anthropic factors such
as noise and artificial lighting
on biodiversity.
• Study of adaptation of wildlife to
urbanization and distressed areas.
KEY LESSONS
01 The results obtained by
02 The fact that the platform
has permanent collabora-
tors enables it to give continuity to
the project and maintain it up-to-
date. At the same time, the occasion-
al collaborators enrich the materials
and observations. These testimonies
constitute an engine for environmen-
tal sensitization and education for the
inhabitants of the region.
03 The experience of aburra-
natural.org shows that oth-
er Colombian cities should carry out
biodiversity studies, because they are
evolving in terms of architectural com-
plexity, engineering works, number
of inhabitants and size. Such urban

Andean valley where the city of conservation of biodiversity are Valle de Aburrá and, more specifically, aburranatural.org demon- biodiversity research initiatives should
Medellín is located, which is diverse, interdisciplinary and Medellín and Envigado. strate that Latin American urban consider a virtual space in which the More information
geologically and biologically framed community activities. The notes are landscapes are (or could be) import- results are made known in parallel. www.aburranatural.org

within the central mountain range.

Despite its considerable
biodiversity, few people know which
animals and plants live in the Valle
de Aburrá, where they are to be
found and how they behave. In the
absence of a means for monitoring,
compiling and disseminating the
published after a review and editing
process by the core team. Until now,
around 70 notes have been pub-
lished. This material not only
documents the biodiversity of various
groups of wild fauna and native flora
(which, in some cases, had not even
been reported in this landscape, such
SPECIFIC INITIATIVES CARRIED
OUT BY ABURRÁ NATURAL
The approach of aburranatural.org
includes natural history, urban
biodiversity, transport ecology and
civic science. It currently has specific
initiatives in areas such as:
ant regions in terms of the number
of species and endemisms. Latin
American large cities tend not to be
associated with biodiversity factors
because they have not been stud-
ied or the existing research has not
been disseminated. Also, because
the communities have taken very lit-
tle part in these studies.
04 The aburranatural.org web-
site is simple and easy to
explore. It thus facilitates compil-
ing, illustrating and disseminating
information with ease. Nonetheless,
it could include additional, perhaps
more interactive, elements to pro-
mote and compile other efforts for
observation and protection.
Quote as: Delgado-V, C.A., Arias-Alzate, A., Botero-
Cañola, S., Sánchez-Londoño, J. D., Correa-
Hernández, J.C., Obando, J.M. Nature online: A digital
and collaborative experience of biodiversity in the
Valle de Aburrá. P. 128-133. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.).
Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Colombia. 2017. P. 216.

General summary of some of the notes
published on Aburrá Natural
1. ‘Not Even the Olinguito is Safe from
Being Run Over on the El Escobero Road’.
This note, like some of the others (for
Instituto Humboldt
olinguito) along with the marsupials
seem to be the vertebrates most
affected at the local level.
2. ‘The Barranquero, a Bird that Uses
Tools to Feed Itself’.
3. ‘Housecats Hunt Marsupials, Musarañas,
Hummingbirds and Guacharacas’.
This note and some of the others (for
example, ‘Feral Dogs in Our Forests?’)
recognizes the effects on local native
fauna from dogs and cats on the loose
5. ‘The Beetles That “Ride” Mice: Mutual
Aid in Miniature’.
This note stresses the importance of
conservation not only of particular
species but also of biological
7. ‘Silently Walk the Pumas in the
Mountains’.
This note and many others (for
example ‘Olinguito, a New Inhabitant
of the Cloud Forests’; or ‘The Tigrillo
from the presence of invasive species in
the Valle de Aburrá.
9. ‘“Carnivora” Like This, Without an Accent

example ‘Two Tigrillos Run Over on
the Highways of the Valle de Aburrá
in the last year’; ‘Fox Run Over on
the “Day Without Automobiles”’)
demonstrate the problem of wild
fauna being run over by motor
vehicles in urban and periurban areas
where carnivorous mammals (such as
130 the tigrillo lanudo, zorro perro and the
In this note, as in many others (for
example, ‘The Chuchas: How Do
They Transport the Material for Their
Nests?’ or ‘Who Eats the Eggs of
the Tinamúes?’), describe unknown
aspects of natural history, as well
as phenomena of adaptation and
adjustment of wildlife to urbanized and
distressed areas.
and calls for responsible handling of pets.
4. ‘Not Only Are There Pumas in
La Romera’.
This note and some others (for example
‘The Birds That Abandoned the Medellín
River’) illustrate the importance of
certain areas as reservoirs and sinks for
local biodiversity.
interactions in urban and periurban
surroundings.
6. ‘Non-flying Mammals, San Sebastián-La
Castellana Reserve, an Illustrated Guide’.
This note contains a guide to
mammals as a strategy for
appropriation, enjoyment and
dissemination of the biodiversity.
Lanudo Continues to Live Among Us’)
report the presence a little-known
species in Latin American urban and
periurban environments, particularly
in the Andean regions.
8. ‘The Retamo Espinoso: an Invader in the
Valle de Aburrá’.
This note stresses the harmful effects
Mark- Does Not Always Signify Carnivore’.
With this note and some others
(for example, ‘The Chuchas Are
Not Rats, They Are Marsupials!’)
aim is to educate people about the
existing biodiversity in the Valle de
Aburrá. These notes can sometimes
be applied to more extended
geographical contexts. 131
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Nature Online
Instituto Humboldt

The current presence of the least 12 species of carnivorous mammals (Carnivora order) make the Valle de Aburrá a “carnivorous
landscape.” Unfortunately, this diversity is affected by the periurban highways where more than 50% of the species have been reported as
run over in the Valle de Aburrá5. The zorro-perro (Cerdocyon thous) is one of the species most frequently hit by automobiles. Camilo Botero.
132 133
 In-House
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

In-House Conservation
BOGOTÁ
1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants | 2,625 meters above sea level.

Conservation
Cold-very dry   |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban

ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION INITIATIVES AT A LOCATION OF THE INSTITUTO HUMBOLDT

Wilson Ramírez Hernández | Luz Helena Oviedo Villegas,

Instituto Humboldt
Mateo Hernández Schmidt, Naturalist and environmental consultant

HISTORICALLY, THE EASTERN HILLS (CERROS ORIENTALES) OF BOGOTÁ HAVE BEEN THE SITE OF NUMEROUS
PROCESSES OF TRANSFORMATION IN TERMS OF BIODIVERSITY. SINCE ONE OF ITS LOCATIONS WAS
INAUGURATED ON THIS URBAN-RURAL BORDER, THE INSTITUTO HUMBOLDT HAS MADE AN EFFORT TO
RESTORE THE SURROUNDINGS, IN ORDER TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE, SHED LIGHT ON THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
OFFERED BY THE HILLS, FACILITATE A VENUE FOR PEOPLE TO ENCOUNTER BIODIVERSITY AND, ABOVE ALL,
TRANSMIT ITS MISSION AND REASON FOR BEING TO THE COUNTRY WITH GREATER FORCEFULNESS. Venado de Oro Location, Instituto
Humboldt Felipe Villegas, Environmental
Images Bank of the Instituto Humboldt

THE FIRST SEED
The Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt in 2012 began to adapt
the location known as Venado de
Oro, located on the slope of
Guadalupe Hill, in the central zone
of Bogotá. Even before transferring
its operations to the new site, it was
understood that this could become
Instituto Humboldt
research and the citizenry, which
was particularly important in the
case of the Eastern Hills (Cerros
Orientales) of Bogotá and their
valuable but almost unknown
offering of ecosystem services.
The Instituto and the Botanical
Garden of Bogotá joined efforts to
carry out a careful restoration
initiative in the new location. The
goal was to combine long-term
FIELDWORK
The process began with a diagnosis
of the ecological situation of the
property and an evaluation of
possible action plans. In the
decades prior to the arrival of the
Instituto, the place had become a
repository of exotic local forest
species and a conglomerate of open
grasslands, used as a cattle pasture.
landscape full of imposing eucalyp- new individuals for each extraction), ration nuclei.The dynamic of these
tus, planted in the 1960s and 70s. In which was necessary in order to spaces, small areas with high density
other words, the location did not open clearings for the light on the plantings of individuals, all with
reflect the species of the high terrain and plant new species. In this different growth rates, emulates the
Andean system typical of the Cerros. process, priority was placed on trees traditional regeneration processes of
After evaluating various options, at risk of falling or those near nature. Thanks to this work, the
the Instituto decided to implement a buildings or transit points. Then, a Instituto has planted around 2,000
gradual restoration process. In team of gardeners was trained to individuals, which included between
theory, this required removing trees control the invasive species 30 and 40 native species that until
in a controlled fashion, particularly according to protocols for ex- recently did not exist in the zone, in
pine, acacia and eucalyptus. After a traction, transport and storage. just two years of work. It should also

a venue for learning, not only for the
personnel of the institution but also
for the surrounding communities
and the city in general. The
objective was clear: to reduce the
existing gap between the knowl-
134 edge produced by scientific
ecological work with communica-
tions efforts that would make the
initiative not only a successful
example of environmental interven-
tion but also a scenario for promot-
ing processes of social
appropriation of knowledge.
Although the property had been
enclosed by barbed wire and had
begun a natural regeneration
process, its surroundings combined
typical species of the Cerros with
other invaders (the acacia negra and
the retamo), in the framework of a
process of mapping the entire site Selection of the species was be clarified that the other key
and applying for the necessary carried out jointly with the Botanical criterion applied when selecting
URTL
permits from the Corporación Garden. To begin with, this required these species was their capacity to
Autónoma Regional, various organizing walk-throughs in search attract fauna. This of course required ERC
strategic removals were carried out of seeds in strategic areas of the species that would provide food for
(in a gradual and controlled manner, Hills (Cerros), to then plant them in birds, mammals and bats. Their
and with the planting of 15 to 20 greenhouses located in 30 resto- influence is already perceptible, as 135

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
shown by recent sightings of
hummingbirds, bats, and even the
Andean Guan (pava de monte).
In addition to sowing creeping
plants, which include the 200
epiphytes rescued, borracheros and
walnuts (the latter are sacred for the
indigenous peoples), various plots
have been created for monitoring,
where the individuals that were
planted are being measured and
marked to understand their evolution
over time, mainly in light of quarterly
periods. That is the only way to
evaluate the status of the restoration
process with certainty.
A LIVING CLASSROOM
The incipient process of restoration
has great potential for the design
and realization of pedagogical
processes focusing on nonscientific
audiences, because it is a source of
knowledge and interesting interac-
tions. In the first place, the resto-
ration process at that location has
served as a pretext for making
contact with the surrounding
communities, many of which have
arrived in the zone in precarious
conditions. After making a map of
the relevant actors, the work of
socialization and diagnosis carried
out by the Botanical Garden with its
members and representatives led
some of the women of the rural
Instituto Humboldt
districts to express their interest in
becoming educators. In fact, they
have served as guides for the first
walk-throughs offered to the
community, in the framework of the
project for restoration of the La
136 Leona Stream, undertaken by the
Aerial view of the Venado de Oro site and
implemented restoration strategies
Source: Instituto Humboldt (2015).
Creditor: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015).
Zones of controlled removal
Zones of ecological restoration
Plots for monitoring
Greenhouse
Open classroom (media torta)
Buildings
Paths
Empresa de Acueducto y Alcantaril-
lado de Bogotá (Aqueduct and
Sewer Company). In the second
place, the restoration work has
required convocation of the
collaborators of the Instituto
Humboldt, who have actively
participated in planting days and
walk-throughs for selecting native
seeds. Undoubtedly, initiatives of
this type strengthen institutional
processes for building identity and
contribute towards social appropria-
tion processes with people who
perhaps do not have such direct
contact with the biodiversity
because they belong to other
branches of science or carry out
administrative tasks. Finally, the
Office of Communications has
developed a plan to establish new
relationships with the citizenry,
beginning with a pilot phase of
mediation that will include inputs
accumulated since the beginning of
the restoration process. As the
process moves forward, visitors may
be received and offered walk-
throughs of the installations and
pedagogical experiences on the
paths and in the greenhouses, along
with content in order to provide
visibility for the process and the
other initiatives of the Humboldt.
The key element, of course, involves
designing experiences for social
Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015)
appropriation of knowledge that
would include both the theoretical
environmentalist discourse of the
Instituto along with eloquent
02
everyday examples for ordinary
people: the dream of converting the
Venado de Oro into a living class-
room does not seem far off.
KEY LESSONS
01
Communication processes
are not an accessory of
the research projects but rather an
03
integral part of them. Working
together on these two fronts has
facilitated progress and develop-
ments that would not otherwise have
With the adaptation of paths, restoration
stations and tree planting, visitors encounter
the so-called real object, in other words, nature
itself, which makes it possible for the content to
be appropriate in a natural scenario.
been possible, including the
identification of key concepts and
ideas for the set of contents
associated with the site.
Bogotá knows little about
the Cerros, as shown by
the information gaps about its
natural aspect and about the flora
and fauna of past eras. The only
possible solution is to continue to
work to produce quality information
about the high Andean ecosystem
associated with Bogotá: not only
does the restoration involve matters
of biodiversity but also a way of
thinking by all of the actors who
have an influence on the Cerros.
In the landscapes of the
Eastern Hills (Cerros
Orientales) there is a high rate of
invasion by exotic flora, so that any
In-House Conservation
initiative for restoration demands
meticulous controls of these
species along with careful follow-up
on the progress of the native ones
that are planted.
04 The work of restoration
does not always require
great investments of time, money
or energy. Except in cases where
there are profoundly degraded
systems, certain restoration tasks
at a micro level can be undertaken
without great cost, as long as there
is careful planning based on a
monitoring process.
05
Even though the specific
conditions of El Venado
are different from those of many
other landscapes of the Cerros
Orientales, where, for example,
there are different degrees of
degradation of the lands and
different ecological circumstances,
their lessons can nonetheless be
replicated in much of the zone,
above all in those properties located
on the limits of the urban border.
06 The most important
lesson is undoubtedly
that the recovery of ecosystems is
indeed possible. This practice,
which has gained strength in recent
decades, is becoming more
widespread in Colombia and in
countries such as Brazil, and can
be a vital tool for the future.
Quote as: Ramírez, W., Oviedo L. H., Hernández
M. In-house conservation: Ecological restoration
initiatives at a location of the Instituto Humboldt. P.
134-137. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto
de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander
von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 137
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Urban Ecological Infrastructure

TURBO - URABÁ ANTIOQUEÑO
Urabá | 3,055 km2  |  148,544 inhabitants  |  2 meters above sea level 
28 °C  |  2,426 mm  |  99.6 % rural - 0.4 % urban

Aerial photograph of Turbo indicating the proposed

scenario for recovery of the El Waffe port. It involves a
comprehensive project associated with environmental

Urban
recovery of the caños (streams), improvement of the
sewer system, rainfall management, mitigation of
pollution, ecological restoration and
consolidation of the public space.
Universidad Eafit (Urbam)

Ecological COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING OF verge. This makes Urabá a land concrete actions aimed at promoting

Infrastructure
THE LANDSCAPE
The region of Urabá is the most ex-
tensive in the Department of An-
tioquia and also has one of the
COMPREHENSIVE MUNICIPAL PLANS (PMI FROM ITS SPANISH ACRONYM) IN highest departmental rates of urban
THE GULF OF URABÁ demographic growth (3%). Its lo-
cation and geographical characte-
ristics make it a strategic scenario
Juliana Montoya and Francesco Maria Orsini, Centro de Estudios Urbanos y Ambientales (Urbam) Universidad Eafit
Instituto Humboldt
of great potential for the develop-
ment of Antioquia and Colombia.
However, beyond such powerful ad-
vantages, Urabá has alarming qua-
lity-of-life indicators that are well
below the departmental average.
It is in this context that the
Comprehensive Municipal Plans
(Planes Municipales Integrales
balanced growth of the main urban
centers and designed to mitigate the
environmental damage from the
current economic and social
dynamics of the zone. Specifically,
the PMI promotes a model for urban
growth that seeks to understand and
incorporate environmental dynamics
when defining landscape interven-

in the regional, national and even
continental context, because of its
COMPREHENSIVE MUNICIPAL PLANS1 ARE AN INNOVATIVE LANDSCAPE PLANNING TOOL THAT DOES NOT VIEW GRAY high rates of biodiversity, abundant
INFRASTRUCTURE AS THE SOLE SOLUTION FOR URBAN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE water supply, geostrategic loca-
SYSTEMS THAT ARE BUILT BASED ON STRATEGIES OF BIOENGINEERING, ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, BIORETENTION AND tion, extensive coastal zone on the
SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGES, GUARANTEEING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE URBAN CENTERS OF THE REGION ALONG WITH Caribbean and because it is where
138 THE CONSOLIDATION OF A BENCHMARK THAT CAN BE REPLICATED IN OTHER INTERMEDIATE CITIES OF COLOMBIA. diverse regions and cultures con-
(PMI)), come into play as landscape
planning tools based on a compre-
hensive reading of the physical,
natural and social dynamics of the
region. Their objective is to promote
a coordinated vision of landscape
development in practice through
tion projects: Its reason for being is UMP
to guarantee preservation and
SW
sustainable use of the biodiversity of
the area, while fostering urban UD
changes at the socioeconomic level
in municipalities such as Turbo,
Apartadó, Carepa and Chigorodó. 139
 VERANILLO STREAM Figure 1. Proposal for environmental recovery of the Veranillo stream. This proposal is a key strategy a
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Urban Ecological Infrastructure

COMPREHENSIVE RECOVERY for revitalization of the El Waffe port as well as to consolidate a public space that would enable the
OF THE EL WAFFE PORT inhabitants to improve their relationship with the components of the natural system.
Universidad Eafit (Urbam)

Basic sanitation
Managing wastewater to improve public
and environmental health.

• Installation of networks for wastewater.

• Handling of riverbanks through
bioengineering and revegetation.
• Decrease of the water flow.
• Cleanup of the stream.
• Control of erosion.

Managing rainwater
Control of sediments of dispersion
and mitigation of flooding.

• Managing rainwater (infiltration, retention,

evaporation.
• Channeling the increase of the watercourse
(where necessary).

Managing watercourses
COMPREHENSIVE RECOVERY household wastewater per year from
Conserve and restore ecological
and environmental conditions. OF THE EL WAFFE PORT AND the city, it remains an important
ITS STREAMS urban refuge for biodiversity, with
• Conserve existing vegetation coverages.
approximately 200 trees, a consider-
• Adaptability to climatic conditions
and rainfall regimens. Turbo is located on the Gulf of able presence of shrubs, mangroves
• Prevention of erosion, absorption and Urabá, a zone where the Caribbean and vegetation coverages, and a
regulation of pollution.
meets the mouth of the Atrato River. habitat of 47 species of birds, 17 of
• Retention of CO2.
• Improving conditions of landscapes and comfort. It is a municipality with significant which are migratory.
• Enriching the provision of ecosystem services. cultural and commercial activity, to a Given this panorama, the PMI
• Encouraging environmental education programs.
great extent because of the El Waffe (ComprehensiveMunicipal Plan) of
Port (a more effective connection Turbo established three large urban
a. Veranillo Stream. Proposal
with the Department of Chocó) and projects prioritized according to the Universidad Eafit (Urbam)
Public space b. Veranillo Stream. Current.
the population system of the Atrato needs of the municipality and based
Increase the public space to improve the
Universidad Eafit (Urbam)
relationship between the city and nature. River basin. Despite its close on a clear environmental approach,
relationship with the water, Turbo is chief of which is the comprehensive
• Construction of new public spaces.
Instituto Humboldt

a scene of intense conflicts between recovery of the El Waffe port. In public spaces of great ecological
• Increase in areas for encounter, recreation
and sports. its urbanization processes and its addition to revitalizing the relation- value, in other words, spaces
• Appropriation of public spaces of the stream natural base, above all those in the ship between the port and the city, equipped with ecological networks
by the community.
coastal zone and in the El Waffe the initiative aims to coordinate and capable of providing micro
• Aesthetic valuation of nature.
• Benefits to health. port. Although this port, which is an urban intervention with environmen- climate regulation.
• Environmental education. epicenter for economic and social tal and landscape recovery of the The plan will also promote a
140 activity, receives around 2,000 m3 of streams, thus creating a system of development model based on 141
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Urban Ecological Infrastructure

Aerial photograph of Turbo showing the
current condition of the El Waffe Port. It
shows the close relationship that Turbo
has with water and its intense conflict
between the processes of urbanization
and the natural system.
Universidad Eafit (Urbam)

comprehensive management of its
water resources, which implies
working on four fronts:
• An intervention of the public
space through low impact
actions that foster conservation
and valuation of the tree
coverage of the streams. This
guarantees much more comfort-
able climate conditions and
ecological connectivity through
preservation of the green
Instituto Humboldt
ecological restoration systems
that include benefits such as
phytoremediation.
• Implementation of a sustainable
urban drainage system to
guarantee better filtration of
rainwater in the soil and
therefore better water quality.
KEY LESSONS
01 The fact that the interme-
diate urban centers are in
accordance with a development
model aimed at densifying urban
land to the extent possible, in order
to prevent expansion of the
frontiers. Under this premise,
consolidation of the public space
becomes a relevant factor for social
cohesion and civic strengthening.
03 Instead of promoting
sectoral actions, environ-
mental management should
implement more comprehensive
projects that coordinate solutions in
Figure 2. Current condition of handling and dumping of wastewater in the Veranillo Stream.
Universidad Eafit (Urbam)
a
15 m 9,6 m 11,4 m
36,5 m
green infrastructure component is
an increasingly determining factor in
drainage, comprehensive handling
of solid waste, among others, not
guarantee better conditions of health
and work for their inhabitants while
everything associated with land-
scape planning processes. Factors
only are increasingly relevant in
urban planning and design, but will
attracting more investment and
improving their competitiveness.

networks of the city.
• Wastewater treatment by means
of a conventional sewer network
that avoids spillage of these
an incipient stage of growth
constitutes an excellent opportunity
to prevent unsustainable situations
for the largest cities of the country.
diverse realms aimed at a more
holistic vision of the city.
04 In a country like Colombia,
where natural wealth and
such as the reduction of vulnerability
in the face of climate change, the
creation, expansion and strengthen-
ing of urban ecological networks,
also chart the course for sustainable
development of cities in general.
05 Cities whose planning
incorporates adequate
Quote as: Orsini, F., Montoya, J. Urban ecological
infrastructure: Comprehensive municipal plans (PMI

waters into the streams.
• Mitigation of water pollution and
142 of the effects of flooding through
02
Municipalities of interme-
diate size should consoli-
date their urban spaces in
the benefits that we obtain from it
are at risk due to the effects of
urbanization, the ecological and
comprehensive management of
water resources in terms of water
supply, treatment of wastewater and
management of their natural
resources and wastes will be able to
adapt to climate variability and
from its spanish acronym) in the gulf of Urabá.
P. 138-143. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto
de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 143
 Andean
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Amazon
URBAN BIODIVERSITY IN FLORENCIA, CAQUETÁ
Jenniffer Tatiana Díaz-Cháux  |  Alexander Velásquez-Valencia, Centro de
Investigación de la Biodiversidad Andino Amazónica INBIANAM
Universidad de la Amazonía
FLORENCIA, THE CAPITAL CITY OF CAQUETÁ, IS THE SCENE OF NUMEROUS HUMAN
ACTIVITIES WITH STRONG ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, WHICH HAVE LED TO A LOSS OF
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. IN RESPONSE TO THIS PHENOMENON, THE CENTRO INBIANAM
OF THE UNIVERSIDAD DE LA AMAZONIA HAS CARRIED OUT RESEARCH EFFORTS
INTO THE BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN THE URBAN AREA OF THIS
DEPARTMENT, WITH THE AIM OF GENERATING GREATER AWARENESS AMONG THE
DECISION-MAKERS OF THE REGION.
HARMFUL ACTIVITIES AND
MENTALITIES
The Department of Caquetá is in a
zone of population convergence with
the greatest demographic concentra-
tion of the Colombian Amazon.
Florencia, its capital, represents the
largest enclave of Amazon coloniza-
Instituto Humboldt
tion and intervention in the country
and is home to 36% of the depart-
mental population. Its principal
economic source is dual-purpose
cattle ranching, followed by agricul-
tural and fish farming activities,
144 whereas expansion of the agricultur-
al frontier and extraction of nonre-
newable natural resources due to
population growth, are the main
threats to its ecosystems. These
practices have led to deforestation,
the establishment of meadows,
dumping of urban wastewater, the
filling in of wetlands to deposit solid
wastes, changes in land use and use
of the land for recreation without
proper handling of organic and
inorganic trash and wastes. Addition-
ally, the entities and actors that make
decisions do not seem to understand
the importance of urban biodiversity
nor of the goods and services that it
provides, which include: supports for
the production of food and medica-
tions, regulation of climate and
diseases, provision of productive
lands and clean water, protection
against natural disasters, opportuni-
ties for recreation and maintenance
of the natural heritage and of the
biological and genetic diversity.
To address this ecological and
social complexity, the Centro de
Investigación de la Biodiversidad
Andino Amazónica (INBIANAM) at the
Universidad de la Amazonia has
studied the biological diversity with
the aim of restoring, rehabilitating and
preserving its ecosystems, including
the urban ones. Its objective is to
characterize the mobility of biodiversi-
ty among the mosaics of urbanization
and gain greater knowledge of the
resulting supply of ecosystem
services. This will make it possible to
identify the diversity of fauna and
characterize the goods and services
available for the regeneration and
natural succession of urban vegeta-
tion coverages, key factors for
developing a strategic diagnosis of the
areas of ecological importance and
updating the Land Management Plan
(Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial).
MOSAICS AND MATRIXES
OF RESULTS
The studies of biodiversity in urban
areas produced information about
these ecosystems: The natural
landscapes in the cities host
habitats that benefit multiple
organisms, specifically birds and
bats, which find their ecological
optimum in the urban matrix. They
also confirmed that birds and bats
contribute towards the dynamic of
the tropical ecosystems, because
they have an impact at all trophic
levels and establish relationships
with vegetable species that are
important for the economy and for
maintenance of the ecosystems and
their biological diversity.
The research aimed to deter-
mine the supply of ecosystem
services and the diversity of birds
and bats present in the urban
surroundings of Florencia. The joint
initiatives between the groups that
observe avifauna (birds) and
mammals detected the services of
consumption and dispersal of
seeds, which benefit processes of
vegetable succession and con-
sumption of insects, thus helping to
control pests. Particularly outstand-
ing is the contribution by various
species of pollinating bats that
facilitate natural fertilization of
plants for the maintenance of green
zones within the city. Research
carried out in the natural landscape
242 meters above sea level  |  27 °C  |  99.3 % rural - 0.7 % urban
zones in Florencia has recorded 143
species of birds, distributed in 18
orders and 41 families.
KEY LESSONS
01 The diversity of species of
birds and bats found
shows that the seminatural land-
scapes of the urbanized zones
contribute towards conservation of
nature, because they provide vital
spaces for fauna and flora.
02 Urban planning must
take into account the
diversity affected by unsustainable
urban practices, both to avoid
problems for human health and
well-being and to contribute to the
necessary maintenance of the
biodiversity of the region.
03 In urban planning, the first
step in dealing with
biological diversity that is affected,
or enriched, by demographic
increase is to characterize it: this
involves identifying the species pres-
ent in the natural environments of
the urban zone, estimating the
supply of ecosystem services
associated with the species and
developing shock plans to provide
continuity for this supply.
04 The enlargement of green
zones in the city must go
hand-in-hand with an increase in the
diversity of native plants of the
region. This will create spaces in
accordance with the vital functions of
Andean Amazon
FLORENCIA - CAQUETÁ
Amazonia | 2,292 km2 | 172,364 inhabitants | 
the wildlife while making use of the
breadth and connectivity of the green
patches in the urban landscape.
05 The incorporation of the
biodiversity component in
urban planning benefits human
health and well-being along with the
supply of ecosystem services at
the regional level.
06 Future research initiatives
should be shared with
the community and with the
leaders, planners and decision
makers in the city
07 A vital component of
environmental education
programs is the strengthening of the
relationship between the civil society
and natural scenarios of the city;
there, people gain access to new
knowledge about flora and fauna,
and gain better understanding of
their impact.
08 The problem of expansion
of the agricultural frontier
can be mitigated through an
increase in the connectivity of the
patches and with a change of matrix
from grasslands to landscapes with
a high diversity of native vegetation.
This would favor mobility, dispersion
of the fauna and the supply of goods
and services for the community.
Quote as: Díaz-Cháux, J., Velasquez-Valencia, A.
Andean Amazonia: Urban biodiversity in Florencia, UBFA
Caquetá. P. 144-145. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 145
 Theory and
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Theory and Practice

BOGOTÁ
General plant of the Julio Mario Santo Domingo Cultural Center 1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants | 2,625 meters above sea level.
Source: Diana Wiesner Ceballos, Arquitectura y Paisaje EU (2006). Cold-very dry   |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban

Practice
1. Main access Ecological paved stone surface
2. Access ramp Green zone
3. Library access
4. Flower garden
5. Rest area
6. Exercise station
7. San José de Bavaria Zonal Park
8. Game area, sandbox

REFLECTIONS AND ACTIONS REGARDING

a 59
A QUALITY PUBLIC SPACE Carrer

Diana Wiesner Ceballos, Fundación Cerros de Bogotá

6 5
4

UNDERSTANDING THE CITIES IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC

2

Calle 16
SPACE (AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, A QUALITY PUBLIC SPACE)
e 170 1
CAN HELP TO GENERATE MORE HUMANE AND SUSTAINABLE

9B
a Call

SETTLEMENTS. THIS CONCEPT CURRENTLY INCLUDES

Avenid

MANY INNOVATIVE NOTIONS AND IDEAS THAT CAN CHANGE

THE VISION OF THE CITY THAT IS NOW CONSTRUCTED AND
7
IMAGINED. TO PLACE THIS DISCOURSE IN PERSPECTIVE, THE
FUNDACIÓN CERROS DE BOGOTÁ HAS EXPRESSED SOME OF 3
ITS DEFINITIONS AND STUDIED A REAL CASE OF THIS NEW
PERSPECTIVE FOR URBAN PLANNING. 8

5
The development of the public space
in Colombia has been more associ-
ated with the concept of constructed
spaces than spaces that contribute
solutions in a fair, sustainable and
Instituto Humboldt

comprehensive manner. With a view UBFA

4
to counteracting this phenomenon,
UW
the Fundación Cerros de Bogotá has
approached the idea of quality Carrera 68 UD
public space, understanding it as an
urban space that a) promotes fair
146 and inclusive encounters, b) provides Credit: Esri Colombia 147
 Figure 1. Materials included in the general plant of the Julio Mario Santo Domingo Cultural Center
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Diana Wiesner Ceballos, Arquitectura y Paisaje EU (2006).
political, economic and social
services, c) provides ecosystem
services and d) constitutes a factor
for human health and well-being.
At the same time, the Fundación
holistically approaches the idea of
quality public space based on four
functions (social, spatial, economic
and environmental) and four
necessary factors: ecological
quality (the capacity to promote
biodiversity and a supply of
ecosystem services), sustainable
Instituto Humboldt
construction (application of
constructive materials, processes
and dynamics friendly to the
surroundings and the environmental
reality), recreational offering and
experience of place (offering of
148 spaces in accordance with the
social and geographic context and
of sensory stimuli through positive
and aesthetic experiences).
THEORY VS. PRACTICE: AN
EXERCISE IN SELF-CRITICISM
When speaking of a quality public
space, human beings are the main
users, which is why its appropria-
tion, both individual and social, must
be guaranteed, as well as an offering
of rich, diverse and quality use. In
addition to the socio-spatial
determinants that a quality public
space must guarantee (accessibility
and fairness of supply, public health,
well-being and civic security), it
must increase people’s ecological
culture, thus promoting a closer
A new conceptual collective imagination
This new way of understanding the public space
makes it possible to include new key concepts
that point towards a new way of conceiving cities,
some of which are as follows:
connection between nature and
societies (one example, of course,
being urban biodiversity.
In short, it is important to
disseminate and assimilate the
concept of quality public space,
because this makes it possible to
understand that set of public or
private and also natural goods that
converge in the landscape.
Similarly, the concept brings about
a collective commitment to
preserve and create environments
where economic, social, cultural
and natural factors converge.
The Santo Domingo case
To understand how these concepts
function in practice, the Fundación
GREEN URBAN AREAS
Open zones in spaces, both public
and private, covered by vegetation and
located within the city limits (parks,
gardens, orchards, forests, cemetery
parks and recreational areas).
URBAN GREEN AREA INDICATOR
(AVU from the Spanish acronym)
MShows the presence of areas with
natural and ecological values in ur-
ban areas, which contribute towards
the maintenance of biodiversity and
the provision of essential environ-
mental services for improvement of
environmental quality and the quality
of life of the population1.
URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
The environmental situation of urban
areas reflected in simple indicators
that show the condition, availability
and affectation of natural resources
in the urban environment2.
ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY
In an urban area, this refers to the
relationship between extension,
proximity and continuity among the
fragments of an ecosystem and the
conditions that permit biotic disper-
sion, without interrupting the natural
cycles of crosscutting mobility in the
landscape and which can be estab-
lished through the public space3.
URBAN ENVIRONMENT
The framework of ecological, socio-
economic and cultural relationships
that “affect and condition” the cir-
cumstances of life in such a place4.
Theory and Practice
GREEN CORRIDORS
SUSTAINABLE URBAN CONS-
Spaces that perform functions of bi-
TRUCTION
ological and landscape connection,
Process of holistic intervention
whose axes will be constituted by the
whose objective is to restore and
green zones, roads, orographic and hy-
maintain the harmony among the
drologic system and other geographic
natural and constructed surround-
milestones identifiable in the landscape.
ings, as well is to create settlements
that affirm human dignity and foster
economic fairness. LANDSCAPE
The structuring component within the
organization that puts into perspec-
tive the value of the ecosystem of
PUBLIC SPACE
support and contemplates all of the
The set of public properties and ar-
possible scales of urban biodiversi-
chitectural and natural elements of
ty to include them within a social and
private properties destined by na-
cultural reality8.
ture, uses or affectation, for the sat-
isfaction of collective urban needs
that transcend the limits of the inter-
PERMEABILITY
ests of the inhabitants5.
Refers to the land; indicates its favor-
ability for water infiltration due to fac-
tors such as porosity, slope, texture
SPATIAL AND ECOSYSTEM and vegetation coverage9.
STRUCTURE OF PUBLIC USE
Whether natural or created, complies
with ecosystem services6 of provi-
RESILIENCE
sion, regulation, support and cultural;
Capacity of an ecosystem to recov-
strengthens values of solidarity, fair-
er from a disturbance or to withstand
ness and civic culture; articulates the
ongoing pressures through regen-
public-private relationship; and con-
erative physical processes and bio-
tributes towards the public physical
chemical cycles. In the city, a quality
and emotional health of the population.
public space improves resilience, be-
cause it generates spaces adaptable
to temporary uses10.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
A strategically planned network
to create natural landscapes and
URBAN VEGETATION
other open spaces, with a view to
The vegetation present in the city
providing additional benefits for
(diverse strata) connects the urban
human populations without ne-
zones with the region, generates con-
glecting the values and functions
of the ecosystems 7.
nectivity and contributes towards im-
proving the quality of the air, of the
landscape and of people’s lives11.
TOWARDS A NEW VISION OF THE
PUBLIC SPACE
The public space promotes an in- ECOLOGICAL GARDENING
crease in social values such as: The set of techniques for managing
solidarity, fairness, public opinion, green zones and gardens with a view
communication, free expression, so- to harmonizing the social functions of
ciability, interculturality, respect, col- these areas with the objective of pro-
lective use, inclusion, tolerance and tecting the water, land, biodiversity
civic culture. and local landscape.
149
 a.
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Cerros de Bogotá analyzed the
case of the Julio Mario Santo
Domingo Cultural Center Park,
whose working objectives with
respect to the public space were
notably different from traditional
ones, because they included:
• The offering of a social environ-
ment that would increase the
values of solidarity, fairness and
respect for others, making the
public space a continuum
Instituto Humboldt
between exterior and interior.
• Respect for the natural pre-exis-
tences of trees stigmatized in
Bogotá (eucalyptus), as well as
an effort for a more ecological
aesthetic, led to the inclusion of
150 low-maintenance species, using
a large percentage of existing
native species in greenhouses.
• The use of permeable and
recycled materials, in the
framework of a constructive
economical process in practice
and of low impact at the
environmental level.
• A vision of transit that conceived
of access to the library as a
natural experience of movement
and which made it possible to
provide inclusive pathways
immersed in nature for people
with problems of mobility.
• Application of bioclimatic
principles of construction that
would provide savings in
refrigeration systems and thereby
generate energy efficiencies.
b.
c.
d.
• Conservation of the vegetation
of the park and planting of
both native and non-native
species adapted to the
urban environment.
KEY LESSONS FROM THE INITIATIVE
Broadly speaking, the Santo
Domingo case reflects the principal
problem of implementing a broader
vision of the quality public space:
the gap between theory and practice.
For example, while the project was
recognized and selected at the
European Landscape Biennial and
the Latin American Biennial of
Landscape Architecture of 2014 for
its contribution to environmental
quality public space, the construc-
tive implementation revealed
discrepancies between the design
and administration:
01 The proposal to let the
pasto carretón or bogie
grass grow did not coincide with the
aesthetics of perfectly groomed
grass, nor with the idea of letting the
trees grow without pruning. This led
to conflict between the formal
pruning culture vs. the culture of
maintaining naturalness and
reducing maintenance costs.
02 The booklet on public
space in Bogotá does not
propose alternative permeable ma-
terials; it presents options involving
recycled materials such as crushed
brick, wood, gravel and earth, some
of which this project used with
great difficulty.
03 Given that Bogotá is a
model for many Colombian
cities, the collective imagination of
the public space has endured, full of
curb stones and concrete materials,
and is being negatively replicated in
populations with diverse climate and
cultural conditions.
04 The proposal for
rainwater recycling was
not well received by the public
officials of the project and could
not be implemented.
05 The greenhouses do not
produce native shrub and
coverage species. Therefore, while
the project proposed a major
percentage of native coverages,
Theory and Practice
a. Julio Mario Santo Domingo Library
Zonal Park. Francisco Jaramillo.
b. Eucalyptus (Eucaliptus globulus).
Daniel Pineda.
Diana Wiesner Ceballos.
c. Main access.
Diana Wiesner Ceballos.
d. Julio Mario Santo Domingo
Library Zonal Park. Daniel Pineda,
Diana Wiesner Ceballos.
they could not be obtained from the
public or private greenhouses. This
difficulty occurs in most public
spaces in Colombia.
This gap between theory and
practice ultimately represents a greater
dichotomy: the tension between the
traditional manner of conceiving the
city and these new paradigms.
Quote as: Wiesner, D. Theory and practice:
Reflections and actions regarding a quality public
space. P. 146-151. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 151
 Urban
Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015)
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Community and Ideas of the City

POPAYÁN - CAUCA
540.21 km² | 270,000 inhabitants | 
1,738 meters above sea level 5 |  % rural - 95 % urban

Imaginaries

Calle
15
THE REINVENTION OF THE RÍO MOLINO IN POPAYÁN

6a
ra
rre
Ca

5
Alejandro Zúñiga Bolívar, U de Colombia Corporación Universitaria

ra
rre
Ca
Popayán is known for having been named the
First City of Gastronomy by UNESCO in an official
ceremony that took place on August 11, 2005.
r
ive
oR Additionally, in 2009 the Easter Week processions

li n
were declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and

Mo
Campo deportivo Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The intimate

6
relationship between the city and its cultural heritage

ra
7

rre
(material and intangible) is particularly evident in the

ra
POPAYÁN

Ca
rre
Ca
old city, which was declared a national monument
by means of Law 163 of 1959 (now referred to as a
Cultural Interest Site of the National Sphere).

Calle 1

Current situation of the

Bolívar neighborhood
Thematic source: Popayán
PEMP technical team.
Cartographic source: carta
base Igac: 1:2.000, POT
Popayán (2002).
AROUND 2007, THE DISPUTE IN POPAYÁN BETWEEN THE MERCHANTS AND WORKERS
OF THE BOLÍVAR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE LOCAL MAYOR’S OFFICE INTENSIFIED Commerce
Instituto Humboldt
THE SQUARE OF DISCORD
Beyond the fact that it is in an
endangered area, the market square
in the Bolívar neighborhood is the
most important in Popayán. It is
therefore not surprising that by 2007 it
on, the actors took opposing
positions. On the one hand, the Plan
for Development and Management of
Water Basins (Plan de Ordenamiento
y Manejo de Cuencas Hidrográficas
(POMCH)) and the Partial Plan of the
Bolívar neighborhood stressed the

IN TERMS OF HOW TO DEAL WITH THE THREAT OF FLOODING IN THE SECTOR Installations of the had become the epicenter of need for transfer, because they UMP
market square
AND, WITH GREATER URGENCY, IN THE MARKET SQUARE, DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY discussions about planning the city’s regarded the river as a threat to the
Services SW
TO THE RÍO MOLINO. THE RESULT WAS AN INITIATIVE IN CIVIC CULTURE, IN WHICH landscape. Those discussions paid community, even though this view
Industry
A COMMUNITY’S CAPACITY FOR SELF-DIAGNOSIS AND ITS WILLINGNESS TO Housing particular attention to the risks of had not been approved by the LES
CHANGE PRACTICES AND MITIGATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ARE VERY CLOSE TO Lots flooding due to the proximity of the technical accompaniment made by
CONVERTING THE RIVER, WHICH UNTIL RECENTLY WAS VIEWED AS A THREAT, INTO AN Parks and green zones Río Molino for the community that the then Ministry of Environment,
152 INTEGRATING ELEMENT OF THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT. has settled there. From that moment Housing and Territorial Development1. 153

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
On the other hand, the Special Plan
for Management and Protection of
the Old Sector of Popayán and its
zone of influence promoted the
2 Thematic source: Popayán PEMP technical team.
defense of the gastronomic heritage3
of the place, represented by over 100
traditional kitchens and hearths, and
the women who live there. In short,
the debate came down to two
possibilities: demolish the scene of
discord or carry out comprehensive
improvement works (this last option
appeared more favorable, because a
transfer would weaken the profound
commercial and gastronomic tradition
that currently exists in the square).
In the context of this tension,
between 2007 and 2014 an initiative
was born and promoted by the
affected community, whose
members received support from a
group of professionals who were
interested in the sector. This led to a
first proposal: La plaza que soñamos
(The square that we dream about).
Even though the project created the
basis for what would eventually
become the Civic Pact for Rehabili-
tation of the Bolívar Neighborhood,
the initiative was interrupted by the
overflowing of the Río Molino in the
zone of the square and the resulting
declaration of public calamity .4
A CIVIC PACT IS BORN
Soon after the tragedy, the above-
Instituto Humboldt
mentioned Civic Pact for Rehabilita-
tion of the Bolívar Neighborhood 5
was born, a project that seeks to
discuss the problems of the sector
and build solutions in a concerted
manner. At the time, it involved the
154 organization of 16 community
Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015) The sub-basin of the Río Molino has its source
Community and Ideas of the City
in the Santa Elena rural district, has an area of
Proposed scenario for the Special
67.87 km. and is located in the center of the
Management and Protection Plan (Plan
Department of Cauca. There are farming and
Especial de Manejo y Protección (PEMP))
indigenous settlements in the rural zone and urban
communities of 8 townships, 10 rural districts
Cartographic source: carta base Igac: 1:2.000,
POT Popayán (2002). and 4 urban communes. It is estimated that the
population of the sub-basin is 53,329 inhabitants6.
Network of public space
Delimitation of management unit
Calle
Proposal for priority construction lots
15
Religious installations
a
6
ra
rre
Ca
Polygon of road intersections
General intervention of the public space
Mesa larga galería La Trece and galería
POPAYÁN
barrio Bolívar
Mesa Larga Gastronomic Project
- Bolívar Neighborhood Market Square
r
ive
oR
li n
Mo
Campo deportivo
6
institutional abandonment was the
ra
7
rre
ra
Ca
biggest problem, followed by the
rre
Ca constant threat of transfer and the
need to recover the river banks to
avoid new natural disasters. Second-
Calle 1
different sectors that took part in the ly, it identified as the principal
initiative, who were democratically petitions addressed to the local
chosen by the community. The administration the socioeconomic
representatives approved the characterization of those who carry
contents of the draft version and out commercial activities in the
workshops with merchants and submitted it for approval in each sec- square, investment in comprehensive
workers from different sectors of the tor. To do so, the document was improvement projects that would
square, with the aim of making a reproduced and booklets were enable better use of the available
diagnosis of the problems and, at the created that received 998 expres- space, the construction of a whole-
same time, taking a position about sions of support from the merchants sale food market for Popayán and,
them. At the end of the activities, the and workers of the Bolívar neighbor- finally, training for the community in
questionnaires used for the diagno- hood (it is estimated that the total handling trash.In exchange, the
sis were collected, the results were amounted to more than 1200). community offered its labor force to
analyzed and a first draft was This initiative led to various undertake the necessary works or
created. The document was then conclusions. First of all, it revealed improvements, payment for carrying
shared with representatives of the that, in the eyes of the community, out the activity and the willingness of 155

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Bolívar Neighborhood Partial Plan
Cartographic source: Popayán POT Digital
Archives
Archivos digitales - Carta Catastral Urbana
- barrio Bolívar - Sec02 - Igac
Hard zones
Green zones
Bicycle path
Institutional
Instituto Humboldt
the wholesale merchants to move to
a central location in accordance with
the nature of their work and under
dignified conditions.
Thanks to this process, the river
156 will no longer be a threat but instead
Names of public spaces
1. Plaza cívica central (Central civic square)
2. Malecón/Bulevar río Molino
3. Plazoleta El Tulcán (El Tulcán square)
4. Parque El Carlos Salbán Cortés (Park)
5. Parque Cruz Roja (Park)
6. Plazoleta El Humilladero (Park square)
7. Glorieta Parque Mosquera (Roundpoint park)
8. Parque Mosquera (Park)
9. Plazoleta posterior Facultad de Medicina (Medical faculty rear park)
10. Plazoleta Atrio Facultad de Medicina (Medical faculty atrium)
11. Hospital bus stop Green zone
12. Lower zone of the El Humilladero Bridge
13. Zones of economic use
14. Plazoleta Hospital San José (Park square)
15. Plazoleta in front of calle 3N
POPAYÁN
Calle 1
an attractive, integrating and
determining element in the urban
environment. To a considerable
extent, this is because the discus-
sion no longer focused on rigid
antagonistic postures but instead
Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015)
Community and Ideas of the City
5,841.03 m2
6,223.39 m2
2,331.93 m2 10
7,895.57 m2
824.90 m2
2,377.21 m2
11
Calle
2,490.40 m2
elements of the discussion and
3,256.34 m2
15
5,485.85 m2 thereby create the bases for the
2,098.75 m2 self-diagnosis that facilitated creation
1,690.80 m2
14 9 of the pact. It should be emphasized
872.90 m2
3,126.45 m2 that no structural solution was
6a
3,140.27 m2 obtained by means of traditional
ra
rre
623.39 m2 lobbying with city council members,
Ca
13 who had said that they were interest-
ed in the problems of the sector.
5
02
3 While the final document
4 was being written, the
community, aware of the lack of
r political will, incorporated civic
ive
1 2 oR participation mechanisms (such as
li n
Mo
Campo deportivo the open council) into their manage-
2
6
ment tools. On the one hand, this
ra
13
rre
ra
8
Ca
facilitated installation of the working
rre
Ca 13
committees proposed to the
municipal administration in the Civic
15 8 Pact, and, on the other hand, the
13 2
7 contracting of a socioeconomic
social and cultural importance of the though the process is just getting characterization study by the
activities that transpire there. underway, it is expected to facilitate municipality. This was possible
6 8 Similarly, the main argument in favor identification of the necessary thanks to the visibility that the
8
12 of a transfer has become irrelevant, measures to rehabilitate the sector, process achieved by attracting the
because, contrary to what had reorganize the merchants that attention of local, national and
8 previously been thought, the currently occupy the public space international media, particularly La
community itself has shown a and reduce the variables that signify W Radio, which brought political
willingness to implement better environmental pressure on the river. pressure that was of great impor-
environmental practices and thereby tance for the process.
the discussion venue fostered by mitigate the potential for flooding. KEY LESSONS
the Civic Pact made it possible to This is in addition to actions that the
01
sensitize the population about the municipal administration, environ- During the first stage, it was Quote as: Zúñiga, A. Urban Imaginaries: The
reinvention of the río molino in Popayán.
need to mitigate the risk of flooding mental authorities and stakeholders noteworthy that the group
P. 152-157. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto
and, at the same time, for the office have been carrying out along the of professionals was able to sensitize de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
of the Mayor to understand the upper part of the Molino basin. Even the community about the central Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 157
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Learning Environments
1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4

2002 2007 2010 2013

Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015)

Learning
A CALL TO ACTION
Multitemporal aerial view of 1. Lago antiguo
Lack of agreement on a Land recovery of the forest coverage 2. Los Laguitos wetland
of the Los Laguitos wetland 3. Guaymaral wetland
Management Plan for Bogotá in

Environments
2000 forced the then Ministry of
Environment and Sustainable
Development to assign the
declaration of the Forest Reserve of
the North of Bogotá to the Corpo-
ración Autónoma Regional de
EDUCATION TO THE RESCUE OF THE TORCA-GUAYMARAL WETLAND Cundinamarca, whose work took
11 years to be executed and
another three to be regulated. This
legal limbo prevented the drafting
Instituto Humboldt
(Bogotá).
This perception came about becau-
se between 2000 and 2006, some of
the members of the Fundación iden-
tified periods of drought that were
more and more frequent and long
lasting, by observing the water bo-
dies of the Torca-Guaymaral, as well
as anomalous fluctuations in some
4. Colegio Nueva York (school)
These phenomena showed the need
to seek alternatives to make use
of rainy periods to collect as much
water as possible, with a view to
preserving a minimal water mirror
and guaranteeing the wildlife in the
driest periods. To do so, the Funda-
ción undertook the task of creating

Raúl Ignacio Moreno Ramírez  |  Dianamireya
Buitrago Lancheros 
Fundación Humedal Torca-Guaymaral
BOGOTÁ
1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants |
2,625 meters above sea level. | Cold-very dry  | 
158 13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban
THE EVIDENT DEGENERATION OF THE TORCA-GUAYMARAL WETLAND AND of an Environmental Management of its aquatic zones. These changes new spaces for rainwater storage, SW
THE LACK OF CLEAR GOVERNMENTAL INITIATIVES TO MITIGATE IT WERE Plan for the “Thomas van der in the hydrological cycle of the wet- focusing its efforts on an old flood
LES
THE MAJOR INCENTIVE FOR A FOUNDATION TO CONVOKE THE COMMUNITY, Hammen” Forestry Reserve of the land, caused by the intensification zone around the Torca-Guayma-
AND, JOINTLY WITH IT, TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES. THE RESULT North of Bogotá and, consequently, of climate change, resulted in some ral wetland in the Forest Reserve of ERC
IS AN INITIATIVE CAREFULLY COORDINATED WITH THE EDUCATIONAL for the Torca-Guaymaral wetland, reduced water mirrors and therefore, the North, in the Los Laguitos zone.
ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT BENCHMARK FOR CIVIC whose deterioration became a negative impact on the wildlife and There, the organization has develo-
PARTICIPATION AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL LEVEL. increasingly evident. associated biodiversity. ped a continuous work plan with the 159
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
community based on environmental
social service work days, and short,
medium and long-term planning, fi-
nanced mainly by the community
actors themselves.
The project of the Fundación
had four phases:
• It identified the different social
actors that could join efforts,
along with their possible degree
of participation and geographic
location. The result was a
registry of participants, which
included volunteers, educational
institutions, shopping centers
and community action boards,
which indicated who could carry
out the specific activities.
• It undertook environmental
intervention activities in accor-
dance with each actor, in order to
guarantee viable, efficient and,
above all, coordinated manage-
ment. Specifically, it made use of
various programs of the National
Education Ministry for environ-
mental care at the educational
institutions by involving more
than 15,000 students from the
zone through the different
environmental education
programs of the Fundación (the
educational entities chosen were
the Liceo de Colombia, Liceo
Católico Campestreand the
Richmond, San Simón, New York
Instituto Humboldt
and Andino bilingual schools).
• After understanding the needs of
the surroundings and evaluating
the quantity and quality of the
community collaborators, it
decided on an action plan. This
160 was focused on creating two
retaining walls using earth-filled
sacks, to guarantee permanent
rainwater accumulation in the
zone surrounding the wetland.
• It established project monitoring
protocols, such as inspections
02
and recording of levels after
each rainy season, inspection of
foundations and replacement,
when necessary, of the sacks
and water carpets.
• The initiative recovered 1 ha of
permanent wetland, which
contributed an ecological flow
and habitats for wildlife. It also
03
improved the water quality and
restored native terrestrial and
aquatic species to the zone. On
the other hand, the second wall
increased the retaining capacity
of the area available for wildlife,
which led to an increase in
species and numbers of
individuals per species, better
conditions for reproduction and
for nurturing new generations
and the arrival of more and
more migratory birds.
KEY LESSONS
01
Much of the funds and
human resources for
executing this type of initiatives can
come directly from the community.
TE
OR
AN
IST
TOP
AU
Credit: Google Earth. DigitalGlobe (2015)
Learning Environments
In this case, the human and financial SUBA
contributions by the educational Construction of the first retaining wall,
Los Laguitos Wetland (2013).
institutions was vital.
Raúl Ignacio Moreno.
There are legal mecha-
nisms that make it
possible to coordinate community
efforts. To implement them, they
must be identified, along with where
they can be applied. In this initiative,
certain academic activities were
coordinated with the work of
environmental conservation.
Certain relatively invisible
social actors, such as
property owners, were decisive in
implementing the project. They
must therefore be convoked and
coordinated in the collective effort.
GUAYMARAL
WETLAND National and local mechanisms that promote participation by the student
TE community in biodiversity conservation processes, identified by the Fundación
NOR Humedal Torca-Guaymaral
IS TA
T OP
AU • Environmental Committees: Agreement thereby build new realities through the
Cal
116 of 2005 ordered the creation of formation of certain attitudes and values.
le 2
school environmental committees in the • University Environmental Projects (Proyectos
24
public and private schools of Bogotá, Ambientales Universitarios (Prau)): This
whose principal mission is to advise the strategy seeks to join together the National
School Government about strengthening Environmental System (Sina), the Science
Cal
le 2
the environmental dimension at the and Technology System, the System for
15
educational institution. Prevention and Attention of Disasters and
• Environmental Social Service (SSA from its Risks, and the Educational System in the
Spanish acronym): Art. 97 of Law 115 of context of sustainable development.
1994 and Art. 39 of Decree 1860 of 1994 • Civic environmental education projects
establish that, during grades 10 and 11, (Proceda): These are projects to manage and
middle education students should provide carry out actions to help resolve problems
Location of the project
TORCA WETLAND student social service. That service is and strengthen environmental potentialities,
Source: Fundación Humedal
USAQUÉN part of the curriculum and therefore of framed within the strategies of the National
Torca-Guaymaral (2014).
the institutional educational project at Environmental Education Policy.
the educational establishment and is an
indispensable requirement for graduation.
• Environmental School Project (Proyecto
Legal limit
Escolar Ambiental (Prae)): these projects Quote as: Moreno, R., Buitrago D. Learning
Water body enable individuals to understand the environments: Education to the rescue of the Torca-
More information: Los Laguitos wetland relationships of interdependence with their Guaymaral Wetland. P. 158-161. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.).
https://goo.gl/BWuJDw surroundings, based on thoughtful and Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
“Thomas van der Hammen”
critical knowledge of the biophysical, social, Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Forest Reserve
of the North of Bogotá political, economic and cultural reality, and Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 161
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Biodiversity and Connectivity

VALLE DE ABURRÁ-ANTIOQUIA
1,165.5 km²   |  3,731,447 inhabitants  |  2,800 meters above sea level.
85 % rural - 15 % urban

Biodiversity
and Connectivity
VIRTUAL CATALOG AND PHENOLOGY OF FLORA SPECIES OF THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ

María del Pilar Arroyave Maya | Martha Isabel Posada Posada

María Elena Gutiérrez Lagoueyte
Escuela de Ingeniería de Antioquia Flowering (in detail)

GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD IGNORANCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE URBAN VEGETATION PRESENT IN THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ, THE
RESEARCH GROUP DECIDED TO LAUNCH A SIMPLE AND EASY-TO-USE DIGITAL PLATFORM ABOUT THE FLORAL BIODIVERSITY OF THE
REGION. THE GROUP IS ALSO CARRYING OUT PHENOLOGICAL FOLLOW-UP ON DIFFERENT TREE SPECIES TO DETERMINE THE SUPPLY
OF FOOD RESOURCES FOR URBAN WILDLIFE AND CORRELATE THESE PROCESSES WITH THE CLIMATE PERIODS. THIS SET OF DATA
WILL BE AN INPUT FOR EVALUATING THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES THAT THE URBAN FOREST PROVIDES.

RESEARCH, DISSEMINATION for managing the urban forest in and easy to use means of dissemi-
AND DECISION the Valle de Aburrá, the research nation, to facilitate knowledge of
group in sustainability, infrastruc- the morphological and ecological
Urban vegetation provides diverse ture and landscape (Site) at the characteristics of urban flora
Instituto Humboldt

ecosystem services that are
essential for human well-being.
However, accelerated urbanization
processes alter and fragment green
zones, which poses a threat to
fulfillment of their functions. In
162 order to provide ecological criteria
Engineering School of Antioquia
(Escuela de Ingeniería de Antio-
quia) has been working since 2005
on a virtual catalog of flora. The
initiative aims to disseminate
information about floral biodiversity
through a wide-ranging, illustrative
species. This is a fundamental step
to select the most suitable species
for establishment in the city and,
above all, to generate a civic
culture more sensitive to the topic
of ecosystem services.
Fruiting UBFA
OSK
Guayacán amarillo (Handroanthus chrysanthus). Its flowering occurs most-
ly from June until August and from December until January. This coincides with II
less rainy periods. It is pollinated by humming birds, bees and other insects. The
fruiting occurs mainly from January to February, and from July to September. The Flowering
seeds are dispersed by the wind and birds1.
María Elena Gutiérrez Lagoueyte. 163
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Flowering (in detail)
A VIRTUAL CATALOGUE OF FLORA
The process to create the catalog
began with a bibliographical
compilation of the main characteris-
tics of the species, and continued
with a photographic record of the
different parts of the plants and the
creation of a database, and finally,
the of a webpage. Currently,
phenological follow-up is being made
for some of the most representative
Instituto Humboldt
tree species of the Valle de Aburrá,
which consists of making a monthly
Fruiting
record of the processes of falling of
leaves, resurgence, flowering and
fruiting, and relating this to the
Cámbulo (Erythrina poeppigiana). It flowers mainly between January and March,
Flowering
which are dry months2. The flowers are pollinated by birds and the fruits are consumed variation of climate conditions
164 by birds and mammals. María Elena Gutiérrez Lagoueyte throughout the year.
As of now, the Virtual Catalog of Flo-
ra of the Valle de Aburrá contains 276
species, corresponding to 45 taxo-
nomic families of trees, shrubs and
palms. Each one has a page that in-
cludes the family, scientific name and
common name, photos of each mor-
phological element with its descrip-
tion and at least 28 morphological and
ecological variables. The record of
characteristics such as the position of
the leaf and the type and color of the
flower and fruit makes it possible to
identify the species. At the same time,
data on pollination and seed disper-
sal systems indicate the ecological
relationships with other species and
their potential use as a source of food
for fauna. Additionally, the uses that
Biodiversity and Connectivity
traditionally have been made of each
species and the recommended public
spaces for their planting facilitate se-
lection of the most suitable species for
the urban setting.
The catalog also has an ad-
vanced search tool, called the
Species Selector, which facilitates
finding species that correspond to a
particular type of plant or fulfill certain
characteristics defined by the user,
such as size, color of the flower, size
and form of the cup, humidity and
temperature conditions and also the
uses and limitations for establishment
in different types of spaces in the city.
This is very useful when selecting
species for landscape design in
urban infrastructure projects. 165
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Biodiversity and Connectivity

100 250

Phenological scale (%) 80 200

Precipitation (mm)
60 150

40 100

20 50

0 0

January February March April May June July August September October November December

Foliage Fruit Open Precipitation (mm)

flowering

characteristics of the arboreal vege- are to be part of the ecological

02 Phenological follow-up, processes of the species needed to
Figure 1. Hypothetical example of a dendrophenogram. dispersion of the pollen and seeds by the wind. In the
In this case, the flowering and fruiting processes are rainiest period, there are appropriate humidity conditions
tation fragments such as area, form, networks of the Valle de Aburrá. during the development maintain biodiversity and their
synchronized with the climate periods. During the dry for the germination of seeds and growth of the plants.
season (December, January and February; June, July Source: created by the authors. aggregation and isolation. Finally, the research could supple- phase, will generate information ecosystem services.
and August) there is flowering and fruiting, which favors It is important to analyze the ment the ecological networks about the reproductive processes
connectivity of the green spaces of identified in the Master Plan of of the species (Figure 1) and the
the urban area of the Valle de Urban Public Spaces of the Valle availability of food for wildlife
Aburrá, both public and private, de Aburrá and thereby become an during the different climate
EVEN MORE CONNECTIVITY To undertake the analysis of ecolo- because it will facilitate identifying input for defining the principal seasons. This will make it possible
gical connectivity, land coverage the existing nodes, fragments and ecological structure in the POTs to evaluate the ecosystem
The team is simultaneously making maps were created using the metho- links. This information will make it (Land Management Plans) of the services provided by certain More information:
http://catalogofloravalleaburra.eia.edu.co
an analysis of ecological connectiv- dology of the Normalized Difference possible to design biological municipalities. species of the urban forest in
ity of the Valle de Aburrá. Specifically, Vegetation Index (NDVI), which ena- corridors to promote the ecological terms of protection for
Instituto Humboldt

it aims to estimate the level of bles them to be classified in different processes required by the different KEY LESSONS biodiversity in the city.
connectivity between the vegetation
fragments needed to maintain
ecological relationships that facilitate
categories (arboreal, herbaceous,
water bodies and infrastructure). Su-
pervised classification techniques
species that inhabit the urban
environment. At the same time,
analysis of the connectivity of the 01 It is important to know the
morphological and ecolog-
03 Analysis of ecological
connectivity makes it
possible to determine whether the
Quote as: Arroyave, M., Posada, M. I, Gutiérrez, M.
Biodiversity and connectivity: Virtual catalog and
phenology of flora species of the Valle de Aburrá.
the reproductive, evolutionary and were also used. Based on these vegetation will enable identification ical characteristics of the urban flora composition and spatial distribution
P. 162-169. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto
adaptation processes of the species maps, certain metrics of the lands- of the areas that need to be species when determining which of of the green zones facilitate the de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
166 to global environmental change. cape will be analyzed to determine protected and restored, and which them are the most suitable in a city. reproductive and evolutionary Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 167
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Instituto Humboldt
Cities and ecology of the landscape:
From the perspective of ecology of the
landscape, cities must be seen as a mosaic
consisting of a matrix in which fragments and
corridors of different sizes and compositions
168 are immersed.
The matrix corresponds to the predominant
use of the land and with high connectivity.
The fragments correspond to relatively
homogenous areas with nonlinear forms,
which differentiate the landscape from its
surroundings; the larger fragments that
have the potential to host a large quantity
of species are called nodes. The corridors
or links are elements generally of a linear
form that have the potential to permit
the flow of species of fauna between the
fragments and nodes.3. In most cities, the
matrix consists of buildings and streets. The
fragments correspond to the parks, squares
and institutional green zones, among others.
The corridors are withdrawals or buffer zones
of streams, dividers and other green zones
associated with the roads or streets.
Biodiversity and Connectivity
Panoramic view of the ecological network of theValle
de Aburrá, Northwestern subsector of Medellín.
María del Pilar Arroyave Maya
169
 Biohabitats
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Biohabitats
2
THE DREAM OF ECOLOGICALLY RESTORING THE CITIES OF THE UNITED STATES 1

Keith Bowers, President and founder of Biohabitats

4
5

BIOHABITATS IS AN OFFICE THAT SPECIALIZES IN THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION phenomena such as population segment of the park was isolated
AND MONITORING OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROJECTS, CONSERVATION growth and climate change, mean and revitalized by means of a “living Figure 1. Floating wetlands
PLANNING AND REGENERATIVE DESIGN. KEITH BOWERS, A LANDSCAPE that it would be impossible to riverbank” consisting of native
ARCHITECT, LEADS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT INCLUDES ECOLOGISTS, reestablish the original conditions riparian and marsh plants, which
BIOLOGISTS, ARCHITECTS, SOIL ENGINEERS AND GEOMORPHOLOGISTS, AMONG of a setting. In that sense, we must regulate the habitat and water
1. Wetland plants thrive on these floating islands, providing habitat above and below the
MANY OTHERS. THE GROUP SEEKS TO RECONNECT COMMUNITIES WITH THEIR ask ourselves how we can recreate quality. In addition to transforming a surface of the water for birds, pollinators and aquatic life.
NATURAL SURROUNDINGS BY DESIGNING INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE CREATIVE the ecological integrity of the railroad crossing into a path for 2. Seeds from the native plants get dispersed in the water and by birds.
AND FUNCTIONAL BUT WHICH, ABOVE ALL, INCORPORATE THE CIVIC PERCEPTIVE. system and create sustainable walking and picnic areas, the Floating wetlands become a native seed bank for the region.

THE EVOLUTION OF A CONCEPT
In the wake of the positioning of the
practice of ecological restoration
during the 1980s at the worldwide
level, the office has worked to dilute
Instituto Humboldt
search for sustainable spaces to
arrive at the notion of “regenerated”
spaces, always thinking in terms of
respecting the ecological limits of
the planet, recovering altered
ecological practices and dealing
functions and processes over time,
able to adapt to changing contexts.
THE CASE OF LARDNER’S POINT
PARK AND THE NORTH DELAWARE
RIVERFRONT GREENWAY IN
PHILADELPHIA
The Lardner’s Point Park project
consisted of converting a riverbank
industrial zone (covered in concrete)
design incorporated sensible
elements in terms of ecology and
sustainability, particularly porous
paving stones that facilitate
rainwater retention and filtration.
The Lardner’s Point Park is just
one step in a broader process of
renovation of the industrial river-
bank. The idea of creating a
greenway next to the river in the
middle of the city was ambitious and
3. Used, plastic bottles are sandwiched between “media” (like coconut
fiber) in which the wetland plants will grow. The bottles provide
buoyancy for the wetland and a good use for trash.
4. Fish and other aquatic creatures find habitat and refuge in the
plant roots, where shade, shelter, and food abound.
5. Wetland plant roots remove polluting nutrients from the water and use them to grow.
UBFA
the day, the park took eight years to The space, which had been an
SW
become a reality, from the moment abandoned lot full of broken bill-

the borders between disciplines
such as conservation biology,
ecological restoration, architectur-
al landscaping, soil engineering and
urbanism. Specifically, our corpo-
rate mission emphasizes the
170 importance of going beyond the
with the fertile relationships
between all of the forms of life that
converge in a landscape.
The vision of the institution is
based on the notion of “restoring
the future.” The ecological, social
and cultural realities, along with
into a park. The initiative included
many elements for restoration and
revitalization of habitats, such as
the creation of grasslands, planta-
tion of riparian forests, strengthen-
ing of wetlands and control of
invasive species. The riverside
required the efforts of many people.
The concept came from Bob Borski,
a congressman who led the initiative
in the 1990s. In 2004, the organiza-
tion that was in charge of the project
was able to officially involve the city
authorities until 2006. At the end of
in which it was planned until
construction concluded, so that it
required collaboration from politi-
cians, community leaders and
foundations, along with the creation
of partnerships with representatives
of local, state and federal agencies.
boards and trash, became a park LES
where people fish and many ama-
ERC
teur athletes go for exercise. It has
become so popular along with its UD
restored habitats that it has become
an important precedent for the su-
rrounding areas. 171
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Biohabitats
the city. That kind of support signi- restoration and green zones increa-
04 When creating urban
To prosper, projects need to propose interventions at various scales, from locally resolved
solutions to more ambitious initiatives. In the case of the port of Baltimore, the floating wetlands
fies that the community is willing to se the value of the surrounding pro- landscapes that incorpo-
are the best example of effective low-cost interventions (this was decided upon because it is an Photos of the work with the community
easy to replicate technology in other urban areas).
support the project in the future. perties, they also generate credits in rate water bodies, it must be clear
in the Port of Baltimore, Maryland
This initiative, which was based on natural colonization and the development of vegetation and
animal life, was possible thanks to volunteer work by the community and the recycling of plastic
bottles upon which to float the infrastructure.
02 The sociopolitical obsta-
cles that we face when
enhancing ecological health in the
aspects such as human health indi-
cators and tourism (benefits that are
not always completely understood).
that those water bodies cannot be
controlled in individual zones. To co-
rrectly control seasonal or natural
(United States).
Biohabitats (2014)

cities do not come from the com-

munities (in fact, the people who live
near our projects tend to support
03
blems such as the notion of social
The green zones shed li-
ght on important pro-
variations of water flows and pre-
vent floods, the entire basin must be
taken into account, which implies,
More information
http://www.biohabitats.com

KEY LESSONS a community, in other words, that us). However, we have had to invest justice. We have perceived, for for example, installing buffer zones
people will visit, use and accept it a lot of time in convincing the deci- example, that low income urban and mechanisms to control rainwa-
Instituto Humboldt

In general terms, our experience in as one more component of their su- sion-makers that intensive develop- areas tend to have less access to ter. Once those mechanisms are ins-
urban over several decades restora- rroundings. For example, our floa- ment does not always constitute the green zones. With this in mind, we talled throughout the basin, the risk
tion has left us the following lessons: ting wetlands in the port of Baltimore most satisfactory option at the fi- have worked with town planners to at each site is notably reduced. Quote as: Bowers, K. Biohabitats: The dream of
have been well received by the re- nancial level and that planning must incorporate incomes as a criterion ecologically restoring the cities of the United States.

01
P. 170-173. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature.
In an urban context, the sidents of the city: in fact, they took take into account factors that go when prioritizing spaces for initiati-
Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos
sustainability of a space part in its construction and recogni- beyond the immediate and familiar ves involving restoration and rede- Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia.
172 depends on its capacity to fit into ze it as an attraction in the heart of economic returns. In fact, although velopment of green zones. 2017. P. 216. 173
 Urban
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Political
Ecology
ANOTHER APPROACH TO THE MODEL OF THE CITY IN COLOMBIA
Germán Andrés Quimbayo Ruiz, Independent Consultant on environmental matters
Francisco Alejandro Vásquez Rodríguez, Independent Researcher
URBAN POLITICAL ECOLOGY (UPE) IS AN INNOVATIVE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING URBANIZATION AS A PHASE
TRANSFORMATION OF NATURE, AND NOT NECESSARILY ITS DESTRUCTION. IN THE COLOMBIAN CASE, UPE CONTRIBUTES ANALYSIS AND
UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF URBANIZATION IN THE SOCIOENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICTS FACED BY THE COUNTRY.
AN ECOLOGICAL AND
POLITICAL TENSION
Urban Political Ecology (UPE) is a
discipline that analyzes the way that
different social actors establish
power relationships and transform
and resignify nature in urban
surroundings. It also sheds light on
the role of social collectives,
decision-makers and other mem-
Instituto Humboldt
bers of society, whether organized
or not, in terms of the defense,
appropriation or dispute of the
urban space or its corresponding
elements of biodiversity. This
conceptual framework is particular-
174 ly relevant when analyzing socioen-
vironmental conflicts in urban
surroundings, because it goes
beyond examination of the causal
relationship between human
affectation or disturbance of an
ecosystem (hills, rivers, streams,
wetlands, etc.) and instead
emphasizes the power relationships
that condition decisions about
urban planning.
EPU is not limited to analyzing
the spaces and socioenvironmental
relationships in an urban setting. On
the contrary, it recognizes the
numerous processes and dependen-
cies that link the countryside to the
city and which question the
traditional rural-urban dichotomy.
This provides tools to better
understand urbanization in the
country’s landscape conflicts and to
study urban nature in Colombia,
because it places ecological matters
(urban green spaces) and political
ones (power relationships), inherent
to the cities and their urban settings,
on the same level.
UPE IN RELATION TO THE CASES
OF THE RÍO TUNJUELO AND THE
VALLE DE ABURRÁ
The Tunjuelo River basin, in the south
of Bogotá, is a good reference point
to analyze urban socioenvironmental
conflicts in light of UPE. Despite its
BOGOTÁ
2 Tunjue
1
hydrographic and historic relevance,
the basin has been the scene of an
unplanned urbanization model, which
has generated sociospatial segrega-
tions and facilitated the presence of
high impact activities. In this case,
the UPE approach helps to recognize
that throughout the basin, important
mobilizations of the social base have
emerged, seeking to improve the
conditions of habitat and of the urban
space for the people, and to face and
resolve specific socio-environmen-
tal conflicts1. Throwing light on and
recognizing these social initiatives
will enable the rest of the city to be
made aware of the debt that it has
Credit: Google Earth. Landsat.
Urban Political Ecology
BOGOTÁ
1,636.59 km2  |  7,878,783 inhabitants | 2,625 meters above sea level.
Cold-very dry   |  13 °C  |  797 mm  |  75 % rural - 23 % urban
3.75 km
lo Riv
er
3
Socioenvironmental pressures in the
Tunjuelo basin
Fuente: Source: Instituto Alexander von
Humboldt (2014). Secretaría Distrital de
Planeación, (decree 190 of 2004).
Landfill
Socioecological implications for the
Mining areas
Tunjuelo basin
Tunjuelo basin
Rivers 1. Urban growth in the lower basin: the
invasion of ecological corridors and
Biomes
urbanization in the hillside zones has
High Andean coverage increased the vulnerability of the landscape.
Coverage of subparamo
2. Mining in the middle basin: the geological
Coverage of paramo
characteristics of the alluvial valley of
the river facilitated mining extractions of
materials and gravel for construction in
the city. However, these activities did not
The Tunjuelo River basin, in the south of Bogotá, is a UMP
have sufficient social agreement and have
good reference point to analyze urban environmental
conflicts using the UPE approach. The Tunjuelo seriously affected the landscape and health
URTL
is the most extensive hydrographic basin of the of the population.
District and encompasses the localities of Tunjuelito, 3. Rural-urban border and Doña Juana
LES
Usme, Ciudad Bolívar, Bosa and Sumapaz, with a landfill: high impact activities such as the
population of around 2 million inhabitants2. It is a landfill and its still uncertain expansion and
landscape of integration between the rural area and continuity have generated serious social and
the urban consolidation in the south of Bogotá. ecological impacts. 175
 The current landscape occupation model of Medellín should not be
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Urban Political Ecology

replicated in the rest of the valley, which is why inclusive alternatives must current and future generations of
MEDELLÍN - ANTIOQUIA be found for environmental landscape planning at the metropolitan scale. urban inhabitants. To do so, it is
380.64 km2  |  2,464,322 inhabitants  |  1,475 meters above sea level. Mainly because the transformations caused by urbanization around the
Temperate-dry  |  24 °C  |  1,656 mm  |  71 % rural - 29 % urban necessary to:
Río Medellín have led to urban nature being formed in spatial terms, in a
1. Source of the Río Medellín: The Alto differentiated and unequal manner along the length and width of the valley.
de San Miguel Municipal Reserve, • Support social mobilization
in the Municipality of Caldas, processes that focus on urban
features a combination of diverse socioenvironmental conflict,
interests and disputes around the
prioritizing the local level, but
ecosystem services provided by the
Río Medellín at the metropolitan without neglecting the city and
scale. On the one hand, there is a the region.
4. Protected urban areas: in the Valle de
need to protect the headwaters of
Aburrá there are four protected urban • Investigate methods for resolving
the river and its water regulation
and provision services, but it is also
areas: La Asomadera, El Volador and urban socioenvironmental
Nutibara hills in Medellín, and Piamonte conflicts, contributing knowledge
a traditional space for public use in
in the municipality of Bello; all mainly
the framework of cultural services for the benefit of the most
recreational and in harmony with use
such as recreation and leisure.
3. Metropolitan Green Belt: a landscape of the urban public space. However, vulnerable populations in the
Which should be the priority? Strict
planning strategy aimed at strengthening even more areas of this type need to be
conservation or a conservation urban-regional setting.
a protective structure for areas that declared as protected in the metropolitan
model with social appropriation?3
provide urban ecosystem services for • Make a critical observation
zone. Landscape planning has an
the Metropolitan conurbation of Medellín. obligation in this sense to promote new (ecological and political) of the
This would serve as the basis for future spaces that harmonize conservation with installed models of the city and
conservation initiatives in the valley.

iver
social appropriation of urban biodiversity6. of the urban planning instru-
However, because it was not adopted as a

Medellín R
3 ments, to ensure more effective
Metropolitan Agreement, its implementation
has been postponed. This jeopardizes the measures with greater social
opportunity to preserve the principal natural appropriation of the collective
values at the metropolitan scale5.
ments of resistance and environ- natural assets.

4 mental defense have emerged,

The Valle de Aburrá and its unequal
relationship with urban nature
Source: Área Metropolitana del
Valle de Aburrá.
with the basin, which still enjoys
social and ecological potential.
which seek to guarantee collective
rights in the landscape and make
known their demands in terms of
02 When promoting this type
of strategies, UPE contrib-
utes towards the construction of land-
On the other hand, the case of urban inequalities: the UPE scapes for life, in which collective
Medellín
2 the Medellín River involves a approach makes it possible to efforts make urban nature a reason
Urban area
Forests process of metropolitan urbaniza- explore new landscape occupation for questioning inviable models of the
tion in a compact and highly models, based not only on protec- city and, above all, to resolve
2. Macro projects of the river: they are intervened valley , whose scarce
7
tion for urban ecosystems, but also landscape imbalances and profound
planned from a local scale, to transform
undeveloped spaces are threat- on the search for a more egalitarian social inequalities, such as those that
the river and recover it for the city. They
seek to make the Aburrá River a core ened by diverse environmental and relationship among the different still persist in Colombian cities.
structure of the environment and public demographic pressures. To social actors and between them
space at the urban-regional level. How respond to this phenomenon and and urban nature.
viable and efficient are the proposed
Instituto Humboldt

mitigate the landscape imbalances

macro projects for generating more
urban green spaces for the city and of metropolitan urban expansion, KEY LESSONS
positioning the river as the main venue strategies have been created to Quote as: Quimbayo, G., Vásquez, F. Urban

01
for civic encounter?4 consolidate an urban ecological Urban Political Ecology, Political Ecology: Another approach to the model
1 structure throughout the valley. In understood as a tool for
of the city in Colombia. P. 174-177. In: Mejía M.
A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación
5.64 km that context, one important result is questioning the current model of de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
176 Credit: Google Earth. Landsat. that throughout the zone, move- cities in the country, must serve Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 177
 The Value of the
Credit: Google Earth. Landsat.
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

The Value of the Urban Forest

MEDELLÍN

Urban
1,165.5 km² | 3,731,447 inhabitants | 
2,800 meters above sea level   |  84 % rural - 15 % urban

BARBOSA
Infraestructura y Territorio (Site)) at
the Escuela de Ingeniería de

Forest
Antioquia (School of Engineering),
sought to make an estimate and an
GIRARDOTA economic valuation of the removal of
air pollutants by the urban forest in
respiratory, cardiac and neurological three pilot zones of the valley.
BELLO ailments in humans, damage to The methodology consisted of
THREE EXCERCISES FOR COPACABANA
3 vegetation and deterioration of five steps, namely: gathering of
QUANTIFICATION OF
materials and equipment. Specifical- secondary information about the
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN THE
ly, effects on human health are species; recording basic information
VALLE DE ABURRÁ A NEW ATMOSPHERE OF WORK associated with allergic reactions, on individual trees in the countryside;
nasal congestion, sinusitis, coughing, analysis of the structure of the
María del Pilar Arroyave Maya  |  Catalina Londoño Cadavid The urban forest provides ecosys- hay fever, irritation of the eyes, woody vegetation; consultation of
Camila Argoty Cano  |  Valeria Meza Martínez tem services that improve environ- asthma and emphysema . 2
information on climate and air quality,
Escuela de Ingeniería de Antioquia (School of Engineering)
MEDELLÍN mental conditions, and therefore, Measuring the removal of air and processing the information using
URBAN VEGETATION PROVIDES FUNDAMENTAL contribute to the well-being of the pollutants by the urban forest and the i-Tree model, developed by the
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR HUMAN WELL-BEING, ONE population in the cities, namely: estimating the economic value United States Forest Service. In
OF WHICH IS ITS CAPACITY TO REMOVE AIR POLLUTANTS mitigation of air pollution, carbon associated with this service provides practice, this meant estimating and
2
THAT AFFECT THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION OF THE capture and storage, water and tools for decision-making by economically valuing carbon dioxide
CITIES. THE FOLLOWING QUANTIFICATION EXERCISE AIMS microclimate regulation, the supply environmental authorities. For capture and removal of the following
ITAGÜÍ
TO CONTRIBUTE NEW ECOLOGICAL CRITERIA TO VALUE of habitat and food for fauna as well example, this value should be pollutants: ozone (O3), particulate
THE SERVICE, WITH A VIEW TO MAKING IT MORE VISIBLE 1 as contributing landscapes. Deeply included when allocating compensa- material larger than 10 microns
AMONG THE CITIZENRY AND, THEREBY, PROMOTE BETTER understanding these services makes tions for tree cutting required in the (PM10), nitrogen dioxides (NO2) and
SABANETA ENVIGADO
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR THE URBAN FORESTS IN for more responsible interventions in execution of infrastructure works. At carbon monoxide (CO), by the trees
LA ESTRELLA
THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ. the public and private space, and the same time, recognition of this in the principal park of Itagüí, the
contributes to the implementation of function of the urban forest by the park in El Poblado in Medellín and
mechanisms for mitigation and community is expected to generate the principal park of Bello.
adaptation to climate change. greater appropriation of this natural In the three pilot sites, a total of
Network of parks in the Valle de Aburrá CALDAS As part of these services, urban element, and therefore, promote 129 trees were recorded, whose
Source: Área Metropolitana Valle de Aburrá (2015).
forests mitigate air pollution, community participation in its care biomass stores 135 tons of carbon
Instituto Humboldt

Parks understood as the presence of one or and protection. and captured 1.23 tons in 2013. In
1 Principal park of Itagüí more chemical substances in the terms of the removal of carbon
AUES
2 El Poblado Park atmosphere, in such quantities and REMOVAL OF AIR POLLUTANTS monoxide, nitrogen dioxides, ozone
duration that they cause damage to and particulate material (PM10), it UW
3 Principal park of Bello
living things or material goods1. The The study carried out by the research was found that in 2013, the trees in
Hydrography
main effects associated with air group in Sustainability, Infrastructure the three pilot sites removed a total
Urban center
178 pollution include an increase in and Landscape (Sostenibilidad, of 9.2 grams of these pollutants. 179
Herbaceous or shrubby vegetation
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

The Value of the Urban Forest

1 Principal park of Itagüí 2 El Poblado Park 3 Principal park of Bello

Aerial view of the principal park of Itagüí. Aerial view of El Poblado Park. Aerial view of principal park of Bello.
Source: Área Metropolitana Valle de Source: Área Metropolitana Valle Source: Área Metropolitana Valle de
Aburrá, (2015 Individuals de Aburrá, (2015). Individuals Aburrá, (2015). Individuals

Number of individuals 54 CO2 storage kg) 99.945 Number of individuals 49 CO2 storage kg) 116-203 Number of individuals 26 CO2 storage kg) 52.461
Number of species 16 CO2 capture (kg/year) 422 Number of species 21 CO2 capture (kg/year) 546 Number of species 11 CO2 capture (kg/year) 264
Average diameter (cm) 40 NO2 removal (g/year) 250 Average diameter (cm) 49 NO2 removal (g/year) 585 Average diameter (cm) 42 NO2 removal (g/year) 72
Average altitude (m) 12 O3 removal (g/year) 903 Average altitude (m) 19 O3 removal (g/year) 889 Average altitude (m) 13 O3 removal (g/year) 355

improvement of environmental
04 The characteristics of the
The scientific literature has more than 200 records of research to evaluate the importance of the urban Some studies have estimated the decrease in deaths and effects on health caused by the reduction of
forest in the removal of air pollutants and in carbon capture. Toronto (Canada) estimated removal of 1,905 pollutants. Vegetation present in an area of 10 x 10 km avoided the deaths and hospital admissions of two
quality based on micro climate plants that most
tons/year of pollutant gases and 46,700 tons/year of carbon, equivalent to 16 million and 1.1 million people per year4. In the United States, in 2005, approximately 130,000 deaths were associated with the
Canadian dollars, respectively. In the United States, it was estimated that, in 2010, 651,000 tons/year of regulation processes and absorp- contribute towards better air quality effects from PM2.5 and 4,700 were associated with ozone5.
sulfur and nitrogen dioxides, ozone and particulate material were removed, equivalent to 4.7 billion US tion of pollutants. are density of foliage, size of the

03
dollars. This economic value is calculated based on evaluation of the avoided costs for medical attention
The differences in the leaves and presence of fuzziness3.
for patients affected by diseases associated with air pollution.
quantities of carbon stored However, when selecting the most
and removal of pollutants between
the three pilots zones of study are
due to the characteristics of the
suitable species to decrease
pollution, other characteristics
must also be taken into account,
05 The sites chosen for the
pilot studies are repre-
sentative of the city and its
quality improvement must be
recognized and valued.
Instituto Humboldt

KEY LESSONS areas. Their application in urban trees and the species found at each such as the rate of growth, cost of population, because they are part
areas is therefore considered site; essentially, trees of greater size maintenance, sensitivity to of green public spaces for passive Quote as: Arroyave, M., Londoño, C., Camila,

01 In Colombia, the exigu-

ous exercises in econom-
ic valuation that had been
valuable and relevant.

02 In general, urban trees are

undertaken mainly correspond to
180 the service of CO2 capture in rural
recognized for their
ornamental value, but not for other
essential contributions, such as
and foliage area that belong to
species of rapid growth, evergreens
(with permanent foliage) and
long-lived ones have a greater
capacity for removal.
pollution and type of roots. These
considerations make it possible to
extend the life of the trees and,
therefore, increase their potential in
the urban environment.
recreation and enjoyment. At the
same time, they are located in
places of considerable pedestrian
and vehicular traffic, which is why
their offering of services for air
Cano C., Meza, V., Argoty, C. The value of the
urban forest: Three excercises for quantification of
ecosystem services in the Valle de Aburrá. P. 178-
181. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 181
 Field
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Field Work
CALI - VALLE DEL CAUCA
564 km²  |  2,369,821 inhabitants  |  995 meters above sea level.
79 % rural - 21 % urban

Work
1 . 1. Bosque de los vientos (Forest of the winds)
. 2. Maloca of the drum
. 3. Maloca of games
. 4. Field of colors
. 5. Green field
. 6. El Mandala Park
2 . 7. Primary school village
. 8. Greenhouse
. 9. Orchard
. 10. Preschool children’s seedbed
10

4 THE PEDAGOGICAL VILLAGE OF CALI

More information
http://www.colegioideas.edu.co

5
3

Jahuira, Colegio Ideas

IN 1979 CALI JOINED THE INITIATIVE BY JAHUIRA AND WITNESSED HIS EFFORT TO RESTORE THE
LANDSCAPE IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE WESTERN MOUNTAIN RANGE. THERE, IN A GREAT CIRCLE
OF PARTNERSHIPS, AN ECOLOGICAL VILLAGE WAS CREATED, WHICH IS NOW AN EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTION OF A HIGH ACADEMIC LEVEL, KNOWN AS THE COLEGIO IDEAS. THE SYSTEMIC,
COLLABORATIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALIST VISION UNDERLYING ITS PEDAGOGICAL PROPOSAL HAS
BECOME AN EDUCATIONAL LEGACY THAT NOT ONLY TRAINS SENSITIVE CITIZENS ABOUT NATURE, BUT
HAS ALSO HAD EXPERIENCE IN INITIATIVES FOR RESTORATION, PRESERVATION AND SENSITIZATION.
7
Instituto Humboldt

LES

SW

ERC
6
Aerial photograph of the Colegio Ideas,
showing its main points of encounter.
182 Colegio Ideas (2009) 183
 Figure 1. Consolidation of the projects Colegio Ideas y Cali, ciudad de las aguas The Colegio leads a community environmental
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Field Work
mobilization (Cidea) of the MEN to avoid transfer
1979 – 1994 Restoration of the landscape of the Navarro dump to the middle basin of the
The Colegio receives the
First graduation The Colegio advises Cañaveralejo River.
1995 – 2015 Projection and construction of the Gota de Agua-Varela S.A.
of high school municipal entities in drafting Participative construction of the ‘Cali,
Recovery of lands National Education Prize Participation in the working group of the municipal
project Cali, ciudad de las aguas seniors and the component for the ciudad de las aguas’ project begins
and revegetation for its commitment to the Territorial Committee for Environmental Health (Comité
approval of environment and for water along with the Documentary Center.
around the recovery and restoration of Territorial de Salud Ambiental (Cotsa)) and in the
studies. and solid waste management
Cañaveralejo River. The National the landscape and to water Interinstitutional Technical Committee for Education.
of the Land Management The Colegio forms an
Jahuira takes a trip and is The first term of management.
Pedagogical Plan (Plan de Ordenamiento interinstitutional partnership to build a
enriched through experiences basic secondary
Creation of the Expedition is Territorial (POT)), the Regional trap for wastewater from the sewage Execution of Agreement
of the ancestral culture of school begins.
National Network proposed. Environmental Management network consolidated in the middle 135 in the framework of the
the American peoples (North,
of Educational Landscape design Plan (Plan de Gestión Ambiental basin of the Cañaveralejo River. project Conozcamos Nuestra
Central and South America).
Innovations. and bioconstruction The Water Route is Regional (PGAR)) and the Vereda (Let’s Get to Know Our
Participation by The core team of the project
of spaces of the carried out in the Comprehensive Management Rural District) in partnership
the school in the ‘Cali, Ciudad de las Aguas’ is
school. The proposal for a Colegio and at the Program for Solid Wastes with the Corporación
Recovery of the Ondas project of Temporary unions and
cultural and landscape head of the seven created with participation by Autónoma Regional del Valle
course of the Colciencias. (Programa de Gestión Integral pedagogical actions
environmental corridor basins of Cali as a pilot governmental, private and del Cauca (CVC) and the
Cañaveralejo de Residuos Sólidos (PGIRS)). are carried out to
Jahuira explores of the Cali River is plan of the national community organizations to Fundación Amaranto.
River in the different innovative implement the Cultural,
formulated, and the Pedagogical Expedition. The Colegio leads carry out pedagogical, social and
school landscape. educational projects Environmental and Participation in Consultative
project Cali, ciudad de a community technical actions.
implemented in Landscape Corridor of Council for Civic Culture
las aguas is proposed. mobilization to avoid
Colombia. the Cañaveralejo River. (Consejo Consultivo de
The community, with support transference of the Cultura Ciudadana).
Fundación del Consolidation of the Navarro dump to the
Restoration of the from the Secretariat of Health, The project Conozcamos Nuestra Vereda is
Colegio Ideas. integrated farm. middle basin of the Representation of Colombia as
landscape with projection files a class action to mitigate created. In this framework, caravans along
Cañaveralejo River. a significant experience at the
to the middle basin of the the environmental impacts the river and interinstitutional workdays for
The National Education Ministry VII Congreso Iberoamericano de
Cañaveralejo River through in the middle basin of the revegetation of the basin are held.
(MEN) issues a resolution to begin Educación Ambiental, Lima - Peru.
community dynamics Cañaveralejo River.
educational work, stressing the of revegetation, use of Civil society organizations obtain
Seven civic culture
innovative character of the Colegio. appropriate technologies representation in the Consultative Council Recognition of Jahuira as
sensitization dynamics are
Development of a system of filters of the POT and in the Municipal System of
and sensitization. held through mass events Illustrious Rector of Colombia by
for treatment of the waters of the Protected Areas (Simap).
Preliminary approval of The Colegio receives the such as walks, caravans, the Compartir Rector’s Prize.
Cañaveralejo River, to supply the
preschool and primary school Planeta Azul National seminars, encounters and
ecosystem of the wetland and the Representation of the Municipality of
studies, with an educational Ecology Prize from the drum sessions along the
irrigation corridors. First International Cali at the First Global Forum of Cities
innovation character. Banco de Occidente river, among others.
Waters Encounter with Rivers, Montería - Córdoba.
for recovery of the
Cañaveralejo River basin.
1970-1979

1979

1970-1980

1980

1981

1983

1984

1985

1987

1988

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1998

2000

2001

2003

2005

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015
A PROFOUND ANCESTRAL PATH referred to as essential pedagogy. The institution promotes learning at the school; in the extension cour- observe the implicit curricula in every organization of the National Network
In 1979, after returning to Santiago dynamics that involve all segments ses, parents share their life experien- act of life, which in turn led them to for Educational Innovations and
In the 1970s, the founder and de Cali, Jahuira and a collective of the educational community and ces and those of integration serve as contemplate the unity of things to coordination of the National Peda-
current rector of the Colegio Ideas, group of concerned children and which, in practice, are covered in five venues in which the entire educatio- understand the subtlety of the parts: gogical Expedition, among others,
known as Jahuira, began a lengthy parents began the restoration of a specialized workshops. The research nal community is invited to celebrate by planting guadua, one can discern gave Jahuira sufficient experience to
journey to learn about the ancestral landscape in the foothills of the workshops are activities around significant events such as seed day. the geography of the peoples, formulate a new project, called ‘Cali,
Instituto Humboldt

cultures of the peoples of the western mountain range. Over time, which the students gain knowledge The research workshop, for mathematical logic and biology. Ciudad de las Aguas’. Essentially, it is
Americas. That experience gave they transformed it into an ecologi- based on their interests and needs example, to a great extent came from initiative for comprehensive resto-
rise to the idea of creating a cal niche, where the pedagogical for learning; the alumni in the collec- efforts to reestablish the vegetation LA CIUDAD DE LAS AGUAS (THE ration of the Cañaveralejo River
pedagogical project focusing on the village known as the Colegio Ideas tive groups work as teachers with the of the property and consolidate the CITY OF THE WATERS) basin, but whose connotations are
natural order as the basis for is now located and where 23 students in certain electives; the tools secondary forest along the banks of actually much larger: it is an act of
understanding everything, an classes of high school students involve the common core areas with the Cañaveralejo River. That experi- Activities such as construction of the collective construction, which
184 educational prospect that he have graduated. accompaniment by teachers trained ence invited the participants to school, restoration of landscape, combines the knowledge and 185
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
experiences of official, private and
community entities to carry out joint
actions. These aim to guarantee the
sustainability of the inhabited
landscape, preservation of memory
and harmonious perspectives for
future generations.
The restoration effort has led to
Instituto Humboldt
interesting results. For example, it
has facilitated comprehensive
restoration of the school site, the
creation of a sustainable and
bioarchitectural design and the
consolidation of an agroecological
186 farm, with its respective ecological
niches and appropriate technolo-
gies. On the other hand, at the
municipal level, it has promoted
work on various fronts, namely:
comprehensive recovery of the
upper and middle basin of the
Cañaveralejo River; increased
access to potable water, sewage
systems and a waste water trap in
surrounding rural districts; develop-
ment of a rural district Comprehen-
sive Solid Waste Management Plan
(PGIRS) and environmental
cartography of the Township; the
consolidation of community
gardens and greenhouses; and the
creation of cultural, environmental
and landscape corridors in the
basins of the rivers that pass
through Cali.
KEY LESSONS
01
An educational experience
built on systemic principles
and nourished by notions such as
ecology of the soul and essential
pedagogy can signify a fertile
encounter with an old and new ethic,
esthetic and ecology of coexistence.
02 An educational experi-
ence based on such
innovative pedagogical notions and
which generates direct links with
the community can consolidate
democratic values of the entity and
inculcate the seeds for collaborative
work among the students.
03
Individuals trained in the
framework of a systemic
and collaborative pedagogical system
such as the Colegio Ideas can be in a
better position to deal with the
complex and multidimensional
challenges of contemporary cities.
04 Promoting encounter with
the living memory of the
peoples fosters a sustainable
culture: consolidation of identity and
reaffirmation of the sense of
belonging guarantee empowerment
of people towards their landscape.
Field Work
a. Playing in the Parque del Mandala.
Colegio Ideas (2014)
Wonder, sensitive exploration, direct contact,
abstraction/comparison and construction were
consolidated as basic elements to approach
knowledge. The result is an exercise to qualify
people as individual, social and transcendental
entities where art and the land become
fundamental tools for learning with meaning.
Quote as: Duque, C. Field work: The pedagogical
village of Cali. P. 182-187. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.).
Urban Nature. Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216 187
 Urban
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Urban Water Security

The cloud forests, which cover just 4.4% of the for the forests, those sediments would
basins that supply the tropical reservoirs (1
end up in the reservoirs, which would

Water
million km2), receive and filter almost 50% of
annual rainfall2. shorten their useful life and increase
maintenance costs.
Even though for a decade the
protective forests of La Fe Reservoir
were catalogued as conservation
areas, subsequent processes of
urbanization, deforestation and
mining in the surrounding zones
have endangered the provision of

Security
water for Medellín. To deal with this
Guatapé
panorama, the Laboratory for
MEDELLÍN Ecosystem Services and Climate
Change (Laboratorio de Servicios
El Peñol Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático
THE IMPACT OF DEFORESTATION ON THE
(SECC)) of the Botanical Garden of
RESERVOIRS THAT SUPPLY MEDELLÍN Medellín began a research process,
which will be published 2016 in
complete form in a book about the
Esteban Álvarez-Dávila | Zorayda Restrepo | Sebastián González | 
Jorge Zea Camaño, SECC Laboratory of Ecosystem Services and Climate ecology of the forests of eastern
Change of the Botanical Garden of Medellín  |  Jesús Adolfo Anaya Acevedo, Rionegro
Antioquia by the Universidad
Universidad de Medellín
Católica de Oriente3. Its objective
EVEN THOUGH THE VALLEYS OF SAN NICOLÁS AND ITS SURROUNDINGS ARE A was to make a diagnosis of the
SOURCE OF BIODIVERSITY AND WATER SECURITY IN THE VALLE DE ABURRÁ, CERTAIN La Fe threats associated with deforestation
HUMAN ACTIVITIES HAVE AFFECTED THE PROVISION OF WATER TO CITIES AND and mining in the area, to guide and
THE REGION. THAT IS WHY THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF MEDELLÍN HAS CARRIED promote strategies for conservation
OUT STUDIES TO GUIDE STRATEGIES FOR THE CONSERVATION OF FORESTS IN THE of the forests in the basins that
BASINS THAT SUPPLY THE RESERVOIRS OF ANTIOQUIA. supply the reservoirs in Antioquia.
The studies began with an evalua-
La Unión
WATER (IN)SECURITY third constitutes the largest regulation tion of deforestation rates and
reservoir in Colombia, and through- continued with a record of the
The region of the valleys of San out the year can generate as much mining rights awarded and applied
Nicolás and its surrounding areas as one third of the country’s hydro- Location in 2000of the for until July of 2012 in the area of
provides fundamental ecosystem electric energy .1 reservoirs and vegetation study. To do so, they used digital
coverage in the area of study
services, both at the level of the city In the second place, the region information extracted from the maps
Source: modified by Gómez et
(Medellín) and the country as a has an important native forest (that al. (2005). of the Global Forest Change
Instituto Humboldt

whole. In the first place, it covers
three large sources of water regula-
tion and provision: the Piedras
Blancas, La Fe and Peñol-Guatapé
reservoirs. While the first two supply
around 30% of the metropolitan
188 aqueduct of the Valle de Aburrá, the
covers an approximate surface of
67,000 ha, equivalent to 26%), along
with a considerable area of stubble
(70,000 ha) and protective forest
plantations (15,000 ha). The forests
are of fundamental importance for
water production in a basin and to
guarantee the “useful life” of reser- (2000-2012)4 and Tierra Minada5
Valle de Aburrá
voirs, because their soils retain large Area of study
(2012) projects, respectively.
AUES
quantities of water. Additionally, the
8.12 km Water bodies
forests have low rates of soil erosion A VOICE OF ALARM SW
(in comparison with meadows and Stubble
MEDELLÍN - ANTIOQUIA
crops), which enables them to retain a Forest Until just a few years ago, the
380.64 km² | 2,464,322 inhabitants | 1,475 meters above sea level.
significant amount of sediments. If not Temperate-dry | 24 ºC | 1,656 mm | 72 % rural - 28 % urban Forest plantations protected forests at the sources of 189
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
the main tributary streams of the
reservoirs were relatively well
conserved. However, in recent
years, processes of urbanization,
mining and road construction have
intensified. If these trends continue,
it is predicted that the reservoir will
6
have a useful life of no more than
20 years, endangering the provision
of water for the city of Medellín in
the medium term.
With respect to deforestation, in
2000 and 2012, 7,530 ha of trees
were cut down, equivalent to an
annual deforestation rate of 0.39%.
26.4% of this zone consisted of
forests; 47.6 % of stubble; and
26.9% of plantations. El Retiro,
which covers 9% of the area of
study, accounted for 35% of the
total deforested area. This annual
deforestation rate of 0.55% is the
highest of all of the municipalities in
the area of study and one of the
highest in Antioquia7. However, it is
estimated that in the basin that
supplies La Fe Reservoir, approxi-
mately 100 ha of forest were cut
down each year, of which 30% was
native vegetation, in other words an
annual rate of 1.04% with respect to
the forest area of the basin in 2000.
This means that the basin that
supplies La Fe Reservoir is the area
with the highest deforestation rate in
the entire region. In addition to the
fact that the destruction of these
Instituto Humboldt
forests can seriously affect water
provision, a recent study by the
office of the Governor of Antioquia
indicates that their conservation in
the water supply basins could
reduce the cost of water purification
190 by as much as 60%8.
Water is fundamental for economic and social
development; also, its proper management
makes it possible to maintain the integrity of the
natural setting. Despite this, water is just one
of the vital natural resources and it is therefore
imperative that water matters not be addressed
in an isolated fashion.
Deforestation 2000-2013,
mining and location of the
municipalities of the Valle
de Aburrá
Source: created by the authors.
Credits: Google Earth.
Landsat (2015).
Water bodies
Mining rights awarded
Mining rights applied for
Mining rights awarded that
include gold-mining
Deforestation
On the other hand, as of July of
2012 100 mining rights had been
awarded in a total area of 2,900 ha,
70% of which involve gold exploita-
tion, and there were 99 pending
applications, corresponding to
66,819 ha, in other words, around
25% of the area of study9. 19 of the
mining rights awarded affect at least
seven of the Special Management
Areas declared in Agreement No.
016 of 1998 by the Governing Board
of the Regional Autonomous
Corporation of the Basins of the
Negro and Nare Rivers (Corporación
Autónoma Regional de las Cuencas
de los Ríos Negro y Nare (Cornare)),
whereas 35 of those applied for
could affect four additional special
management areas (many studies
MEDELLÍN
Ríonegro
La Fe
show that sediments from mining
can have a high concentration of
heavy metals and therefore cause
harmful effects on human health and
on the equipment of hydroelectric
and water treatment plants).
Protection of native forests is essential for
biodiversity conservation and maintenance of
ecosystem services such as water supply.
Guatapé
El Peñol
La Unión
KEY LESSONS
01 The first step to promote
policy decisions that
work in favor of water security for
the cities consists in recording
accurate information on the impact
of human activities that affect it,
in this case mining, urbanization
8.12 km and deforestation.
Urban Water Security
02 It is essential to recognize
that the functioning of a
city is to a great extent supported by
ecosystems that are outside of its
jurisdiction. A message that
transmits this information could be
an important tool for sensitization in
dealing with the challenges of water
security faced by a region such as
the Valle de Aburrá.
03
A simple analysis of the
increased cost of water
purification and due to shortening
the useful life of reservoirs under-
lines the importance of conserving
these forests in terms of the
cost-benefit relationship of invest-
ment to acquire and preserve forests
in basins that protect the reservoirs,
without even the need to appeal to
social responsibility or altruism.
04
A recent study10 found
that the purchase of
important properties for the
protection of water resources can
generate economic gains 100 times
the value of the investment. That is
because an initiative of this kind
would guarantee a supply of
ecosystem services that includes a
reduction in the amount of sedi-
ments that reach the reservoirs,
dilution of pollutants, CO2 storage
and capture, oxygen production and
erosion reduction, among others.
Quote as: Álvarez-Dávila, E., Restrepo, Z., González,
S., Zea, J., Anaya, J. Urban water security: The
impact of deforestation on the reservoirs that supply
Medellín. P. 188-191. In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban
Nature. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá D. C.,
Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 191
 Green Indices and
21.7: VERY LOW ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY In terms of management, the results lead to The air quality indicator showed the greatest
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences

Green Indices and Indicators

7 de 11 the conclusion that there are strengths in the proportion of invalid or unrepresentative information,
5 de 6 management by the environmental authorities of so that only the information from Bogotá (PM10) and

Indicators
12 de 16 (70.5 %) Bogotá, Medellín and Cali and weaknesses in the Medellín (PM10 and PM2.5) could be validated. The
BARRANQUILLA governmental environmental establishments in representativeness of the information is a critical
the Caribbean region. The institutional capacity of element that made it impossible to determine the
SOLEDAD the urban environmental authorities with low ICAU behavior of certain key environmental indicators
(27.0): LOW ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Urban areas with a population greater scores must therefore be carefully reviewed, given associated with urban environmental quality,
5 de 11 than 500,000 inhabitants and results from that their work focuses on the urban area. particularly air quality, noise, solid wastes made use of
5 de 6 the Urban Environmental Quality Index and the area constructed with criteria of sustainability.
10 de 16 (58.9 %) Source: Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo
FIRST EXERCISE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL Sostenible (2015).
Weakness has been found in the regional autonomous
CARTAGENA corporations in developing comprehensive strategies The indicators of greatest complexity in drafting the
QUALITY MEASUREMENT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL WITHOUT CALCULATING THE INDEX for urban environmental management that affects the report were: percentage of area constructed with
100 km
2 de 11 (18.18 %) environmental quality of the cities in their jurisdiction. criteria of sustainability, solid wastes made use of
2 de 6 (33.3 %) That is partly because they have historically focused and urban population exposed to noise greater than
4 de 16 (23.5 %) their efforts on the rural areas. permissible levels.

Adriana Díaz Arteaga, Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development | CÚCUTA
Sandra Isabel Granados-Avellaneda, Independent consultant | Andrea Yinneth Saldaña
6.5: VERY LOW ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Barahona, Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development
5 de 11
5 de 6
AFTER ADOPTING A NEW URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT POLICY, 10 de 16 (58.9 %) relevant elements of the status of Quality Report for cities with
THE MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT environmental quality and manage- populations between 30,000 and
CREATED A TOOL TO MEASURE THE PROGRESS OF COLOMBIAN CITIES IN ment by environmental authorities 500,000 inhabitants. The purpose of
THIS RESPECT. THE URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INDEX (ICAU, FROM ITS and territorial entities in the urban this entity is to publish periodic
BUCARAMANGA
SPANISH ACRONYM) IS EXPECTED TO BE A USEFUL TECHNICAL INSTRUMENT areas. Above all, the ICAU seeks to reports every two years to identify
35.9: LOW ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
TO SUPPORT PUBLIC POLICY DECISIONS AND BECOME AN ELOQUENT 8 de 11 enhance and strengthen certain trends, information gaps and critical
INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIAL PRECEDENT. 5 de 6 technical capacities of the territorial aspects of urban environmental
13 de 16 (76.4 %)
entities and environmental authorities management in Colombia, position-
to support them in fulfilling their legal ing this tool as the main starting
SHOWING THE WAY tors for follow-up and impact on the MEDELLÍN responsibilities in this sphere. The point for monitoring urban environ-
55.5: MEDIUM ENVIRONMENTAL
objectives and goals of the policy. methodology of the ICAU report was mental quality at the national level.
QUALITY
In 2008, the Ministry of the Environ- Thus, from 2011 to 2012, the Ministry 8 de 11 designed as an exercise to be carried In the group of cities with
ment, Housing and Territorial developed, socialized and consolidat- 5 de 6 out by the environmental authorities populations greater than 500,000
13 de 16 (76.4 %)
Development (now the Ministry of ed the Urban Environmental Quality in coordination with the territorial inhabitants, a medium to low trend in
Environment and Sustainable Index (Indice de Calidad Ambiental entities, which is why the Ministry has urban environmental quality was
Development) adopted the Urban Urbana (ICAU)), while also beginning BOGOTÁ held workshops and working groups identified (the index was calculated for
Environmental Management Policy. efforts to progressively implement it in 50.9: MEDIUM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY over the past three years. With eight of the nine possible urban areas:
9 de 11
This established directives for three groups of prioritized cities: implementation of the ICAU, urban the exception was Cartagena). On the
6 de 6
sustainable management of urban IBAGUÉ 15 de 16 (88.2 %) environmental quality information other hand, no urban areas were
areas, along with guidelines to • Cities with populations greater 45,2: MEDIUM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY from at least 128 cities will be found to have a very high or high
contribute towards the quality of life of than 500,000 inhabitants. 7 de 11 delivered, involving a total urban urban environmental quality index.
5 de 6
Instituto Humboldt

their populations in light of the
regional diversity and the types of
urban areas that exist in Colombia.
Additionally, the Ministry has been
working through the Directorate of
Sectorial and Urban Environmental
192 Affairs, to identify and define indica-
• Cities with populations between
100,000 and 500,000 inhabitants.
• Cities with populations of less
than 100,000 inhabitants.
This instrument gathers information
using 16 indicators for the most
population of 29,763,961 inhabitants, The indicators with low scores,
12 de 16 (70.5 %)
in other words, 63.2% of the total according to the established
UMP
national population. reference values, were for protected
After the national report on cities urban areas included in the POT with II
CALI Urban Environmental Quality Index result
with more than 500,000 inhabitants, the Environmental Management Plan
Total direct indicators reported
33.0: LOW ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Total indirect indicators reported the Ministry published its first in execution, quality of surface water,
7 de 11
6 de 6
Total indicators with ballot report National Urban Environmental effective public space per inhabi- 193
13 de 16 (76.4 %)

Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
a.
i.
7.27
h.
7.72
1.14
1.12
g.
f.
tant and urban protection lands
included in the POT with conflicts
over land use. At the same time, the
very high and high scores are
essentially concentrated in the urban
population indicators associated with
strategies for environmental
education and residential energy
consumption per inhabitant.
Instituto Humboldt
AN APPROACH TO GREEN AREAS
For the purposes of illustration, it is a
good idea to examine one of the
indicators that are part of the ICAU:
the amount of green surface area per
194 inhabitant. Urban green areas are
10
b.
8 9.36
6
4
c.
2 and Municipal Administrative Planning
5.93
7.39
d.
e.
constituted by the set of public or
private open spaces covered by
vegetation (trees, shrubs, grass or
plants), such as parks, forests,
university campuses, country clubs,
road separators, gardens and front
yards, elements that provide the city
with areas for recreation, exercise
and entertainment, while at the same
time regulating climate, reducing air
pollution and noise pollution, and
which also help to control flooding,
among other benefits.
The results for this indicator
show that Medellín is the only city in
this group in which urban green
areas are greater than the 9 m2 per
Figure 1. Urban green surface per inhabitant.
Source: Ministry of Environment and Sustainable
Development (2015).
a. Bogotá, D. C. (3.9 m2)
Source: Directorate of Planning and
Environmental Information Systems, District
Secretariat of Environment (SDA).
b. Medellín (9.36 m2)
Source: Environmental Subdirectorate, Área
Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá (AMVA).
c. Cali (5.93 m2)
Source: Administrative Department of
Environmental Management (Dagma)
Department of Cali (DAPM).
d. Barranquilla (7.39 m2)
Source: Administrative Department of the
Environment of Barranquilla (Damab).
e. Cartagena (1.12 m2)
Source: Establecimiento Público Ambiental
de Cartagena (EPA)
f. Cúcuta (1.14 m2)
g.
Source: Corporación Autónoma Regional de
la Frontera Nororiental (Corponor)
Soledad (did not report)
Source: Corporación Autónoma Regional del
Atlántico (CRA)
h. Bucaramanga (7.72 m2)
Source: Área Metropolitana de
Bucaramanga (AMB)
i. Ibagué (7.27 m2)
Source: Corporación Autónoma Regional del
Tolima (Cortolima)
inhabitant recommended by the
World Health Organization (WHO). In
terms of green areas, it is followed
by Bucaramanga, Barranquilla and
Ibagué, with amounts greater than
7 m per inhabitant. It is evident,
2
however, that there is a deficit in
most of the urban areas of this
group, particularly in the cities of
Cartagena and Cúcuta, where the
amount of green space per inhabi-
tant is less than 2 m . 2
It should be pointed out that the
information provided by the cities of
Bogotá and Cúcuta corresponds
only to the effective green zones (the
ones that are part of the effective
public space) and excludes private
urban green areas. In contrast, the
reports from the cities of Medellín,
Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga and
Ibagué include not only public urban
green areas but also private ones,
when measuring the indicator.
KEY LESSONS
01
The Ministry of Environ-
ment and Sustainable
Development has understood that
analyzing the environmental
situation of Colombian cities based
on information about indicators such
as this, and the others that are part
of the ICAU, will make it possible to
improve urban environmental
management, decision-making and
the establishment of environmental
priorities in their policies.
02 The National Urban
Environmental Quality
Report (Informe Nacional de Calidad
Ambiental Urbana)1, which will be
the starting point for evaluating this
topic at the national level, generally
identified a low culture of generation
and reporting of urban environmen-
tal information by the environmental
authorities and territorial entities (it is
difficult to gain access to timely
reports and their frequent revisions
and adjustments).
03 The big problems of
timeliness, availability and
representativeness in quality urban
environmental information to a large
extent have to do with the limited
capacity of the environmental
authorities and territorial entities in
terms of human, technological,
cartographic and financial resources.
But it is also because, given the need
for quality environmental information
at the urban scale, the environmental
authorities need to improve their
management in order to opportunely
serve the municipalities.
04
It is essential to continue
efforts to strengthen the
technical capacities of the environ-
mental authorities and territorial
entities, prioritizing coordination and
joint efforts between the Urban
Environmental Authorities and the
Regional Autonomous Corporations
(CAR, from the Spanish acronym) in
managing the large urban centers.
05 The CAR with jurisdiction
in urban areas that have
historically focused their efforts on in
the rural areas need to advance in
the development of comprehensive
strategies for Urban Environmental
Management that would lead to
improvement of the cities.
06
Although great efforts
have been made to
develop indicators and improve
information management with the
environmental authorities and
territorial entities, certain gaps
persist at various levels: in the
homogenization of methodologies
for calculation, the incorporation of
certain indicators that adequately
reflect the essential aspects with a
view to implementation of urban
environmental management and,
above all, in the availability of the
information.
07 During the exercise to
construct the indicator for
green areas, it was found that the
urban green surface concept tends
to be confused with that of the
Green Indices and Indicators
effective green zone, which is
understood as the soft zone or
surface covered by vegetation that is
part of the public space. It is
important to clarify that for the ICAU,
this indicator includes all areas with
natural values present in the urban
perimeter, including wetlands, as well
as others that are private property.
08
Although the process of
construction and reporting
of the indicator makes it possible to
conclude that it is vital to analyze
the situation of green areas in the
cities of Colombia, to do so it is a
priority to reflect on the concept and
the environmental objectives of the
design and management of the
green areas, along with all of the
institutional and social actors
involved. This with a view to
guaranteeing better understanding
of the principles and objectives of
biodiversity management that are
involved, along with greater
knowledge about the social benefits
from the ecosystem services that
they provide.
09 It is necessary to take into
account indicators that,
beyond quantity, show the quality of
the green areas in Colombia.
Quote as: Díaz A., Granados-Avellaneda, S.,
Saldaña, A. Green indices and indicators:
First exercise in urban environmental quality
measurement at the national level. P. 192-195.
In: Mejía M. A. (ed.). Urban Nature. Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt. Bogotá D. C., Colombia. 2017. P. 216. 195
Appendix
 Glossary
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Air pollution: Phenomenon of accumulation or concentration of pollutants in the air
(Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial, 2006).
Amphibious culture: Describes the Riverside culture that is reproduced in rivers,
streams, hillsides, river rock beaches, marshes and rainforests. In these cases, water
currents produce a linear population along with forms of relationship with nature, as well
as special landholding patterns (Borda, 2002).
Biomass: All organic material that comes from trees, plants and animal wastes and
which can be converted into energy, or from agriculture (wastes from corn, coffee, rice,
macadamia), from sawmills (pruning, branches, sawdust, bark) and from urban wastes
(wastewater, organic trash and others). This is the oldest form of renewable energy
known to man, because it has been used since our ancestors discovered the secret of fire
(Biomass Users Network, 2002).
Buffer area: A land or aquatic area around another that it protects, regulating, resisting,
absorbing or excluding undesirable developments, as well as other types of intrusions
(Subgerencia Cultural del Banco de la República, 2015).
Collective mapping: Process of creation that subverts the place of enunciation to
challenge the predominant narratives about the landscapes based on the day-to-day
knowledge and experiences of the participants (Risler y Ares, 2013).
Dendrophenogram: Fourner created the dendrophenogram to graphically present
the phenological behavior of trees (percentage of foliage, flowering or fruiting). The
dendrophenogram consists of a horizontal axis that represents time in months and a vertical
one with percentage scales that represents the phenological characteristics (Fournier, 1976).
Ecological connectivity: Strategy for biodiversity conservation through landscape
planning and management to guarantee viability of the ecosystems (Ramírez et al., 2008).
Ecological corridor: The name given to a strip of vegetation that joins together large
areas of forest or protected areas separated by human activity (highways, agricultural,
breaches opened by forest clearing, etc.), to provide free transit among the fauna through
the protected areas, and therefore, of the genetics among the species (Leite, s.f.).
Ecological functionality: AInvolves more than the physical connectivity between areas,
considering the specific factors that facilitate the movement of species and ecological
processes (Meiklejohn et al., 2009).
Ecological resilience: The ability of a system to absorb disturbances, maintain its identity
(basic structure and ways of functioning) and continue providing ecosystem services
in the necessary magnitude and frequency to sustain the human needs and ecological
processes of the biophysical systems. Resilience depends on the ecological dynamic, as
well as the organization and institutional capacity to understand, manage and respond to
this dynamic (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005).
Ecological restoration: Strategy implemented to improve degraded ecosystems,
foreseeing future damages and also permitting the zone to recover some of the
Instituto Humboldt
characteristics of nature that it used to have, but combined with the conditions of urban
frontier that predominate (Winterhalder et al., 2004).
Ecological support structure: In the context of Manizales, it is defined as the
interconnected system of areas that sustain essential ecological processes of the
landscape and for the supply of ecosystem services (current and future), with the aim
of providing support capacity for the socioeconomic and cultural development of the
population (POT Manizales).
Ecosystem services: These are the benefits that society obtains from the ecosystems.
They include the services of provision such as food, water, wood, fibers; services
198
of regulation, which have a direct impact on climate, floods, diseases, waste
management and water quality; cultural services that provide aesthetic, spiritual and
recreational values; and support services such as soil composition, nutrient cycling and
photosynthesis, among others (Millennium Ecosystems Assessment, 2005). The definition
and categorization proposed by the Millennium Ecosystems Assessment (MEA) is the
broadest and most widely disseminated because it summarizes the role of ecosystems
and their functional diversity in the generation of a cascade of processes, functions and
benefits that are provided by the ecosystems.
◦◦ Services of provision: Services that describe the exit of materials or energy from the
ecosystems.
◦◦ Services of regulation: The benefits obtained from regulation of the processes of the
ecosystems such as climate, water, air and soil quality or by controlling floods and
diseases, among others.
◦◦ Cultural services: These include intangible benefits that people receive through contact with
the ecosystems, in other words, aesthetic, spiritual and psychological benefits.
◦◦ Support services: These services sustain all of the others. Ecosystems provide spaces
for life or habitats for plants and animals and maintain their diversity (MEA, 2005).
Effective Public Space (EPE, from its Spanish acronym): For the purposes of
guaranteeing planning and managing the public space of the POT, and fundamentally to
monitor its quantitative and qualitative deficit in the cities, article 14 of Decree 1504 of
1998 established the category of Effective Public Space (Espacio Público Efectivo), which
corresponds to public space of a permanent character, consisting of green zones, parks,
plazas and plazoletas. For measurement purposes, an indicator was established for public
space per inhabitant and a minimum EPE index of 15 m2 (MADS et al., 2012).
Foraging Association: Group of individuals who share an exploited food resource,
technique, substrate and vegetation (Stiles y Rosselli, 1998; Soriano, 2000).
Green infrastructure: Refers to all natural, seminatural and artificial networks of
ecological systems located within, around and between urban zones at all spatial scales.
The introduction of this concept seeks to improve the system of interconnected urban
green spaces in a manner coherent with planning of the cities, conservation of biodiversity
and promotion of human well-being (Tzoulas et al., 2007).
Governance: Process of coordination of actors, social groups and institutions to collectively
achieve defined goals in fragmented environments characterized by uncertainty (Le Galès, 1998).
Management categories: These are defined in accordance with the governance
model, in other words, the responsible authorities for a protected area. The IUCN
defines four categories:
◦◦ Governance by the government: management delegated by the government.
◦◦ Shared governance: collaborative management with diverse degrees of influence and
cross-border management.
◦◦ Private governance: exercised by individual property owners and profit-making and
nonprofit organizations.
◦◦ Governance by indigenous peoples and local communities: conserve landscapes
declared and led by indigenous peoples and local communities (Trzyna, 2014).
Native forest: The definition of native or primary forest can vary, but the central
notion is that it involves a forest that has been practically unchanged by human
activity for a long period of time (except for use by indigenous and native
communities that maintain a traditional lifestyle). The United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines primary forests as those in which native
species regenerate naturally, where there is no evidence of the footprint of human
activities and in which ecological processes have not been significantly altered
(Asociación de Cooperación en materia de Bosques, s.f.).
Natural morphology: Understood as the form of the landscape, mainly determined by the
natural relief and indentations through which the streams flow (Aponte et al., s.f.).
Particulate Material (PM): The pollutant that has been most significantly associated
with events of mortality and morbidity in the population (Pope and Dockery, 2006). It
is classified according to its diameter, the characteristic that determines the intensity
of its impacts. There are two commonly used metrics to classify particulate material:
particles less than 10 microns, known as PM10, and particles smaller than 2.5 microns,
known as PM2.5. In this manner, two fractions can be distinguished among the PM10:
the course fraction, in other words between 2.5 and 10 microns, and a fine fraction that
measures less than 2.5 microns (Ministerio del Medio Ambiente, 2011).
Pest management: Management of pests using biological, cultural and physical controls
so that the use of low toxicity chemical controls will be the last resort (University of
California Agriculture and Natural Resources, s.f.).
Phenology: The study of biological phenomena that fit into a certain periodical rhythm,
such as germination, flowering, maturation of fruit, etc. Naturally, these phenomena are
associated with the climate of the area in which they occur; and vice versa, consequences
associated with climate, and above all microclimate, can be derived from the phenology,
when neither the one nor the other is duly known. (Font Quer, 2001).
Art of observing the phases of the lifecycle of plants and animals and their temporal
occurrence throughout the year (Lieth, 1970).
Pollination: Transference of pollen (male cells) to the female part of the flower to
facilitate fertilization, and therefore the production of fruits and seeds. In tropical land
areas, this transference is mainly performed by animals such as insects, birds and
bats (Pantoja et al., 2014).
Principal ecological structure: Set of natural and seminatural ecosystems that have
sufficient location, size, connections and health to guarantee maintenance of the integrity
of the biodiversity and the provision of environmental services (water, soils, biological
resources and climate) as a means to guarantee satisfaction of the basic needs of the
inhabitants and perpetuation of life (Ideam et al., 2003).
Set of biotic and abiotic elements that sustain the essential ecological processes of the
landscape, whose main objective is the preservation, conservation, restoration, use and
sustainable management of renewable natural resources, which provide support capacity
for socioeconomic development of the populations (Decree 3600 of 2007).
Precautionary principle: When there is a danger of serious or irreversible damage, a lack
of absolute scientific certainty must not be used as a reason for postponing the adoption
of effective measures to prevent environmental degradation (Law 99 of 1993).
Protected area: According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN), a
protected area is a geographical space that is clearly defined, recognized and managed
to achieve conservation of nature and its ecosystems associated with long-term services
and values, by means of legal and other measures (Dudley, 2008).
Quality public space: Visible landscape, accessible to all and with a marked character of
centrality, in other words, easily recognizable for a determined or undetermined group of
people, who in the first place assign it an unrestricted and daily use, and secondly, if they
do not directly make use of it, identify themselves with it as a part of the city that could
possibly receive them without offering resistance. This implies that it must be conceived
as having the capacity for adaptation, in other words, with sufficient openness to accept
the installation of a multiplicity of activities and with adaptability to new uses (García, s.f.).
Seed bank: Set of viable seeds that are accumulated in the soil and are well buried or
mixed in with the fallen leaves in a particular area of forests or brush (Marañón, s.f.).
Social Cartography (SC): A working technique that enables community members along
with academics, professionals, public servants and other social actors to sit at a table and
share, discuss and agree upon points of view, information and knowledge about the reality
of a particular landscape (Red Académica de Bogotá, s.f.).
Glossary
Socioecological system: Also called the socioecosystem, it results from the process of
coevolution between human systems and ecosystems (Martín-López et al., 2009).
Socio-environmental conflicts: This concept basically refers to certain practices for use
and exploitation of natural resources that, because they degrade the ecosystems, can
lead to movements, modifications, changes and/or lack of coordination in the structure of
relationships among diverse actors within societies. Three situations can be distinguished
that generate scenarios of socioenvironmental conflicts:
◦◦ The simple scarcity that arises from use of natural resources.
◦◦ Large-scale population movements due to environmental change.
◦◦ Deficits in the political and legal structure that govern the exploitation of resources and
the distribution of the benefits (Bedoya et al., 2010).
Seedling: The embryo already developed as the result of germination; newborn plant
(Font Quer, 2001).
Systems for social management of the landscape: A social organizational form that
groups together strategies and instruments to manage the landscape and guarantee its
proper organization and solid governance (Montenegro et al., 2015).
Urban acupuncture: Specific, structured and strategic interventions that can
generate significant challenges in the sectors where they are implemented. They
can also be more effective than implementing much more costly and lengthy macro
projects (Lerner, 2003).
Specific actions aimed at revitalizing or consolidating sectors that have a process of
deterioration or require timely attention (Moreno, 2014).
Urban acupuncture, from the experience of the Fundación Cerros de Bogotá, can
be defined as low-budget specific and strategic interventions carried out in this case
in the Umbral Cultural Horizontes, aimed at unleashing processes of appropriation and
sensitization and providing greater visibility at the urban scale of the Cerros Orientales
(Eastern Hills) of Bogotá.
Urban ecosystem services: Urban ecosystems are particularly important in the
provision of services with a direct impact on human health and safety. For example,
services such as air purification, noise mitigation, climate regulation and runoff
mitigation. Nonetheless, for ecosystem services to become more relevant at a
particular scale varies significantly according to the environmental and socioeconomic
characteristics of a specific geographic context. Based on the Millennium Ecosystems
Assessment classification and The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB),
Gómez-Baggethun and collaborators (2013) propose the following classification of
services offered by urban ecosystems:
◦◦ Services of provision: Production of food and water supply.
◦◦ Services de regulation: Pollination and seed dispersion, microclimate regulation,
moderation of extreme climate events, noise reduction, runoff reduction, air
purification, waste processing and global climate regulation.
◦◦ Cultural services: Recreation and physical and mental health, cognitive development,
“sense of place” and social cohesion.
◦◦ Support services: Habitat for biodiversity.
Urban environmental quality: Interaction as a whole of interrelated human and
environmental factors that favorably or unfavorably influence the quality of life of the
inhabitants of a city (Nichol and Wong, 2005).
Urban metabolism: Refers to the balance between the resources consumed and
produced by the city, along with the sub-products derived from the activities carried out
(Conke and Ferreira, 2015).
Urban morphology: Understood as the form of occupation, configuration of the open
common space and appropriation of a particular landscape, represented in the multiple
matters of settlement and adaptation (Aponte et al., s.f.).
199
 Behind the
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Experiences
EXPANDED INFORMATION
SEEDS OF MODERNITY (PAGE 18)
The beginnings of treeplanting in Medellín and its conflicts.
Author
Diego Alejandro Molina Franco, neodial@gmail.com, Universidad de Reading, Inglaterra.
Notes
1. 1. The information presented here is part of the research by the author as part of their
Master’s Thesis in Geography, which is called ‘La ciudad, sus árboles y los cuerpos’ (The
City, its Trees and Bodies). ‘El Proceso de Modernización de Medellín (1890-1950)’ (The
Modernization Process of Medellín) will be published by the Universidad de Antioquia and
will provide greater depth about the topics presented in the text.
2. Carrasquilla (2009).
Bibliography
Carrasquilla, T. Enredos e incongruencias. En: La ciudad y sus cronistas. Instituto
Tecnológico Metropolitano (ITM). 2009. ISBN: 9589728375. Medellín, Colombia.
A BIODIVERSE PLAN (PAGE 24)
Lessons about landscape management in Santiago de Cali
Authors
Dafna Camila Ángel E., angeldafna@yahoo.com.mx. Consultant on environmental
matters, Departamento Administrativo de Planeación Municipal de Santiago de Cali.
María Teresa Alarcón A., mtalarcon08@gmail.com, Consultant on environmental
matters, Departamento Administrativo de Planeación Municipal de Santiago de Cali.
Collaborators
Esperanza Cruz M. Independent Advisor and Consultant on Urban-Regional Planning.
Susana Cardona C. Departamento Administrativo de Planeación Municipal.
Andrés Prieto R. Departamento Administrativo de Planeación Municipal.
Alexandro Banda R. Departamento Administrativo de Planeación Municipal.
Notes
1. All of the complete documents of the POT, its cartography and technical support
documents can be downloaded from the webpage of the Municipio de Santiago de Cali
www.cali.gov.co, in the link for the POT. Additionally, the cartography can be viewed
using the link for the Infraestructura de Datos Espaciales de Santiago de Cali (IDESC).
Bibliography
Instituto Humboldt
Corporación Autónoma Regional del Valle del Cauca (CVC). SOS por el Valle del Cauca-
Síntesis Ambiental Urbana Municipio de Cali. 2008.
Corporación Autónoma Regional del Valle del Cauca (CVC). Plan de ordenación y
manejo de la cuenca hidrográfica del río Jamundí. 2010.
Corporación Autónoma Regional del Valle del Cauca (CVC). Plan de ordenación y
manejo de la cuenca hidrográfica del río Cali. 2011.
Corporación Autónoma Regional del Valle del Cauca (CVC), Departamento
Administrativo de Gestión del Medio Ambiente (DAGMA) y Empresas Municipales de Cali.
Plan de Gestión Ambiental Municipal (PGAM), 2012-2015.
Departamento Administrativo de Gestión del Medio Ambiente (DAGMA), Universidad
ICESI. Estructura física espacial del modelo de conectividad ecológica y análisis de los
200
instrumentos jurídicos aplicables a la protección del patrimonio ecológico y prevención de
los riesgos ambientales en la comuna 22 de Santiago de Cali. 2010.
Departamento Administrativo de Gestión del Medio Ambiente (DAGMA). Protocolo de
restauración ecológica para el manejo de incendios forestales de los ecosistemas propios
de las zonas de vida predominantes en la cuenca media-alta de los ríos Meléndez, Lili y
Cañaveralejo, y de los cerros tutelares de Cali. 2010.
Márquez, G. y Valenzuela, E. Estructura ecológica y ordenamiento territorial ambiental:
aproximación conceptual y metodológica a partir del proceso de ordenación de cuencas
En: Gestión y ambiente. Agosto 12 de 2008. V. 11. Pp. 137-148.
Pérez, M. y Rojas, J. Proyecto Cali visión 2036. Eje temático desarrollo territorial
y medio ambiente “problemas ambientales en el municipio de Santiago de Cali”.
Universidad del Valle. 55 p. 2009. Santiago de Cali, Colombia.
The World Bank. Colombia Urbanization Review: Amplifying the Gains from the Urban
Transition. 2011. Washington, Estados Unidos.
Vélez, L. Paisajismo y ecología del paisaje en la gestión de arborización en las calle.
Revista gestión y ambiente. Mayo de 2007. V. 10. Pp. 131-140.1.
MAPPED NATURE (PAGE 30)
Collective construction of a map of wetlands for Bogotá
Author
Jorge Emmanuel Escobar Moreno, jorge@humedalesbogota.com, Founder and
Director, Fundación Humedales de Bogotá.
Bibliography
Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá, D. C. Política de humedales del distrito capital. 2005.
Bogotá, Colombia. Disponible en: [http://ambientebogota.gov.co/c/document_library/
get_file?uuid=b3186a1c-c2a6-4cae-8e85-3eaecfee4fb7&groupId=55886].
Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca. Acta constitución
eje uso del suelo. 2014. Disponible en: [https://www.car.gov.co/index.
php?idcategoria=50718&download=Y]. Acceso: diciembre 15 de 2015.
Fundación Humedales Bogotá. Disponible en: [www.humedalesbogota.com].
Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente. Humedales. Disponible en: [http://ambientebogota.gov.
co/web/sda/humedales]. Acceso: diciembre 15 de 2015.
SOURCE OF LIFE (PAGE 38)
Rediscovering the Alto de San Miguel
Authors
Luz Marina Zuluaga Gómez, luzma.zuluaga@medellin.gov.co, University Professional,
Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de Medellín.
Luis Felipe Molina Rojas, femoro13@gmail.com, Coordinator, Refugio de Vida Silvestre
Alto de San Miguel.
Carmen Florinda Londoño Zapata, florys97@yahoo.com, support professional Convenio
Secretaría de Ambiente de Medellín and Junta de Acción Comunal La Clara.
URBAN ACCUPUNCTURE (PAGE 44)
Ecological and social connectivity on the eastern border of Bogotá
Authors
Diana Wiesner Ceballos, dianawiesner@dianawiesner.com, Director, Fundación Cerros
de Bogotá.
Luisa Fernanda González Cortés, luisagonzalez@cerrosdebogota.org, Project
Coordinator, Fundación Cerros de Bogotá.
Lina María Hoyos Rojas, linamariahoyos@cerrosdebogota.org, anthropologist,
coordinator of the Red de Colegios project - Fundación Cerros de Bogotá, Fundación
Cerros de Bogotá.
Collaborators
Diana M. Salazar Moreno, landscape architect, Coordinator of EU Architecture and
Landscape Projects, dianasalazar@arquitecturaypaisaje.com.co, Bogotá.
Paola Andrea Gañan Alzate. Political sciences student. Universidad Nacional de
Colombia. Ninth semester a.ganan@cerrosdebogota.org. Trainee FCB. Bogotá.
Nicolás del Campo Acero. Architect. EU Architecture and Landscape work team.
ndelcampo@cerrosdebogota.org Bogotá (illustrations).
Andrea C. Bernal Zabaleta. Architecture student. Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano.
Ninth semester. EU architecture and landscape trainee. andrea.bernal@cerrosdebogota.
org Bogotá (illustrations).
Bibliography
Zusman, P. y Salazar, D. La valorización del paisaje de ciénaga por medio de
la intervención artística en La Boquilla, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Trabajo de
investigación. Maestría en Arquitectura Paisajista. 2014. Córdoba, Argentina.
A TALE OF FOUR CITIES (PAGE 50)
Natural urban assets of Subsaharan Africa
Authors
Russell Galt, russellamgalt@gmail.com, Project coordinator, South African National
Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi); Member of the Advisory Council for the Urban Natural Assets
Initiative for Africa / Outgoing.
Georgina Avlonitis, gigiavlo@gmail.com, Officer at the Center for Cities and
Biodiversity, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI); Project
Manager for Urban Natural Assets Initiative for Africa / Outgoing
Notes
1. World Bank (2015).
2. Bloomberg (2015).
3. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2014).
4. World Bank (2015).
5. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005).
6. See for example: The Nature of Cities (2015).
7. See for example: The Nature of Cities (2015).
8. De Wit M., Van Zyl H., Crookes D., Blignaut J., Jayiya T., Goiset V., Mahumani B., (2009).
9. See: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (2015).
10. Population data acquired from: UN-Habitat (2014).
Behind the Experiences
11. Chingana, L.A. (2013).
12. Tadesse G., Peden D., McCornick P.
13. Senzota, R. (2012).
14. South African National Biodiversity Institute (2015).
15. Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (2015).
16. Comprehensive reports of the consultative workshops can be downloaded from the
project website: http://cbc.iclei.org/una_cities (accessed: 10 Jul. 2015)
17. For further information see: Nipe Fagio (2015).
18. For diverse perspectives on the state of biodiversity information management in
Africa, see: SANBI (2015).
19. City of Cape Town (2015).
20. Government of Malawi (2015).
21. Di Castri, S. and Gidvani, L. (2014).
22. Dorse, C., Rossouw, A. and Ilrich, U. (2012).
23. De Wit M., Van Zyl H., Crookes D., Blignaut J., Jayiya T., Goiset V. and Mahumani, B.
(2009).
Bibliography
Chingana, L. A. City of Lilongwe Biodiversity Report. Lilongwe City Council. 2013.
P. 3. Lilongüe, Malaui. Disponible en: [http://cbc.iclei.org/Content/Docs/LLC%20
BIODIVERSITY%20REPORT%20FINAL.pdf]. Acceso: julio 10 de 2015.
De Wit, M.; Van Zyl, H.; Crookes, D.; Blignaut, J.; Jayiya, T.; Goiset, V. y Mahumani, B. Investing
in Natural Assets: A business case for the environment in the City of Cape Town. 2009. P. 5.
Lilongwe Wildlife Trust. Lilongwe Wildlife Centre. 2015. Disponible en: [http://www.
lilongwewildlife.org/programmes/rescue-rehabilitation/lilongwe-wildlife-centre/]. Acceso:
julio 10 de 2015.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis.
Island Press. 2005. P. vi. ISBN: 1-59726-040-1.
Robinson, J. The 20 Fastest-Growing Economies this Year. 2015. Disponible en:
[http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-25/the-20-fastest-growing-
economies-this-year].
Sanbi (Biodiversity for Life, South Africa National Biodiversity Institute). Africa Rising:
Mobilising Biodiversity Data for Sustainable Development. 2015. Disponible en: [http://
biodiversityadvisor.sanbi.org/participation/mobilising-africas-biodiversity-data/africa-
rising-march-2015-cape-town/]. Acceso: julio 10 de 2015.
Senzota, R. Wildlife mortality on foot paths of the University of Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania. Tropical Ecology. 2012. V. 53(1). Pp. 81-92. Disponible en: [http://www.sanbi.
org/node/4595]. Acceso: julio 10 de 2015.
South African National Biodiversity Institute. Kirstenbosch – the most beautiful garden in
Africa. 2015. Disponible en: [http://www.sanbi.org/node/4595]. Acceso: julio 10 de 2015.
Tadesse, G.; Peden, D. y McCornick, P. Extent and significant use of low quality water
in agriculture: The case of Addis Ababa Catchments the upland of the Awash Basin.
S.f. Disponible en: [http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/assessment/files/word/publications/
Workshoppapers/ExtentSignificantUse.doc]. Acceso: julio 10 de 2015.
UNEP. Decoupling natural resource use and environmental impacts from economic
growth, A Report of the Working Group on Decoupling to the International Resource Panel.
Fischer-Kowalski, M.; Swilling, M.; von Weizsäcker, E. U.; Ren, Y.; Moriguchi, Y.; Crane,
201
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
W.; Krausmann, F.; Eisenmenger, N.; Giljum, S.; Hennicke, P.; Romero Lankao, P. y Siriban
Manalang, A. 2011. ISBN: 978-92-807-3167-5.
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2014).
World Urbanization Prospects: The 2014 Review, custom data acquired via website.
World Bank. Urbanization in Africa: Trends, Promises, and Challenges. 2015. Disponible
en: [http://www.worldbank.org/en/events/2015/06/01/urbanization-in-africa-trends-
promises-and-challenges]. Acceso: julio 10 de 2015.
Recommended readings
Conscience
Rosenberg, E.; Janisch, C. y Nair, N. Toolkit for evaluating the efficacy of
biodiversity communication, education and public awareness-raising activities. ICLEI
LAB, City of Cape Town. 2012.
Sanbi (Biodiversity for Life, South Africa National Biodiversity Institute). Ten compelling
case studies making the case for biodiversity. 2015. Disponible en: [http://www.sanbi.org/
news/ten-compelling-case-studies-making-case-biodiversity].
Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). Resources for Educators, Biodiversity challenge
Badge. s.f. Disponible en: [https://www.cbd.int/youth/resources/educators.shtml].
Information management
Global Biodiversity Information Facility. GBIF-ICLEI Best Practice Guide for Biodiversity
Data Publishing by Local Governments. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. 2012. Pp.
62. ISBN: 87-92020-37-2. Disponible en: [http://www.gbif.org/resource/80763].
Global Biodiversity Information Facility. About the IPT. S.f. Disponible en: [http://www.gbif.org/ipt].
iSpot, share nature. Disponible en: [http://www.ispotnature.org/communities/global].
iNaturalist. Disponible en: [https://www.inaturalist.org/].
Coordination
ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center Biodiversity. The Nature of Mainstreaming: A local
intergrated planing toolkit for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Disponible en: [http://
cbc.iclei.org/mainstreaming-toolkit].
Survey Monkey. Cree encuestas, obtenga respuestas. Disponible en: [https://
es.surveymonkey.com/].
Compliance
International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement. Chapter
2: Overview of Compliance and Enforcement Programs. Principles of Environmental
Compliance and Enforcement Handbook. 2009.
Resources
Bennett, E.; Grohmann, P. y Gentry, B. Public-Private Partnerships for the Urban
Environment. PNUD - Yale University. 1999. Nueva York.
Coat of arms of South Africa. Biodiversity Fiscal Incentives: A Framework on Fiscal
Incentives for Biodiversity. 2009.
CITIZEN BIODIVERSITY (PAGE 60)
Daily reports of wildlife in urban environments
Authors
María Fernanda Gómez Ahumada, mgomez@humboldt.org.co, Researcher, Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
María Isabel Puerta Barco, maria.soldier@gmail.com, freelance Web content creator,
Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
Notes
1. www.sibcolombia.net
Instituto Humboldt
2. https://www.facebook.com/media/
set/?set=a.456028374491206.1073741831.451911401569570&type=3
3. http://www.biodiversidad.co/
4. http://data.sibcolombia.net/
LARGE AND OLD TREES (PAGE 64)
A look at the oldest inhabitants of Medellín
Authors
Zorayda Restrepo, zetarestrepo@yahoo.es, Researcher for the SECC Group, Laboratorio
SECC de Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático (Ecosystem Services and Climate
202 Change Laboratory), Jardín Botánico de Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe, Fundación Con Vida.
Sebastián González, sebastian.gonzalez.caro@gmail.com, Researcher for the SECC
Group, Laboratorio SECC de Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático, Jardín Botánico
de Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe.
Jorge Zea Camaño, jdzeaca@gmail.com, Researcher for the SECC Group, Laboratorio
SECC de Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático, Jardín Botánico de Medellín
Joaquín Antonio Uribe.
Esteban Álvarez-Dávila, esalvarez3000@gmail.com, Coordinator of the Grupo SECC,
Laboratorio SECC de Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático, Jardín Botánico de
Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe, Fundación Con Vida.
Collaborators
Technical team for the Propuesta de Gestión Integral de Biodiversidad y Servicios
Ecosistémicos para Medellín (2013-2014) (Proposal for Comprehensive Management
of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services): Alcaldía de Medellín - Secretaría de Medio
Ambiente de Medellín (SMA), Corporación Parque Explora, Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Jardín Botánico de Medellín, Parques
Nacionales Naturales de Colombia and Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornotología (SAO).
Notes
1. Lindenmayer et al. (2012).
2. Lindenmayer et al. (2013).
3. Wright et al. (2005).
4. Toro et al (2011).
5. Alcaldía de Medellín - Secretaría de Medio Ambiente et al. (2013).
6. Howe and Smallwood (1982), Janson (1983), Arango et al. (2011), Maniguaje et al. (2011).
7. This result coincides with the studies by Stephenson et al. (2014) and Toro et al. (2013)
in the Chilean Andes, as well as studies concerning the tropical rainforests in Venezuela
(Bawa, 1990; Kress and Beach, 1994), Costa Rica (Yamamoto et al., 2007), Brasil
(Momose et al., 1998) and Malasia.
8. Kevan and Baker (1983), Freeman et al. (1991), Toro et al. (2013), Bernal and Ervick (1996).
9. Maron and Fitzsimons (2007), Lindenmayer et al. (2012).
Bibliography
Alcaldía de Medellín - Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Parque Explora, Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Jardín Botánico de Medellín,
Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia y Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología (SAO).
2013. Propuesta para la gestión integral de la biodiversidad y los servicios ecosistémicos
en Medellín. 2014. 240 p. Disponible en: [https://www.medellin.gov.co/MapGIS/siamed/
documentos/Digital/4600048433%20Libro%20Propuesta%20para%20la%20gestion%20
integral%20de%20la%20biodiversidad%20y%20los%20servicios%20ecosistemicos.pdf].
Andrade, B. M.; Oliveira-Filho, A. T. y Soares, A. R. Pollination and breeding system of
Xylopia brasiliensis Sprengel (Annonaceae) in south-eastern Brazil. Journal of tropical
ecology. 1996. V. 12(02). Pp. 313-320.
Bawa, K. S. Plant-Pollinator Interactions in Tropical Rain Forests. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst.
1990. V. 21. Pp. 399-422.
Bernal, R. y Ervik, F. Floral biology and pollination of the dioecious palm Phytelephas
seemannii in Colombia: an adaptation to staphylinid beetles. Biotropica. 1996. Pp. 682-696.
Charles, F.; Armbruster, W. S.; Wilson, P.; Dudash, M. R. y Thomson, J. D. Pollination
syndromes and floral specialization. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics.
2004. Pp. 375-403.
Fernández-M., J. F. y Sork, V. L. Mating Patterns of a subdivided population of the Andean
oak (Quercus humboldtii Bonpl., Fagaceae). Journal of Heredity. 2005. V. 96(6). Pp. 635-643.
Freeman, C. E.; Worthington, R. D. y Jackson, M. S. Floral nectar sugar compositions of
some south and southeast Asian species. Biotropica. 1991. V. 23. Pp. 568-574.
Kevan, P. G. y Baker, H. G. Insects as flower visitors and pollinators. Annual review of
entomology. 1983. V. 28(1). Pp. 407-453.
Kress, W. J. y Beach, J. H. Flowering plant reproductive systems. En: McDade, L. A.;
Bawa, K. S.; Hespenhide, H. A. y Hartshorn, G. S. (eds.). La Selva: Ecology and Natural History
of a Neotropicaal Rain Forest. The University of Chicago Press. Pp. 161-182. Estados Unidos.
Lindenmayer, D.B.; Laurance, W. F. y Franklin, J. F. Global decline in large old trees.
Science. 2012. V. 338(6112). Pp. 1305-1306.
Lindenmayer, D. B.; Laurance, W. F.; Franklin J. F.; Likens, G.; Banks, S.; Blanchard,
W.; Gibbons, P.; Ikin, K.; Blair, D.; McBurney, L. et al. New Policies for old trees: averting a
global crissi in a keystone ecological. 2013.
Maron, M. y Fitzsimons, J. A. Agricultural intensification and loss of matrix habitat
over 23 years in the West Wimmera, south-eastern Australia. Biological Conservation.
2007. V. 135(4). Pp. 587-593.
Momose, K.; Yumoto, T.; Hagamitsu, T.; Kato, M.; Nagamasu, H.; Sakai, S.; Harrison,
R.; Itioka, T. e Inoue, T. Pollination biology in a lowland dipterocarp Forest in sarawak,
malaysia. I.characteristics of the plant-pollinator community in a lowland dipterocarp
forest. American Journal of Botany. 1998. V. 85(10). Pp. 1477-1501.
Stephenson, N. L.; Das, A. J.; Condit, R.; Russo, S. E.; Baker, P. J.; Beckman, N. G.;
Coomes, D. A.; Lines, E. R.; Morris, W. K.; Rüger, N. et al. Rate of tree carbon accumulation
increases continuously with tree size. Nature. 2014. V. 507. Pp. 90-93.
Toro, M. V.; Vásquez, E. M.; García, P.; Quiceno, D. M.; Londoño, A. y Acevedo, L. F. Inventario
de Emisiones Atmosféricas del Valle de Aburrá, año base 2011. Convenio de Asociación No.
243 de 2012. Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá, Grupo de Investigaciones Ambientales,
Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. Informe final abril de 2013. Medellín.
Wright, I. J.; Reich, P. B.; Cornelissen, J. H. C.; Falster, D. S.; Groom, P. K.; Hikosaka, K.;
Lee, W. et al. Modulation of leaf economic traits and trait relationships by climate. Global
Ecology and Biogeography. 2005. V. 14(5). Pp. 411-421.
Yamamoto, L. F.; Kinoshita, L. S. y Martins, F. R. Síndromes de polinização e de
dispersão em fragmentos da Floresta Estacional Semidecídua Montana, SP, Brasil. Acta
Bot. Bras. 2007. V. 21(3). Pp. 553-573.
ACADEMIA, BIODIVERSITY AND DEVELOPMENT (PAGE 68)
Villavicencio as a socioecological system
Authors
Clara Inés Caro Caro, clarainescaro@unillanos.edu.co, researcher, Grupo de Investigación
Gigas. ICAOC. Universidad de los Llanos.
Marco Aurelio Torres Mora, marcotorres@unillanos.edu.co, Researcher, Grupo de
Investigación Gigas. ICAOC. Universidad de los Llanos.
Sandra Liliana Parada Guevara, sparada@unillanos.edu.co, Researcher, Grupo de
Investigación Gigas. ICAOC. Universidad de los Llanos.
Juan Sebastián Durán Ahumada, sebastianklon89@gmail.com, associate researcher, Pecet
- Programa de Estudios y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Antioquia.
Notes
1. Murad (2003) y DANE (2005).
Bibliography
Acosta, D. y Daza, D. Propuesta para la generación de modelos productivos agrícolas
sostenibles en el sector de patio- bonito, vereda Buenavista de Villavicencio. Trabajo de
grado. Especialización en Gestión Ambiental Sostenible. Universidad de los Llanos. 2014.
Agudelo, M. Alternativas para el manejo adecuado de los escombros en la ciudad de
Villavicencio considerando los aspectos económico, social y ambiental. Trabajo de grado.
Maestría en Gestión Ambiental Sostenible. Universidad de los Llanos. 2014. 60 p.
Ariza-Marín, L. J. Pago por servicios ambientales asociados al recurso hídrico: un
experimento en dos veredas de la cuenca alta del río Guayuriba. Municipio de Acacías-
Meta. Trabajo de Grado. Maestría en Gestión Ambiental Sostenible. Universidad de los
Llanos. 2014. 60 p.
Bedoya, C.; Caravedo, J.; Moreno, G.; Puma, L. y Salazar, K. Guía para la
transformación de conflictos socio ambientales. PNUMA. 2010. Lima, Perú. Disponible en:
[http://www.pnuma.org/gobernanza/documentos/PC Peru/Guia para la Transformacion de
Conflictos Socioambientales.pdf].
Bernal, S. y Obando, L. Fortalecimiento gremial turístico sostenible en la vereda Apiay
del municipio de Villavicencio. Trabajo de grado. Especialización en Gestión Ambiental
Sostenible. Universidad de los Llanos. 2013.
Bolaños-Briceño, J. A. Aplicación del análisis multicriterio a la gestión ambiental de los
recursos pesqueros comerciales del río Guayuriba. Trabajo de Grado. Maestría en Gestión
Ambiental Sostenible. Universidad de los Llanos. 2014. 60 p.
Castaño, J. O.; Misle Rodríguez, R.; Lasso, L. A.; Gómez Cabrera, A. y Ocampo, M.
S. Gestión de residuos de construcción y demolición (RCD) en Bogotá: perspectivas y
limitantes. Tecnura. 2013. V. 17(38). Pp. 121-129.
Conke, L. S. y Ferreira, T. L. (2015). Urban metabolism: Measuring the city’s
contribution to sustainable development. Environmental Pollution. 2015. V. 202. Pp.
146-152. Disponible en: [http://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.03.027].
Behind the Experiences
Contraloría Municipal Villavicencio. Informe del estado de los recursos naturales y
el medio ambiente; residuos sólidos, residuos sólidos hospitalarios y similares 2010.
2011. Villavicencio, Meta. Disponible en: [http://contraloriavillavicencio.gov.co/dctos/
informe del estado de los recursos naturales y el medio ambiente del municipio de
Villavicencio 2010.pdf].
Cortés, K.; Castro, G.; González, A.; Cárdenas, E. y Lasso, C. Propuesta de
gestión que mejore las condiciones económicas sociales y ambientales en las
unidades productivas de la vereda Las Mercedes del municipio de Villavicencio.
Trabajo de grado. Especialización en Gestión Ambiental Sostenible. Universidad de
los Llanos. 2004.
Cubillos, Y. Turismo rural alternativa de desarrollo en la vereda Las Mercedes. Trabajo de
grado. Especialización en Gestión Ambiental Sostenible. Universidad de los Llanos. 2014.
Departamento Distrital de Estadisticas (DANE). Censo General de Colombia.
2005. Bogotá, Colombia.
Franco, S. Planteamiento para la construcción de visión regional de la Orinoquia desde
la observación del despliegue espacial y la organización urbano funcional de la región.
2014. Villavicencio, Meta.
Hernández, E. y Méndez, A. Propuesta de alternativa ecoturística para la vereda Apiay,
soportada en el manejo sostenible de ecosistemas estratégicos ubicados en el perímetro
del centro poblado. Trabajo de grado. Especialización en Gestión Ambiental Sostenible.
Universidad de los Llanos. 2013.
Ideam, IAvH, Invemar, SINCHI e IIAP. Informe del estado del medio ambiente y los
recursos naturales renovables 2011. 2011. Bogotá, Colombia.
Martín López, B.; Gómez Baggethun, E. y Montes, C. Un marco conceptual para
la gestión de las interacciones naturaleza- sociedad en un mundo cambiante.
Cuaderno Interdisciplinar de Desarrollo Sostenible–CUIDES. 2009. (3). Pp. 229-258.
Disponible en: [http://www.ecomilenio.es/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Martin-et-
al-2009-CUIDES.pdf].
Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADS). Política Nacional para la
Gestión Integral de la Biodiversidad y sus Servicios Ecosistemicos para Colombia
(PINGIBSE). Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible. 2012. Bogotá, Colombia.
Murad Rivera, R. 2003. Estudio sobre la distribución espacial de la población en
Colombia. Proyecto regional de población. Centro Latinoamericano y Caribeño de
Demografía (CELADE), División de Población de la CEPAL/Fondo de Población de las
Naciones Unidas (UNFPA). Serie Población y Desarrollo No 48. 67 p. Disponible en: [http://
archivo.cepal.org/pdfs/2003/S0311812.pdf].
Murillo-Pacheco, J. I.; Gutiérrez, H. L.; Echeverry-Duque, M.; Baquero-Salamanca,
G. D. y Jiménez-Vacca, D. Identificación, priorización, valoración y escenarios de
los servicios ecosistémicos en la región Llanos orientales (Arauca, Casanare, Meta
y Vichada). Proyecto Visión. Convenio marco 5211714 Unillanos – Ecopetrol. 2015.
Villavicencio, Colombia. P. 83.
Pinzón, J. y Vivas, N. Lineamientos para el plan ambiental de la zona turística de
Restrepo vereda Caney Alto. Trabajo de grado. Especialización en Gestión Ambiental
Sostenible. Universidad de los Llanos. 2008.
Salamanca, S. Lineamientos ambientales para recuperar la cultura campesina con
estrategias de agricultura orgánica con la comunidad de la microcuenca del caño
Quenane. Trabajo de grado. Especialización en Gestión Ambiental Sostenible. Universidad
de los Llanos. 2012.
Suárez, R. y Ladino, N. La agricultura urbana como alternativa para promover la
seguridad y soberanía alimentaria del centro poblado de la vereda de Santa Rosa del
Río Negro Villavicencio-Meta. Trabajo de grado. Especialización en Gestión Ambiental
Sostenible. Universidad de los Llanos. 2011.
Toro-Rodríguez, F. Diseño de un modelo de gestión de conocimiento e información
de los servicios ecosistémicos de aprovisionamiento para la cuenca alta del río Meta,
Orinoco, Colombia. Trabajo de grado. Maestría Gestión Ambiental Sostenible. Universidad
de los Llanos. 2014. 60 p.
Torres, D. C.; Baptiste, B.; Caro, C. Propuesta de gestión territorial del complejo ecológico
asociado con la laguna Carimagua, a partir de una evaluación de servicios ecosistémicos:
municipio de Puerto Gaitán–Meta. Rev. Ambiente y Sostenibilidad. 2014. (4). Pp. 79-88.
Torres, M. y Venegas, M. Una mirada al manejo ambiental sostenible en la región de la
Orinoquia. Orinoquia. 2012. V. 16(2). P. 7.
203
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Trujillo, J. y Torres, M. Evaluación de metales pesados acumulados en polvo vial en
tres sectores de la ciudad de Villavicencio, Colombia. Luna Azul. 2015. (41). Pp. 296-308.
Disponible en: [http://doi.org/10.17151/luaz.2015.41.16].
NATURAL TRANSITIONS (PAGE 72)
The Capellanía wetland and its buffer zone
Author
Mauricio Ernesto Calderón Ramírez, lesmond_morris@hotmail.com, Director,
Fundación Colombia Ambiental Jorge Zamudio. FUNCOA JZ.
Notes
1. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente (2009).
2. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente (2009).
3. Decreto 81 de 2014.
4. Red de Humedales de la Sabana de Bogotá (2015).
Bibliography
Calderón R., M. E y Puyo T., A. Evaluación de La Política Distrital de Humedales. Trabajo
de grado en modalidad de Proyecto Ambiental para optar al título de Administrador
Ambiental. Facultad del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Distrital
Francisco José de Caldas. 2011. 175 p.
Colombia. Decreto 622 de 1977 Por el cual se reglamentan parcialmente el capítulo
V, título II, parte Xlll, libro II del Decreto- Ley número 2811 de 1974 sobre «sistema
de parques nacionales»; la Ley 23 de 1973 y la Ley 2a de 1959. Diario Oficial, abril
5 de 1977. Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.
jsp?i=8265]. Acceso: mayo 5 de 2015.
Departamento Administrativo del Medio Ambiente (DAMA). Política de Humedales del
Distrito Capital. En: Tabla diagnóstico del humedal Capellanía. 2006. P. 114.
Red de humedales de la sabana de Bogotá. Propuesta en discusión en la Mesa de
Humedales y en el Consejo Consultivo de Ambiente. Abril 22 de 2015.
Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente. Plan de Manejo Ambiental Humedal Capellanía. 2009.
Disponible en: [http://ambientebogota.gov.co/planes-de-manejo-ambiental1]. Acceso:
diciembre 18 de 2015.
SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL EPICENTER (PAGE 76)
Life in Quibdó, one of the world’s most biodiverse cities
Authors
Zulia María Mena García, menazulia@yahoo.es, Mayor of Quibdó (2012-2015).
Yenecith Torres Allin, yene8025@yahoo.com, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y,
Biodiversidad, Alcaldía de Quibdó (2012-2015).
Notes
1. In 2003 el Ideam reported 12,784 mm/year in Tutunendo.
2. Gentry (1993) states that in an area of 0.1 262 species of plants have been reported with
DAP ≥ 2.5cm. Ramírez and Galeano (2011) report the presence of 3,818 individual palms in
1.5 ha that belong to 18 genuses and 29 species, corroborating the high indices of diversity
in the area. Mejía and Pino (2009) report the presence of 1,348 individual orchids, distributed
among 20 genuses and 49 species. Rentería et al. (2007) recorded 207 individual reptiles
distributed among 29 genuses and 39 species. Cuesta et al. (2007) report the presence of
21 mammals, 13 reptiles, 10 birds and 4 amphibians used as food in the community.
3. As defined in the Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial y de Gestión de Riesgo (Land
Management and Risk Management Plan).
Instituto Humboldt
Bibliography
Cuesta, R.; Valencia-Mazo, J. D. y Jiménez-Ortega, A. M. Aprovechamiento de los
vertebrados terrestres por una comunidad humana en bosques tropicales (Tutunendo,
Chocó, Colombia). Revista Institucional Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó. Investigación
Biodiversidad y Desarrollo. 2007. V. 26(2). Pp. 27-43.
Gentry, A. Riqueza de especies y composición florística de las comunidades de plantas
de la región del Chocó: Una actualización. En: Colombia Pacífico. Tomo I. Fondo FEN-
Proyecto Biopacífico-MAVDT. 1993. P. 208. Bogotá, Colombia.
Mejía, H. y Pino, N. B. Diversidad de orquídeas epífitas en un bosque húmedo tropical
(Bh-) del departamento del Chocó. 2009. Disponible en: [www.revistas.unal.edu.co/index.
204 php/actabiol/article/.../9377/16903].
Ramírez, M. G. y Galeano, G. Comunidades de palmas en dos bosques de Chocó,
Colombia. Caldasia. 2011. V. 33(2). Pp. 315-29.
Rentería M., L. E.; Rengifo M., J. T. y Moya, R. 2007. Comunidad de Reptiles presentes
en el sotobosque de la Selva Pluvial Central del Departamento del Chocó. Revista
Institucional Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó: Investigación Biodiversidad y Desarrollo.
2007. V. 26(2). Pp. 23-36.
BOTTOM-UP POLICIES (PAGE 78)
First policy of biodiversity and urban ecosystem services in Colombia
Authors
Carolina Sanín-Acevedo, carolina.sanin@parqueexplora.org. Head of Biodiversity and
Conservation, Corporación Parque Explora. Proyecto PGIBSE Medellín.
Jorge Vásquez-Muñoz, jvasquez@grupohtm.org, Researcher, Fundación Grupo HTM
Proyecto PGIBSE Medellín.
Notes
1. Alcaldía de Medellín (Office of the Mayor) and Universidad de Antioquia (2010).
2. Alcaldía de Medellín and Universidad de Antioquia (2012).
Bibliography
Alcaldía de Medellín and Universidad de Antioquia. Perfil alimentario y nutricional
de Medellín 2010. Departamento Administrativo de Planeación, Escuela de Nutrición y
Dietética de la Universidad de Antioquia. 2010. 498 p.
Alcaldía de Medellín and Universidad de Antioquia. Medicina tradicional en los Townships
de Medellín. Historias de vidas y plantas. Grupo de Estudios Botánicos, Instituto de Biología,
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad de Antioquia. 2012. 305 p.
Alcaldía de Medellín - Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Parque Explora, Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Jardín Botánico de Medellín,
Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia and Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología (SAO).
2013. Propuesta para la gestión integral de la biodiversidad y los ecosystem services
en Medellín. 2014. 240 p. Available at: [https://www.medellin.gov.co/MapGIS/siamed/
documentos/Digital/4600048433%20Libro%20Propuesta%20para%20la%20gestion%20
integral%20de%20la%20biodiversidad%20y%20los%20servicios%20ecosistemicos.pdf].
Recommended reading
Alcaldía de Medellín - Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Parque Explora, Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt y Jardín Botánico de
Medellín. Biodiversidad y servicios ecosistémicos en Medellín. Cartilla para maestros.
S.f. Disponible en: [https://www.medellin.gov.co/MapGIS/siamed/documentos/
Digital/4600048433%20de%202013%20Cartilla%20Biodiversidad%20y%20
servicios%20ecosistemicos%20en%20Medellin%20%20Cartilla%20para%20maestros.
pdf]. Acceso: diciembre 14 de 2015.
GREEN STRUCTURES (PAGE 84)
Land management planning in Manizales
Author
Tatiana Ochoa Cárdenas, tatiana.ochoa@manizales.gov.co, Coordinator of the
Environmental Component in the Review of the Landscape Management Plan (Componente
Ambiental en la Revisión del Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial), Alcaldía de Manizales.
Bibliography
Grupo HTM. Estructura ecológica principal de Manizales 2013-2025. Contrato para
actividades científicas y tecnológicas No. 291-2012. Convenio No. 1210310807 Corpocaldas
y Secretaría de Planeación de Manizales. Agosto 30 de 2013. Manizales, Colombia.
Colombia. Ley 99 de 1993, por la cual se crea el Ministerio del Medio Ambiente, se
reordena el Sector Público encargado de la gestión y conservación del medio ambiente y los
recursos naturales renovables, se organiza el Sistema Nacional Ambiental, SINA, y se dictan
otras disposiciones. Diario Oficial 41146 de diciembre 22 de 1993. Disponible en: [http://
www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=297].
Colombia. Ley 165 de 1994, por medio de la cual se aprueba el “Convenio sobre la
Diversidad Biológica”, hecho en Río de Janeiro el 5 de junio de 1992. Diario Oficial No.
41.589 de 9 de noviembre de 1994. Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/
sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=37807].
Colombia. Ley 388 de 1998, Por la cual se modifica la Ley 9 de 1989, y la Ley 2 de 1991
y se dictan otras disposiciones. Diario Oficial No. 43.091 de 18 de julio de 1997. Disponible
en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=339].
Colombia. Decreto 3600 del 2007, por el cual se reglamentan las disposiciones de las
Leyes 99 de 1993 y 388 de 1997 relativas a las determinantes de ordenamiento del suelo
rural y al desarrollo de actuaciones urbanísticas de parcelación y edificación en este tipo
de suelo y se adoptan otras disposiciones. Diario Oficial 46757 de septiembre 20 de 2007.
Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=26993#0].
Colombia. Decreto Nacional 2372 de 2010, por el cual se reglamenta el Decreto-ley
2811 de 1974, la Ley 99 de 1993, la Ley 165 de 1994 y el Decreto-ley 216 de 2003,
en relación con el Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, las categorías de manejo que
lo conforman y se dictan otras disposiciones. Diario Oficial 47757 de julio 1 de 2010.
Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=39961#0].
CORPOCALDAS – Grupo HTM. Estructura ecológica principal del departamento de
Caldas. Convenio de Asociación No. 148 de 2007. 2008.
Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible e Instituto Alexander von Humboldt. Política nacional
para la gestión integral de la biodiversidad y sus servicios ecosistémicos. 2012. Bogotá, Colombia.
Morales, M.; Rodríguez, N.; Rozo, M. C.; Cardona, D. y Gómez, C. Proceso metodológico
y aplicación para la definición de la estructura ecológica nacional: énfasis en servicios
ecosistémicos - escala 1:500.000. Documento síntesis e interpretación de resultados.
Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (Ideam). 2012. Bogotá, Colombia.
Van der Hammen, T. y Andrade, G. Estructura ecológica principal de Colombia, primera
aproximación. Elaborado para el Ideam. 2003. Bogotá, Colombia.
LARGE-SCALE GOVERNANCE (PAGE 90)
The adaptation strip of the eastern hills (Cerros Orientales) of Bogotá
Authors
Claudia Inés Mesa Betancourt, mesaclaudia2009@gmail.com, Advisor in civic
participation and communication at the Directorate of Environment and Rural Areas,
(Dirección de Ambiente y Ruralidad, Dirección de Ambiente y Ruralidad), Secretaría
Distrital de Planeación.
Héctor Andrés Ramírez, andrrez@yahoo.com, Director of Environment and Rural Areas,
Secretaría Distrital de Planeación.
Bibliography
Mesa, C.; Buitrago, E.; Silva, C. Contexto General de los Cerros Orientales de Bogotá. En:
Ramírez, A.; García, C.; Mesa, C. y Valero, R. Así se Viven los Cerros. Secretaría Distrital de
Planeación, Secretaría Distrital del Hábitat y Fondo de Patrimonio Natural. 2015. Bogotá, Colombia
Recommended reading
Secretaría Distrital de Planeación. Así se viven los cerros: experiencias de habitabilidad.
2015. Disponible en: [http://www.sdp.gov.co/PortalSDP/Noticias2015/SDP_lanza_
publicacion_Asi_se_viven_los_Cerros_Experiencias_d]. Acceso: diciembre 15 de 2015.
THE NATURE OF CITIES (PAGE 94)
A World-class New York blog
Authors
David Maddox, david.maddox@thenatureofcities.com, founder and editorial director,
The Nature of Cities.
GOING AGAINST THE STREAM (PAGE 96)
A review of the structuring axes of the landscape in the Valle de Aburrá
Authors
Gloria Aponte-García, gloria.aponte@upb.edu.co, Coordinator, Master’s Program in
Landscape Design, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana - UPB.
Lina María Escobar- Ocampo, linaescobaro@gmail.com, Professor, Universidad
Pontificia Bolivariana - UPB.
Bibliography
Agudelo, L. C. La ciudad sostenible. Dependencia ecológica y relaciones regionales. Un
estudio de caso en el área metropolitana de Medellín, Colombia. Línea editorial 1. 2010.
Medellín, Colombia.
Behind the Experiences
Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá, D. C. Guía de lineamientos ambientales para el diseño de
proyectos de infraestructura en Bogotá D. C. 2007. 97 p.
Aponte, G. An Approach to Landscape Planning in Borders. En: Landscape Planning.
Ozyavuz, M. (Ed.). 2012. ISBN: 978-953-51-0654-8, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/39097. Disponible
en: [http://www.intechopen.com/books/landscape-planning/landscape-planning-in-borders]
Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá, CORNARE, CORANTIOQUIA y Universidad
Nacional de Colombia. Plan de ordenación y manejo de la Cuenca del Río Aburrá - POMCA.
AMVA. 2007. Medellín, Colombia.
Cardona Gallo, M. M. Ordenamiento y manejo integral del territorio metropolitano del
Valle de Aburrá, con énfasis en el recurso agua. Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá,
Producción más limpia. Editorial Artes y Letras. 2007. Pp. 9-27. Medellín, Colombia.
Gil Agudelo, J. A. La cuenca hidrográfica como unidad de planificación ecológica en la
región metropolitana: El caso de la región metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá. Universidad
Nacional de Colombia. 2009.
La Gro, J. A. Jr. Site analysis. A contextual approach to sustainable land planning and
site design. 2a ed. Wiley. 2008. Nueva Jersey, Estados Unidos.
Mi Río. Levantamiento integrado de cuencas hidrográficas del Municipio de
Medellín. PNUD. 1994.
Quiceno Hurtado, O. M.; Rosero Mera, J. A. y Serna Trujillo, A. M. Estrategias de
arborización para espacios públicos en áreas adyacentes a las quebradas. Grupo EMAT
Investigación en Energía, Medio Ambiente, Arquitectura y Tecnología. Universidad Nacional.
2005. Medellín, Colombia. Disponible en: [http://www.unalmed.edu.co/~emat/pdf/19.pdf].
Vélez Restrepo, L. A. La conservación de la naturaleza urbana: un nuevo reto
en la gestión ambiental de las ciudades para el siglo XXI. Revista Bitácora Urbano
Territorial. 2007. V. 1 (011).
PLANNING FOR POLLINATORS (PAGE 102)
Ecologically functional areas in the Gran Chicó
Authors
Juan Caicedo, caicedoj@hotmail.com, Urban Ecology consultant, member of the Board of
Directors of the Asociación Bogotana de Ornitología (ABO), neighbor of the Parque El Virrey.
María S. Sáchica, matisa32@hotmail.com, Independent Consultant on environmental
law, neighbor of the Parque El Virrey.
Ángela Rodríguez-C., arodriguez@jbb.gov.co, Researcher, Jardín Botánico de Bogotá
José Celestino Mutis / Saliente.
Alejandro Parra-H., aparra@humboldt.org.co, Researcher, Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Notes
1. Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (s.f.).
2. Vandenberg (2013).
3. Sánchez (2011), Nates-Parra et al. (2006), Asociación Bogotana de Ornitología (2000),
Andrade and Amat (2000).
4. Decreto Distrital 531 del 2010, Mahecha (2010), Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente y
Conservación Internacional (2010).
5. The study of the different stages of life, in this case the annual chronology of flowers,
fruits and seeds of the vegetation of the area.
6. Caicedo and Sáchica (2014).
7. Webpage of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust..
8. Paweleck et al. (2009).
Bibliography
Andrade, M. G. y Amat G. Guía preliminar de los insectos de Santa Fé de Bogotá y sus
alrededores. Departamento Técnico Administrativo del Medio Ambiente. 2000. Bogotá, Colombia.
Asociación Bogotana de Ornitología. Aves de la Sabana de Bogotá, guía de campo.
Asociación Bogotana de Ornitología y Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca.
2000. Bogotá, Colombia
Caicedo, J. y Sáchica, M. S. Informe preliminar de la línea base ecológica del parque lineal
El Virrey y el corredor ecológico de ronda el canal El Virrey. Informe sin publicar. 2014. 38 p.
Decreto Distrital 531 del 2010. Mediante el cual se reglamenta la silvicultura urbana, zonas
verdes y la jardinería en Bogotá. Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/
Norma1.jsp?i=40983]. Acceso: junio 15 de 2015. 205
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Mahecha, G. E. V. (Ed.) Arbolado urbano de Bogotá: Identificación, descripción y bases para
su manejo. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente de Bogotá, Jardín Botánico de Bogotá. 2010. Bogotá,
Colombia. Disponible en: [http://ambientebogota.gov.co/de/centro-de-descargas/-/document_
library_display/zV2C/view/126778]. Acceso: junio 29 de 2015.
Nates-Parra, G.; Parra, A.; Rodríguez, A.; Baquero, P. y Vélez, D. Abejas silvestres en
ecosistemas urbanos: Estudio en la ciudad de Bogotá y sus alrededores. Revista Colombiana
de Entomología. 2006. V. 32(1). Pp. 77-84. Disponible en: [http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.
php?pid=S0120-04882006000100013&script=sci_arttext&tlng=es]. Acceso: junio 29 de 2015.
Paweleck, J.; Frankie, G. W.; Throp, R. W. y Przybylski, M. Modification of a community
garden to attract native bee pollinators in urban San Luis Obispo, California. Cities and
the Environment. 2009. V. 2 (1). 20 p. Disponible en: [http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/
vol2/iss1/7/]. Acceso: octubre 8 de 2015.
Sánchez, F. La heterogeneidad del paisaje del borde norte de Bogotá afecta la
actividad de los murciélagos insectívoros. Revista U.D.C.A. Actualidad y Divulgación
Científica. Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales. 2011. V. 14(1). Pp. 71-80.
Bogotá, Colombia. Disponible en: [http://www.scielo.org.co/pdf/rudca/v14n1/v14n1a10.
pdf]. Acceso: junio 20 de 2015.
Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente y Asociación Bogotana de Ornitología. Formulación de
criterios técnicos, medidas y alternativas de manejo para incrementar la conectividad ecológica
del distrito capital de Bogotá con énfasis en la conservación de la biodiversidad avifaunística.
2009. Convenio de asociación No. 046 de 2007-2009.
Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente y Conservación Internacional. Política para la gestión de
la conservación de la biodiversidad en el Distrito Capital. Editorial Panamericana, Formas
e Impresos. 2010. 107 p. Bogotá, Colombia. Disponible en: [http://ambientebogota.gov.co/
documents/10157/0/politica_biodiversidad_baja.pdf]. Acceso: junio 27 de 2015.
Universidad Nacional de Colombia e Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos
Alexander von Humboldt. Iniciativa colombiana de polinizadores: capítulo abejas. Documento
borrador. S.f. 103 p. Disponible en: [http://www.herbogeminis.com/IMG/pdf/iniciativa_
colombiana_de_polinizadores.pdf]. Acceso: octubre 8 de 2015.
Vandenberg, A. J. y The Insect Pollinators Initiative. Threats to an ecosystem service:
pressures on pollinators. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 2013. V. 11. Pp. 251-259.
Disponible en: [http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/501453/7/N501453PP.pdf]. Acceso: junio 20 de 2015.
Recommended reading
Bonney, R.; Shirk, J. L.; Phillips, T. B.; Wiggins, A.; Ballard, H. L; Miller-Rushing, A. J. y Parrish, J. K.
Next steps for citizen-science. Science. 2014. V. 343. Pp. 1436-1437. Disponible en: [https://ccrec.
ucsc.edu/sites/default/files/Bonney%20et%20al%202014%20Science%20v.343-p.1436-7.pdf].
Conner, E. F.; Hafernik, J.; Levy, J.; Lee Moore, V.; Rickman, K. K. Insect conservation in
an urban biodiversity hotspot: The San Francisco Bay Area. Journal of Insect Conservation.
2002. V. 6. Pp. 247-259. Disponible en: [http://online.sfsu.edu/efc/publications/jico.pdf].
Doody, J. B.; Sullivan, J. J.; Meurk, C. D.; Stewart, G. H. y Perkins, H. C. Urban realities: the
contribution of residential gardens to the conservation of urban forest remnants. Biodiversity
Conservation. 2010. V. 19. Pp. 1385-1400. Disponible en: [https://www.researchgate.net/
publication/225152750_Urban_realities_The_contribution_of_residential_gardens_to_the_
conservation_of_urban_forest_remnants].
Dusty, G.; Grant, G.; Gyongyver, K. y Dinham, C. Creating Green roofs for invertebrates: A best
practice guidance. Buglife The Inverterbrate Conservation Trust. S.f. 29 p. Peterborough, Inglaterra.
Disponible en: [https://www.buglife.org.uk/sites/default/files/Creating%20Green%20Roofs%20
for%20Invertebrates_Best%20practice%20guidance.pdf].
Gunnell, K.; Grant, G. y Williams, C. Landscape and urban design for bats and
biodiversity. Bat Conservation Trust. 2012. Londres, Inglaterra. Disponible en: [http://
Instituto Humboldt
www.bats.org.uk/download_info.php?id=1180&file=Landscape_and_urban_
design_for_bats_and_biodiversityweb.pdf&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bats.org.
uk%2Fpages%2Flandscapedesign.html].
Potts, S. G.; Biesmeijer, J. C.; Kremen, C.; Neumann, P.; Schweiger, O. y Kunin, W. E.
Global pollinator declines: trends, impacts and drivers. Trends in Ecology and Evolution.
2010. V. 25(6). Pp. 345-353. Disponible en: [http://m.ufz.eu/export/data/1/22686_Potts_
et_al_2010.pdf]. Acceso: junio 20 de 2015.
Shepherd, M.; Vaughn, M. y Black, S. H. Pollinator-friendly parks: how to enhance parks,
gardens, and other greenspaces for native pollinator insects. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation. 2008. 52 p. Portland, Oregón. Disponible en: [http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/
uploads/2009/05/pollinator_friendly_parks_21ed_xerces_society.pdf]. Acceso: junio 20 de 2015.
206
Ullmann, K.; Vaughn, M.; Kremen, C.; Shih, T. y Shepard, M. California pollinator project:
citizen scientist pollinator monitoring guide. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
y University of California at Berkeley. 2010. 40 p. Disponible en: [http://www.xerces.org/wp-
content/uploads/2010/06/CA_CSM_guide.pdf].
COLLECTIVE REINVENTION OF A CITY (PAGE 108)
The pioneering experience of the río Meléndez
Authors
Santiago Sierra-Paz, ssierra@biodiversaenlinea.com, Executive Director, Corporación
para la Gestión Ambiental BIODIVERSA.
Andrea del Pilar Cáceres-Franco, acaceres@biodiversaenlinea.com, Biology
Professional, Associate Researcher, Corporación para la Gestión Ambiental BIODIVERSA.
Collaborators
Community: John Jairo Florez, Norberto Estrada, Rocío Vargas, Isabel Males, Manuel
Solarte, Guillermo Ulloa
Dagma: Luz Ángela Forero, Carolina López
Planeación Municipal: Dafna Camila Ángel, Susana Cardona
Corporación para la Gestión Ambiental Biodiversa: Andrea Borrero Álvarez. Biologist Zoologist,
Andrés Fernando Giraldo. Botanical Biologist, Alex Cortes Diago. Biologist Ornithologist, Marino O.
Ramírez G. Topographical Engineer SIG specialist, Jairo Alonso Rodríguez. Attorney, Raúl Mauricio
Rodríguez. PCA Biologist Specialist, Gian Carlo Sánchez. Ichthyologist
Fundación Danza y Vida: Ana María Hoyos. Social Area Coordination, Jorge Calero. Biologist
specialist in sustainability, Tatiana Soto. Social Worker, Carlos Eduardo Castillo. Social technician.
Notes
1. The Meléndez River supplies the EMCALI EICE La Reforma aqueduct and through this system
serves approximately 200,000 people who live in the western hillside zone of the municipality.
2. Altos de Santa Elena National Social Interest Macro project, phases 1 and 2: to develop
more than 1500 housing solutions.
3. See: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKoE_JMoUi4. Consulted on September 19, 2013.
4. Juntas de Acción Comunal, Comité Ambiental, Comisiones Ambientales de la Comuna
18 and of the Township of La Buitrera.
5. Cantón Militar Nápoles and Club Campestre de Cali.
6. Granizo, T. et al. (2006).
7. Juntas de Acción Local, Juntas de Acción Comunal, Comités Ambientales, Comités de
Planificación, grupos organizados, Club Campestre, Cantón Pichincha, Acuabuitrera, etc.
8. Acuerdo 0373 of 2014, art. 73.
Bibliography
Claustro Abierto-DAGMA. Caracterización biofísica, social y de infraestructura para la
formulación del POMCH de la cuenca de los ríos Meléndez, Lilí y Cañaveralejo en el marco
del proyecto DAGMA Bp 42442. 2009. Santiago de Cali, Colombia. 406 p.
Granizo, T. et al. Manual de Planificación para la Conservación de Áreas, PCA. TNC y
USAID. 2006. Quito, Ecuador.
Periódico El País. Comuna 18 y 20 de Cali siguen abasteciéndose de agua a través
de carrotanques. 2012. Disponible en: [http://www.elpais.com.co/elpais/cali/noticias/
comuna-18-y-20-cali-siguen-abasteciendose-agua-traves-carrotanques].
http://diarioadn.co/cali/mi-ciudad/bloqueo-por-reinicio-de-obras-en-
comuna-18-1-108885
Periódico El Pueblo. En “estado de emergencia” la comuna 18 de Cali: Personeria. 2015.
Disponible en: [http://elpueblo.com.co/comunas-18-y-20-de-cali-sin-servicio-de-agua/].
Periódico El Tiempo. Protestas de la comuna 18 por agua llegan a sede de Emcali: Los
manifestantes dicen que llevan semanas con escasez del líquido. 2012. Disponible en:
[http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/CMS-12222201].
POLITICAL REALITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS (PAGE 114)
Contrasts in the case of Riohacha
Authors
Matílde González Ferrer, mattygonzalez69@gmail.com, Communications Coordinator,
Corporación Preservar.
Carlos Yesid Lizarazo, cataca1936@gmail.com, Projects Coordinator, Corporación Preservar.
Willis José Acosta Valdés, wiljoaval96@gmail.com, Coordinador de Proyectos
Ambientales, Corporación Preservar.
Notes
1. Concejo Municipal de Riohacha. Acuerdo 003 de 2002. Plan de Ordenamiento
Territorial POT. 2001-2009.
2. DANE (s.f.).
3. Observatorio del Caribe Colombiano (s.f.).
4. Corpoguajira. Plan de Manejo del Sistema de Humedales de Riohacha.
5. Also known as Laguna Salada.
6. Corpoguajira. Plan de Manejo del Sistema de Humedales de Riohacha.
7. Arismendi Morales (2010).
Bibliography
Alcaldía de Bogotá. Ley 357 de 1997. Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.
co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=344].
Alcaldía de Riohacha. Plan de ordenamiento territorial del municipio de
Riohacha. 2011.
Arismendi Morales, C. Notas dulces para una laguna que está salá. Periódico La
Guajira. 2010. Disponible en: [www.periodicolaguajira.com/].
Baptiste, L. G. y Piñeros A. M. Protocolo para la identificación y proyección de
bienes y servicios ecosistémicos proporcionados por la biodiversidad a los sistemas
de producción. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Facultad de estudios Ambientales y
Rurales. 2006. Bogotá, Colombia. Documento sin publicar.
Corpoguajira. Cuidar los humedales de Riohacha, es evitar inundaciones en la
temporada de lluvias. 2011. Disponible en: [http://corpoguajira.gov.co/wp/cuidar-los-
humedales-de-riohacha-es-evitar-inundaciones-en-la-temporada-de-lluvias/].
Corpoguajira. Acuerdo 003 de 2011. Disponible en: [http://corpoguajira.gov.co/wp/].
DANE. Información estadística. Colombia. Proyecciones de población municipales
por área. S.f. Disponible en: [www.dane.gov.co/files/investigaciones/poblacion/
proyepobla06_20/ProyeccionMunicipios2005_2020.xls].
LaGuajiraHoy.com. El Jagüey de la Esperanza. 2013. Disponible en: [http://www.
laguajirahoy.com/2013/03/el-jaguey-de-la-esperanza.html].
Ministerio del Medio Ambiente. Política Nacional para Humedales interiores
de Colombia. 2002. Disponible en: [https://www.minambiente.gov.co/images/
BosquesBiodiversidadyServiciosEcosistemicos/pdf/Normativa/Politicas/polit_nal_
humedales_int_colombia.pdf].
Observatorio del Caribe Colombiano. Cuaderno Regional No. 8 Riohacha inconclusa.
Relatoría del taller: ¿Cómo es Riohacha al final del siglo XX?. S.f. Disponible en: [http://
ocaribe.org/publicacionesinfo.php?la=es&id_publicacion=94].
Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Diseño de una estrategia de
comunicación y movilización social para los pueblos indígenas involucrados en el
proyecto de fortalecimiento de la estrategia DOTS-TAS. 2008. Disponible en: [http://
www.paho.org/col/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1075:dise
no-de-una-estrategia-de-comunicacion-y-movilizacion-social-para-los-pueblos-
indigenas-involucrados-en-el-proyectos-de-fortalecimiento-de-la-estrategia-dots-
tas&catid=686&Itemid=361].
Presidencia de la República. Constitución Política de Colombia. s.f. Disponible en:
[http://wsp.presidencia.gov.co/Normativa/Documents/Constitucion-Politica-Colombia.pdf].
Radio Guatapurí. Por ocupación indebida del Humedal La Esperanza, autoridad
ambiental requiere al Alcalde de Riohacha. 2015. Disponible en:[http://www.
radioguatapuri.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=26945:por-ocupacion-
indebida-del-humedal-la-esperanza-autoridad-ambiental-requiere-al-alcalde-de-
riohacha&Itemid=218].
Ramsar. La convención de Ramsar y su misión. S.f. Disponible en: [http://www.ramsar.
org/es/acerca-de/la-convenci%C3%B3n-de-ramsar-y-su-misi%C3%B3n].
Sánchez Forero, N. Laguna Salada, el deteriorado escenario de la Independencia
de Riohacha. 2011. Disponible en: [http://extroversia.universia.net.co/dia-a-dia/2011/
noticias/actualidad/laguna_salada_el_deteriorado_escenario_de_la_independencia_de_
riohacha/actualidad/13177/103/104.html].
UNICEF. Elaborando proyectos de comunicación para el desarrollo. 2006. Disponible
en: [http://www.unicef.org/argentina/spanish/EDUPAScuadernillo-2%281%29.pdf].
Behind the Experiences
GREEN AGENDA (PAGE 116)
Proposals for research into ecosystem services for Medellín
Author
Jorge Vásquez-Muñoz, jvasquez@grupohtm.org, Investigador, Fundación Grupo HTM.
Proyecto PGIBSE Medellín.
Bibliography
Alcaldía de Medellín - Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Parque Explora, Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Jardín Botánico de Medellín,
Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia y Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología (SAO).
2013. Propuesta para la gestión integral de la biodiversidad y los servicios ecosistémicos
en Medellín. 2014. 240 p. Disponible en: [https://www.medellin.gov.co/MapGIS/siamed/
documentos/Digital/4600048433%20Libro%20Propuesta%20para%20la%20gestion%20
integral%20de%20la%20biodiversidad%20y%20los%20servicios%20ecosistemicos.pdf]
ANOTHER WAY OF BEING A CITY (PAGE 120)
Biodiversity and farming communities on the southern border of Bogotá
Authors
Fernanda Montenegro Diez, fmmd25@yahoo.co.uk, specialist in environmental matters
and management, Montenegro Lizarralde Arquitectos.
Gladys Gómez Ariza, gladysenred10@gmail.com, Consultant in Landscape Management.
Germán Andrés Quimbayo Ruiz, gquimbayo@gmail.com, Ecologist. MSc. in
Geography-Independent environmental consultant, Member and collaborator of the
Fundación Humedales Bogotá.
Clara Lucía Matallana Tobón, cmatallana@humboldt.org.co, Researcher, Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Collaborators
Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá-Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente.
Mesa de Concertación de Borde de Usme.
Social organizations of the rural border of Ciudad Bolívar.
Diego Rubiano. Consultant Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander
von Humboldt.
Sandra Sguerra. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente.
Martha Reina. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente.
Camilo Hincapie. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente.
Carlos Pinzón. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente.
Ana Otilia Cuervo. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente.
Comunidad de Usme y Ciudad Bolívar.
Notes
1. Defined by the Distrito Capital through a joint initiative with the Secretariats of
Planning, Environment and Habitat.
Bibliography
Duke, C. Blurring the Boundaries: The Urban-Rural Interface and the Need for Cultural
Change in Ecology, Planning, and Management. In: Conference proceedings. Presented
at Emerging Issues Along Urban/Rural Interfaces: Linking Science and Society. University
Center for Forest Sustainability. 2005. Auburn. Available at: [http://emergingissues.
interfacesouth.org/pastconferences/2005proceedings.pdf.
Gallo, I. Expansión regulada con bordes de ciudad consolidados. Cámara de Comercio de
Bogotá. 2008. Bogotá, Colombia. Available at: [http://www.institutodeestudiosurbanos.info/
dmdocuments/cendocieu/coleccion_digital/Expansion_Urbana/Expansion_Regulada_Bordes-
Gallo_Gnacion-2008.pdf].
Gómez Ariza, G. Documento técnico de soporte del Decreto 252 de 2007 Plan de
Ordenamiento Zonal de Usme.
Lozano Zambrano, F. H. Herramientas de manejo para la conservación de biodiversidad en
paisajes rurales. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt y
Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca (CAR). 2009. 238 p. Bogotá, Colombia.
Quimbayo Ruiz, G. A. Movimientos sociales, políticas y conflictos ambientales en la
construcción de ciudad: el caso de Bogotá. Ecología Política. 2014. V. 47. Barcelona.
Velasco Bernal, V.; Díaz, F. y López, M. Gestión de suelo en la configuración de borde de
ciudad. El caso del borde occidental en Bogotá. Revista Territorios. 2010. V. 22. Bogotá, Colombia.
Available at: [http://revistas.urosario.edu.co/index.php/territorios/article/view/1383] 207
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
PROTECTED URBAN AREAS (PAGE 126)
The parque nacional de Tijuca in Río de Janeiro as a scenario for education
Author
Pedro de Castro da Cunha e Menezes, cunhaemenezes@gmail.com, Vice president,
Urban Specialist Group of the World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Notes
1. The Urban Specialist Group of the World Commission on Protected Areas, International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN WCPA Urban Specialist Group) seeks to strengthen
the management capacities of the protected areas to respond to the communities,
institutions and urban areas.
2. The publication Urban Protected Areas: Profiles and Best Practice Guidelines presents
the international context of the exponential growth of urban settlements and the problems
that this involves in terms of biodiversity conservation. In this sense, the book emphasizes
the importance of creating urban protected areas for human well-being and the protection
of the natural world, pointing to successful cases around the world.
3. Bennett et al. (1999).
Bibliography
Bennett, E.; Grohmann, P. y Gentry, B. Public-Private Partnerships for the Urban
Environment. PNUD - Yale University. 1999. Nueva York, Estados Unidos.
Trzyna, T. Urban Protected Areas: Profiles and best practice guidelines. Best Practice
Protected Area Guidelines Series. 2014. V. 22.
Recommended reading
Cunha e Menezes, P. Raising the priority of urban areas in protected area systems in
Brazil and beyond. En: Trzyna, T. 2005. Pp. 51-57.
Dudley, N. 2008. Guidelines for applying protected area management categories. IUCN.
2008. Gland, Suiza. Disponible en: [http://data.iucn.org/dbtwwpd/edocs/paps-016.pdf].
Acceso: febrero 12 de 2014.
Freitas, S. R. et al. Tijuca National Park: Two pioneering restorationist initiatives in Atlantic
Forest in southeastern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology. 2006. V. 66(4). Pp. 975-982.
Urban Specialist Group. Disponible en: [http://www.iucn-urban.org]
NATURE ONLINE (PAGE 128)
A digital and collaborative experience of biodiversity in the Valle de Aburrá
Authors
Carlos A. Delgado-V, cadv943@uowmail.edu.au, Consultant, Centro de Estudios
Urbanos y Ambientales, Universidad EAFIT.
Andrés Arias-Alzate, andresarias3@yahoo.es, Doctoral student, Laboratorio de Análisis
Espaciales, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Sebastián Botero-Cañola, botero18@hotmail.com, Researcher, Mastozoology Group,
Universidad de Antioquia.
Juan David Sánchez-L, jdavids21@gmail.com, Professor, Mastozoology Group,
Universidad de Antioquia.
Juana C. Correa-H, jcorrea@uow.edu.au, assistant researcher, School of Biological
Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia.
Juan Manuel Obando, jmobando@unal.edu.co, Master’s student, EpiUniversidad
Nacional de Colombia, Medellín campus.
Notes
1. Delgado-V. et al. (2011).
Instituto Humboldt
2. Castaño-Villa and Patiño-Zabala (2008), Delgado-V.. (2009).
3. Delgado-V. (2007, 2014).
4. Delgado-V. and Correa-H. (2013).
5. Delgado-V. (2007, 2014).
Bibliography
Castaño-Villa, G. J. y Patiño-Zabala, J. C. Extinciones locales de aves en fragmentos de bosque
en la región de Santa Elena, Andes Centrales, Colombia. El Hornero. 2008. V. 23(1). Pp. 23-34.
Delgado-V., C. A. Muerte de mamíferos por vehículos en la vía de El Escobero, Envigado
(Antioquia), Colombia. Actualidades Biológicas. 2007. V. 29(87). Pp. 235-239.
Delgado-V., C. A. Non-volant mammals, Reserva San Sebastián-La Castellana, Valle de
Aburrá, Antioquia, Colombia. Check List. 2009. V. 5(1). Pp. 001-004.
208
Delgado-V., C. A. Adiciones al atropellamiento vehicular de mamíferos en la vía del Escobero,
Envigado (Antioquia), Colombia. Revista EIA. 2014. V. 11(22). Pp. 147-153.
Delgado-V., C. A. y Correa-H., J. C. Estudios ornitológicos urbanos en Colombia:
revisión de literatura. Revista Ingeniería y Ciencia. 2013. V. 9(18). Pp. 215-236.
Delgado-V., C. A.; Arias-Alzate, A.; Botero, S. y Sánchez-Londoño, J. D. Registro de
Cuniculus taczanowskii (Rodentia: Cuniculidae) y Eira barbara (Carnivora: Mustelidae) en
una zona periurbana de Medellín, Colombia. Brenesia. 2011. Pp. 75-76; 124-126.
Delgado-V., C. A.; Correa-H., J. C.; Arias-Alzate, A. y Botero, S. Dustbathing behavior of
the Sickle-winged Guan (Chamaepetes goudotii). Bulletin of the Cracid Specialist Group.
2012. V. 33. Pp. 19-22.
Recommended reading
Nombre iniciativa: TAyRA-Transporte, Animales y Registro de Atropellamiento.
Vínculo: [www.tayra.co]. Breve descripción: Aplicación móvil para la documentación de
atropellamientos de fauna silvestre.
Nombre iniciativa: Bicicletas para la Biodiversidad. Vínculo: [www.
bicicletasparalabiodiversidad.org]. Breve descripción: Laboratorio itinerante de
biodiversidad en bicicleta.
Nombre iniciativa: Urban Canid Project. Vínculo: [www.uwurbancanidproject.weebly.com].
Breve descripción: Reporte de presencia de zorros y coyotes en ciudades norteamericanas.
Nombre iniciativa: Koala Tracker. Vínculo: [www.koalatracker.com.au]. Breve
descripción: Mapeo de poblaciones de koala y documentación de amenazas.
Nombre iniciativa: Birds in backyards. Vínculo: [www.birdsinbackyards.net]. Breve
descripción: Investigación, educación y conservación de aves que viven donde la gente vive.
IN-HOUSE CONSERVATION (PAGE 134)
Ecological restoration initiatives at a location of the Instituto Humboldt
Authors
Wilson Ariel Ramírez Hernández, wramirez@humboldt.org.co, Coordinator of the
Landscape Management Program for Biodiversity, Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Luz Helena Oviedo Villegas, loviedo@humboldt.org.co, Researcher, Instituto de
Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.
Matheo Augusto Hernández Schmidt, mahernz@yahoo.com, Naturalist and
environmental consultant.
Collaborators
Martha Marín, Communication/Culture and Biodiversity Laboratory (Laboratorio
Comunicación/Cultura y Biodiversidad), Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos
Alexander von Humboldt (2012-2013).
Sandra Medina, Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von
Humboldt (2012-2013).
Perla Ramírez, Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis.
Patricia Velasco, Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis.
Recommended reading
Aguilar-Garavito, M. y Ramírez, W. Monitoreo a procesos de restauración ecológica,
aplicado a ecosistemas terrestres. Instituto Humboldt. 2015. Bogotá, Colombia.
Hernández, M. Increasing the Native Plants of Colombian Cities. Diciembre 13 de 2015.
Disponible en: [http://www.thenatureofcities.com/2015/12/13/increasing-the-native-
plants-of-colombian-cities/].
URBAN ECOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE (PAGE 138)
Comprehensive municipal plans (PMI from its Spanish acronym) in the gulf of Urabá
Authors
Francesco Maria Orsini, fm.orsini@gmail.com, Director, Proyectos Urbam-EAFIT.
Juliana Montoya, julimonty@gmail.com, architect, Masters Candidate in conservation
and use of biodiversity at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
Collaborators
URBAM | EAFIT work team:
Alejandro Echeverri - Director Urbam.
Francesco María Orsini - W projects manager.
Juan Sebastian Bustamante Fernández – Technical Coordinator.
Isabel Basombrío - Architect.
Diana Marcela Rincón Buitrago - Biologist.
Juan Pablo Vallejo - Sociologist.
Juan Pablo Ospina – Mobility Engineer.
Juliana Gómez – Assistant Architect.
Daniela Duque - Assistant Architect.
Alexander Silva - Assistant Architect.
Lina Rojas – Administrative Assistant.
Advisors:
Marco Gamboa – Environment and Geology Advisor.
Carlos H Jaramillo – Landscape Management Advisor.
Guillermo Penagos – Environmental Sustainability Advisor.
Notes
1. The PMI are components of the Plan Integral Regional de Urabá (Comprehensive
Regional Plan), promoted by the office of the Governor of Antioquia in the framework of
the initiative ‘Antioquia, la más educada.’
Observaciones
Office of the Governor of Antioquia, with support from the Alianza Francesa para el Desarrollo (AFD)
ANDEAN AMAZON (PAGE 144)
Urban biodiversity in Florencia, Caquetá
Authors
Jenniffer Tatiana Díaz-Cháux, jenniffertd@gmail.com, Associate Researcher,
Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Andino Amazónica INBIANAM -
Universidad de la Amazonia.
Alexander Velásquez-Valencia, alexandervelasquezvalencia@gmail.com,
Director Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Andino Amazónica INBIANAM –
Universidad de la Amazoni.
Bibliography
Armenteras, D.; Rudas, G.; Rodríguez, N. y Romero, M Patterns and causes of
deforestation in the Colombian Amazon. Ecological Indicators. 2006. V. 6. Pp. 353-368.
Butchart, S. H. M.; Walpole, M.; Collen, B.; van Strien, A.; Scharlemann, J. P. W.;
Almond, R. E. A.; Baillie, J. E. M.; Bomhard, B.; Brown, C.; Bruno, J.; Carpenter, K.
E.; Carr, G. M.; Chanson, J.; Chenery, A. M.; Csirke, J.; Davidson, N. C.; Dentener, F.;
Foster, M.; Galli, A.; Galloway, J. N.; Genovesi, P.; Gregory, R. D.; Hockings, M.; Kapos,
V.; Lamarque, J. F.; Leverington, F.; Loh, J.; McGeoch, M. A.; McRae, L.; Minasyan, A.;
Hernández-Morcillo, M.; Oldfield, T. E. E.; Pauly, S.; Quader, S.; Revenga, C.; Sauer,
J. R.; Skolnik, B.; Spear, D.; Stanwell-Smith, D.; Stuart, S. N.; Symes, A.; Tierney, M.;
Tyrrell, T. D.; Vié, J. C. y Watson, R. Global Biodiversity: Indicators of Recent Declines.
Science. 2010. V. 328. Pp. 1164-1168.
Evaluación de los Ecosistemas del Milenio. Los ecosistemas y el bienestar
humano: humedales y agua. Informe de síntesis. World Resources Institute. 2005.
Washington, Estados Unidos.
Faggi, A. y Perepelizin, P. V. Riqueza de aves a lo largo de un gradiente de urbanización
en la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Rev. Mus. Argentino Cienc. Nat. 2006. V. 8(2). Pp. 289-297.
Gómez-Baggethun, E. y Barton, D. N. Classifying and valuing ecosystem services for
urban planning. Ecological Economics. 2013. V. 86. Pp. 235-245.
Harrington, R.; Anton, C.; Dawson, T.; Bello, F. D.; Feld, C.; Haslett, J.; Kluva´nkova-
Oravska´, T.; Kontogianni, A.; Lavorel, S.; Luck, G. W.; Rounsevell, M.; Samways, M. J.;
Settele, J.; Skourtos, M.; Spangenberg, J. H.; Vandewalle, M.; Zobel, M. y Harrison, P. A.
Ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation: concepts and a glossary. Biodiversity
Conservation. 2010. V. 19. Pp. 2773-2790.
Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible et al. Política Nacional para la Gestión
Integral de la Biodiversidad y sus Servicios Ecosistémicos (PNGIBSE). 2012. 135 p.
Pickett, S. T. A.; Cadenasso, M. L.; Grove, J. M.; Boone, C. G.; Groffman, P. M.; Irwin,
E.; Kaushal, S.; Marshall, V.; McGrath, B. P.; Nilon, C. H.; Pouyat, R. V.; Szlavecz, K.; Troy, A.
y Warren, P. Urban ecological systems: Scientific foundations and a decade of progress.
Journal of Environmental Management. 2011. V. 92. Pp. 331-362.
Rincón-Ruiz, A.; Echeverry-Duque, M.; Piñeros, A. M.; Tapia, C. H.; David, A.; Arias-
Arévalo, P. y Zuluaga, P. A. 2014. Valoración integral de la biodiversidad y los servicios
Behind the Experiences
ecosistémicos: Aspectos conceptuales y metodológicos. Instituto de Investigación de
Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH). 2014. 151 p. Bogotá, Colombia.
Rodríguez, N.; Armenteras, D. y Retana, J. 2015. National ecosystems services
priorities for planning carbon and waterresource management in Colombia. Land Use
Policy 42. Pp. 609-618.
THEORY AND PRACTICE (PAGE 146)
Reflections and actions regarding a quality public space
Author
Diana Wiesner Ceballos, Dianawiesner@dianawiesner.com, Director, Fundación
Cerros de Bogotá.
Collaborators
María Paola Gutiérrez Acuña, Architecture student Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
Ninth semester. Trainee. mpaolagutierrez@cerrosdebogota.org, Bogotá.
Diana M. Salazar Moreno, landscape architect, Coordinator of EU Architecture and
Landscape projects dianasalazar@arquitecturaypaisaje.com.co, Bogotá.
Isabel Saffon Sanín, Architect, EU Architecture and Landscape work team. i.saffon@
cerrosdebogota.org. Nueva York.
Paola Andrea Gañan Alzate. Political science student. Universidad Nacional de
Colombia. Ninth semester.a.ganan@cerrosdebogota.org. Practicante. Bogotá.
Notes
1. Díaz et al. (2012).
2. Observatorio ambiental de Bogotá. Available at: [www.oab.ambientebogota.gov.co]. Access:
March 4, 2015.
3. Humboldt Conferencia: La conectividad ecológica y la conservación del paisaje (2004).
4. Cifuentes (2008).
5. Decreto 1504 of 1998.
6. “Contribuciones directas e indirectas de los ecosystems al bienestar humano. El concepto
‘bienes y ecosystem services’ es sinónimo de ecosystem services” (TEEB, 2010). Definition
obtained from consultation with the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente.
7. Benedict and McMahon (2006).
8. Observatorio del paisatge y Conveni europeu del paisatge. Online document: [http://www.
9. catpaisatge.net/esp/glossari.php?idglossari=27#g27)].
10. Wiesner (2003).
11. Chamochumbi (2005).
12. Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis (2013).
Bibliography
Benedict, M. A. y McMahon, E. T. Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and
Communities. Island Press. 2006. Washington, Estados Unidos.
Chamochumbi, W. La resiliencia en el desarrollo sostenible: algunas consideraciones
teóricas en el campo social y ambiental. Septiembre 9 de 2005. www.ecoportal.net. [En línea]
09 de Septiembre de 2005. Disponible en: [http://www.ecoportal.net/Temas_Especiales/
Desarrollo-Sustentable/La_Resiliencia_en_el_Desarrollo_Sostenible]. Acceso: julio 23 de 2015.
Cifuentes, G. El medio ambiente: Un concepto jurídico indeterminado en Colombia.
Justicia Juris. 2008. V.9. Pp. 37-49. ISSN 1692-8571.
Colombia. Decreto 1508. Diario Oficial N° 43357. 1998. ISSN: 1692-8571. Bogotá, Colombia.
Colombia. Decreto 1504 de 1998 Nivel Nacional. Por el cual se reglamenta el manejo
del espacio público en los planes de ordenamiento territorial. Diario oficial No. 43357
de agosto 6 de 1998. Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/
Norma1.jsp?i=1259)].
Díaz, A.; Peñuela, R.; Granados, S. y Bernal, J. A. Hoja metodológica del indicador Área
verde Urbana (Versión 1.00). Iniciativa Latinoamericana y Caribeña para el Desarrollo
Sostenible - ILAC. Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADS) y Departamento
Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE). 2012. 10 p.
FONADE. Indicadores de la ILAC. Indicador: Superficie de áreas verdes urbanas. Cambio climático
y espacio público. En: Adaptaciones estrategias al cambio climático a través de los espacios públicos
en Colombia. Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADS). 2013. Bogotá.
Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis. Manual de Arborización para Bogotá. 2013. Bogotá, Colombia.
McMahon, M. et al. Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities. Island
Press. 2006. Washington, Estados Unidos.
Sociedad Colombiana de Arquitectos Paisajistas. Carta colombiana del paisaje. S.f. Bogotá. 209
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity. Mainstreaming the Economics
of Nature: A synthesis of the approach, conclusions and recommendations of TEEB.
Progress Press. 2010. Malta.
United Nations Environment Programme International Environmental Technology
Centre y Alcaldía de Bogotá. Política pública de ecourbanismo y construcción sostenible.
Documento técnico de soporte. Secretaría de Planeación. 2014. P. 57.
Wiesner, D. Plan de ordenamiento y manejo de los Cerros Orientales - POMCO:
informe final: formulación de los componentes del espacio público y paisaje del plan de
ordenamiento y manejo de los Cerros Orientales de Bogotá D. C. 2003. 115 p.
Wiesner, D. Ciudadanos resilientes, ciudades biodiversas. Centro Internacional de
Responsabilidad Social. 2011. ISNN: 2011-1894. Bogotá, Colombia.
URBAN IMAGINARIES (PAGE 152)
The reinvention of the río Molino in Popayán
Author
Alejandro Zúñiga Bolívar, alejandro.zuniga@udecolombia.edu.co, full-time professor, U
de Colombia Corporación Universitaria.
Collaborators
Asociación de Comerciantes y Trabajadores del Bolívar (ASOCTB).
Grupo de profesionales asesores de la comunidad.
Alcaldía Municipal de Popayán.
Cámara de Comercio del Cauca.
Observatorio Regional del Mercado de Trabajo (ORMET) para Popayán y el Cauca.
Notes
1. Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial (2011).
2. Diario Oficial de Colombia (2010).
3. Ministerio de Cultura (2009).
4. Alcaldía Municipal de Popayán (2013a).
5. Pacto Ciudadano para la Rehabilitación del barrio Bolívar (2014).
6. Acueducto y Alcantarillado de Popayán (2015).
Bibliography
Acueducto y Alcantarillado de Popayán. Cuenca Molino. 2015. Disponible en: [http://
www.acueductopopayan.com.co/gestion-ambiental/fundacion-procuenca-rio-las-piedras/
fuentes-de-abastecimiento/cuenca-molino/]. Acceso: julio 27 de 2015.
Alcaldía Municipal de Popayán. Artículo 29. Decreto 00671 de 30 de diciembre de 2011. 2011.
Alcaldía Municipal de Popayán. Decreto 20131800008175 por medio del cual se
declara la calamidad pública en el municipio de Popayán. 2013a.
Alcaldía Municipal de Popayán. Decreto 20131800008195 por medio del cual se
declara la urgencia manifiesta en el municipio de Popayán. 2013b.
Alcaldía Municipal de Popayán. Pacto ciudadano para la rehabilitación del barrio
Bolívar. Archivo Central. 2014. Popayán, Colombia.
Corporación Autónoma Regional del Cauca (CRC). Resolución No. 0883 Por la cual se
aprueba el Plan de Ordenación y manejo de la Subcuenca Hidrográfica del Río Molino –
Pubús en el Municipio de Popayán. 2006. Disponible en: [http://crc.gov.co/files/Boletin/
Resolucion_0883.pdf]. Acceso: julio 27 de 2015.
Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE). Censo general 2005.
2005. Disponible en: [http://www.dane.gov.co/index.php/esp/poblacion-y-registros-
vitales/censos/censo-2005]. Acceso: julio 27 de 2015.
Diario Oficial de Colombia. Resolución 2432 de 2009 por la cual se aprueba el
Instituto Humboldt
Plan Especial de Manejo y Protección del Sector Antiguo de Popayán, declarado
como Bien de Interés Cultural del Ámbito Nacional. Editorial Imprenta Nacional.
2010. P. 17. Bogotá, Colombia.
Illera, C. H. Intervención de Carlos Humberto Illera Montoya – Antropólogo, profesor
titular de la Universidad del Cauca y Director del Grupo de Investigaciones sobre
Patrimonio Culinario del Departamento del Cauca (GPC) durante Cabildo Abierto
convocado para socializar la construcción del Pacto Ciudadano para la Rehabilitación del
barrio Bolívar. 2014. Popayán – Cauca.
Márquez, H. Acción popular. Documento radicado dentro del proceso judicial 2010 –
00588 conocidos por el Juzgado Tercero Administrativo del Cauca. Folio 32. 2010.
Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial. Concepto Técnico -
210 Formulación Plan Parcial de Renovación Urbana “barrio Bolívar”. 2011. Disponible en:
[http://www.azbabogados.com/files/1_Historia_Contrato_Plan_Parcial_Barrio_Bolivar/9_
Concepto_Ministerio_Ambiente.pdf].
Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia. Documento Técnico de Soporte - Plan Especial de
Manejo y Protección del Sector Histórico - PEMP Popayán. 2009. Bogotá, Colombia.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS (PAGE 158)
Education to the rescue of the Torca-Guaymaral wetland
Authors
Raúl Ignacio Moreno Ramírez, fundaciontorca@yahoo.es, President, Fundación
Humedal de Torca Guaymaral.
Dianamireya Buitrago Lancheros, dianabuitrago.cun.d@gmail.com, Project Coordinator,
Fundación Humedal de Torca Guaymaral.
Recommended reading
Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá, D. C. Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial para el Distrito Capital.
2000. Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=3769].
Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial. Resolución 475 de 2000.
Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial. Resolución 621 de 2000
BIODIVERSITY AND CONNECTIVITY (PAGE 162)
Virtual catalog and phenology of flora species of the Valle de Aburrá
Authors
María del Pilar Arroyave Maya, maarr@eia.edu.co, Professor, Escuela de Ingeniería
de Antioquia.
Martha Isabel Posada Posada, ammapos@eia.edu.co, Professor, Escuela de
Ingeniería de Antioquia.
María Elena Gutiérrez Lagoueyte, ammagut@eia.edu.co, Professor, Escuela de
Ingeniería de Antioquia.
Notes
1. Mahecha et al. (2012).
2. Gómez (2010).
3. Forman (1995).
Bibliography
Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá. Plan Maestro de Espacios Públicos Verdes
Urbanos del Valle de Aburrá. 2007. Medellín, Colombia.
Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca (CAR). Vegetación del territorio CAR.
2006. 2012. Bogotá, Colombia.
Forman, R. T. Land mosaics: the ecology of landscapes and regions. Cambridge
University Press. 1995. Cambridge, Inglaterra.
Gómez, M. L. Fenología reproductiva de especies forestales nativas presentes en la
jurisdicción de Corantioquia. 2010. V. 1. Pp. 177-180. Medellín, Colombia.
Gómez, M. Fenología reproductiva de especies forestales nativas presentes en la
jurisdicción de Corantioquia. 2011. V. 2. Medellín, Colombia.
Hermelín, M. Valle de Aburrá: ¿Quo vadis?. Gestión y Ambiente. 2007. V. 10(2). Pp. 7-16.
Instituto Alexander von Humboldt. Informe nacional sobre el estado de la biodiversidad.
Tomo 2. 1997. Bogotá, Colombia.
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis.
Island Press. 2005. Washington, Estados Unidos.
Turner, M. G., Gardner, R. H. y O’Neill, R. V. Landscape ecology in theory and practice:
pattern and process. Springer-Verlag. 2001. Nueva York, Estados Unidos.
BIOHABITATS (PAGE 170)
The dream of ecologically restoring the cities of the United States
Authors
Keith Bowers, kbowers@biohabitats.com, President and founder, Biohabitats.
Collaborators
Jessica H. Norris, Redactora técnica, Biohabitats.
URBAN POLITICAL ECOLOGY (PAGE 174)
Another approach to the model of the city in Colombia
Authors
Germán Andrés Quimbayo Ruiz, gquimbayo@gmail.com, Ecologist. MSc. in
Geography-Independent environmental consultant, Member and collaborator of the
Fundación Humedales Bogotá.
Francisco Alejandro Vásquez Rodríguez, fvasquezro@gmail.com, independent researcher.
Notes
1. https://www.medellin.gov.co/biodiversidad/
2. According to official statistics from the Secretaría Distrital de Planeación-SDP. See link
here: http://goo.gl/lwobg2
3. https://www.medellin.gov.co
4. http://www.metropol.gov.co/
5. https://www.medellin.gov.co/biodiversidad/
6. Julio and Hernández (2014), Quimbayo Ruiz (2014).
7. Medellín, Caldas, La Estrella, Itagüí, Envigado, Sabaneta, Bello, Copacabana,
Girardota and Barbosa.
Bibliography
Braun, B. Environmental issues: writing a more-than-human urban geography.
Progress in Human Geography. 2005. V. 29(5). Pp. 635-650.
Cook, I. y Swyngedouw, E. Cities, Social Cohesion and the Environment: Towards a
Future Research Agenda. Urban Studies. 2012. V. 49(9). Pp. 1959-1979.
Cronon, W. Nature’s metropolis: Chicago and the Great West. W.W. Norton. 1991. Nueva York.
Gandy, M. Urban nature and the ecological imaginary. En: Heynen, N.; Kaika, M. y Swyngedeouw,
E. (Eds.). In the nature of cities. Urban political ecology and the politics of urban metabolism.
Questioning cities series. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. 2006. Pp. 63-74. Nueva York.
Heynen, N.; Kaika, M. y Swyngedeouw, E. Urban political ecology: politicizing the
production of urban spaces. En: Heynen, N.; Kaika, M. y Swyngedeouw, E. (Eds.). In the
nature of cities. Urban political ecology and the politics of urban metabolism. Questioning
cities series. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. 2006. Pp. 1-20. Nueva York.
Julio, M. Á. y Hernández, A. (Eds). Territorios ambientales de Bogotá. Historias de
acción colectiva. Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente. Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios
sobre el Desarrollo de la Universidad de Los Andes. 2014. 281 p. Bogotá, Colombia.
Neumann, R. Making political ecology. Hodder Arnold. 2005. Reino Unido.
Neumann, R. Political ecology: theorizing scale. Progress in Human Geography. 2009.
2009. V. 33(3). Pp. 398-406. SAGE Publications.
Quimbayo Ruiz, G. A. Movimientos sociales, políticas y conflictos ambientales en la
construcción de ciudad: el caso de Bogotá. Revista Ecología Política. 2014. V. 47. p. XX.
ISSN: 1138-6738. Barcelona, España.
Swyngedouw, E. y Heynen, N. Urban political ecology, justice, and the politics of scale.
Antipode. 2003. V. 35(5). Pp. 898-918.
Zimmerer, K. y Basset, T. (Eds.). Political ecology: an integrative approach to geography
and environment-development studies. The Guilford Press. 2003. Nueva York.
Zimmerer, K. Globalization & New Geographies of Conservation. The University of
Chicago Press. 2006. Chicago.
Recommended reading
Agudelo, L. C. Huella Ecológica en el valle de Aburrá. Disponible en: [http://www.oei.es/
noticias/spip.php?article1231].
Heynen, N. Urban political ecology I: The urban century. Progress in Human
Geography. 2003. Pp. 1-7.
Heynen, N.; Kaika, M. y Swyngedeouw, E. (Eds.). In the nature of cities. Urban political
ecology and the politics of urban metabolism. Questioning cities series. Routledge Taylor
and Francis Group. 2006. Nueva York, Estados Unidos.
Rodríguez, V. Nuestro pan de cada día. La huella ecológica alimentaria de Bogotá.
En: Cárdenas, T.; Correa, H. D. y Mesa, C. (Eds.). Región, ciudad y áreas protegidas.
Fescol-Cerec. 2005. pP. 223-245. Bogotá, Colombia.
THE VALUE OF THE URBAN FOREST (PAGE 178)
Three excercises for quantification of ecosystem services in the Valle de Aburrá
Authors
María del Pilar Arroyave Maya, maarr@eia.edu.co, Professor, Escuela de Ingeniería de Antioquia.
Behind the Experiences
Catalina Londoño Cadavid, clondonoc@gmail.com, Professor, Escuela de Ingeniería de Antioquia.
Camila Argoty Cano, camila.argoty@gmail.com, Professional in development,
ISAIntercolombia, Escuela de Ingeniería de Antioquia.
Valeria Meza Martínez, valery_meza@hotmail.com, Environmental engineer, Escuela
de Ingeniería de Antioquia.
Notes
1. Miller (2002).
2. Gaviria et al. (2011).
3. Grantz et al. (2003).
4. Tiwary et al. (2009).
5. Fann et al. (2012).
Bibliography
Escobedo, F. Urban Forests in Florida: Do They Reduce Air Pollution?. Urban Forestry
and Urban Greening. 2007. V. 4. Pp. 115-123.
Fann, N.; Lamson, A. D.; Anenberg, S. C.; Wesson, K.; Risley, D. y Hubbell, B. J.
Estimating the national public health burden associated with exposure to ambient PM2,5
and ozone. Risk analysis. 2012. V. 32(1). Pp. 81-95.
Gaviria, C. F.; Benavides, P. C. y Tangarife, C. A. Contaminación por material particulado (PM2,5
y PM10) y consultas por enfermedades respiratorias en Medellín (2008-2009). Revista Facultad
Nacional de Salud Pública. 2011. V. 29(3). Pp. 241-250.
Grantz, D. A.; Garner, J. H. B. y Johnson, D. W. Ecological effects of particulate matter.
Environment International. 2003. V. 29(2). Pp. 213-239.
Ideam. Informe anual sobre el estado del medio ambiente y los recursos naturales
renovables en Colombia: calidad del aire. 2007. Colombia.
Miller, G. T. Ciencia ambiental: Preservemos la Tierra. 5a ed. Thomson. 2002. México.
Nowak, D. Tree species selection, design, and management to improve air quality.
ASLA Annual meeting proceedings of the American of landscape architects. 2000.
Washington, Estados Unidos.
Nowak, D. J.; Crane, D. E. y Stevens, J. C. Air pollution removal by urban trees and shrubs in the
United States. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 2006. V. 4 (3-4). Pp. 115–123
Nowak, D.; Hoehn, R.; Bodine, A.; Greenfield, E.; Ellis, A.; Endreny, T.; Zhou, T.; Yang,
Y. y Ruthane, H. Assessing urban forest effects and values, Toronto´s urban forest.
Resour. Bull. 2013. NRS-79.
Smith, W. H. Air pollution and forests: interactions between air contaminants and forest
ecosystems. Springer Science & Business Media. 2012.
Tiwary, A.; Sinnett, D.; Peachey, C.; Chalabi, Z.; Vardoulakis, S.; Fletcher, T. y Hutchings, T.
R. An integrated tool to assess the role of new planting in PM10 capture and the human health
benefits: a case study in London. Environmental Pollution. 2009. V. 157(10). Pp. 2645-2653.
FIELD WORK (PAGE 182)
The pedagogical village of Cali
Author
Jahuira - Carlos Germán Duque Martínez, colegioideas@yahoo.com, Rector Colegio
Ideas Director Cali Ciudad de las Aguas project.
Collaborators
Alejandra Herrera Vélez, Executive Secretary, ‘Cali Ciudad de las Aguas’ project.
Bibliography
Acerete, D. M. Objetivos y didáctica de la educación plástica. Editorial Kapelusz.
1974. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Bloom, B. Características humanas y aprendizaje escolar. Voluntad. 1977. Bogotá, Colombia.
Bloom, B. et al. Taxonomía de los objetivos de la educación. El Ateneo. 1960.
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Cousinet, R. El trabajo escolar colectivo. Ministerio de Educación Pública,
Departamento de Educación Primaria. 1928.
Echegoyen de Cañizares, A. y Suárez, C. La unidad de trabajo y el programa. Cultural
S. A. 1960. La Habana, Cuba.
Fraisse, P.; Frances, R.; Piaget, J. y Vulpillot, E. La percepción. Paidós. 1973.
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Freire, P. Pedagogía del oprimido. Siglo XXI Editores S. A. 1970.
Gagne, R. M. y Briggs, L. J. La planificación de la enseñanza. Trillas. 1970. México.
Glotton, R. El arte y la escuela. Editorial Vicens. 1976. Madrid, España. 211
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
González, D. Didáctica o dirección del aprendizaje. Cultural Centro América. 1962. Guatemala.
Goodland, J. Un nuevo concepto de programación escolar. Magisterio Español S. A.
1969. Madrid, España.
Hernández, R. Metodología general de la enseñanza. Uteha. 1960. México.
Lewy, A. et al. Manual de evaluación formativa del currículum. Voluntad, Unesco. 1976.
Bogotá, Colombia.
Mussen, P. H.; Conger, J. J. y Kagan, J. Desarrollo de la personalidad del niño. 7ª ed.
Trillas. 1977. México D. F., México.
Parramón, J. M. Así se pinta. 4ª ed. Instituto Parramón Ediciones. 1979. Barcelona, España.
Pestalozzi, H. Exposición del método elemental. Imprenta de Gómez Fuentenebro. 1807.
Piaget, J. e Inhelder, B. Psicología del niño. 9ª ed. Ediciones Morato S. A. 1980. Madrid, España.
Rousseau, J. El Emilio. Editorial EDAF S. L. 1985.
Rumazo, A. Simón Rodríguez maestro de América. Editorial Fundación Biblioteca
Ayacucho. S.f.
Saint-Exupéry, A. El principito. Editorial Roca S. A. 1977. México.
URBAN WATER SECURITY (PAGE 188)
The impact of deforestation on the reservoirs that supply Medellín
Authors
Esteban Álvarez-Dávila, esalvarez3000@gmail.com, Coordinator of the Grupo SECC,
Laboratorio SECC de Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático, Jardín Botánico de
Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe, Fundación Con Vida.
Zorayda Restrepo, zetarestrepo@yahoo.es, Researcher for the Grupo SECC,
Laboratorio SECC de Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático, Jardín Botánico de
Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe, Fundación Con Vida.
Sebastián González, sebastian.gonzalez.caro@gmail.com, Researcher for the
Grupo SECC, Laboratorio SECC de Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático, Jardín
Botánico de Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe.
Jorge Zea Camaño, jdzeaca@gmail.com, Researcher for the Grupo SECC,
Laboratorio SECC de Servicios Ecosistémicos y Cambio Climático, Jardín Botánico de
Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe.
Jesús Adolfo Anaya Acevedo, janaya@udem.edu.co, professor, Universidad de Medellín.
Notes
1. Cornare (2014).
2. Sáenz and Mulligan ( (2013).
3. The name of the book is’ Flora del Oriente Antioqueño: Biodiversidad, ecología
y estrategias de conservación’, and its compiler is Mario Alberto Quijano Abril.
Specifically, the chapter related to this article is called “Deforestación, minería y cambio
climático: amenazas para la biodiversidad y los servicios ecosistemicos en el Oriente
antioqueño” (Álvarez et al., en prensa).
4. Hansen et al. (2013).
5. https://sites.google.com/site/tierraminada/).
6. Londoño and Zapata (2014).
7. González et al. (2014).
8. Mejía (2015).
9. Tierra Minada (2015).
10. Mejía (2015).
Bibliography
Álvarez, E. et al. Deforestación, minería y cambio climático: amenazas para la biodiversidad
Instituto Humboldt
y los servicios ecosistémicos en el Oriente antioqueño. En: Flora del Oriente Antioqueño:
Biodiversidad, ecología y estrategias de conservación. Universidad Católica de Oriente. En prensa.
Cornare. Plan de gestión ambiental regional 2013-2032. Servicios ecosistémicos y
adaptación al cambio climático, un pacto por la sostenibilidad del Oriente Antioqueño.
2014. El Santuario, Colombia. Disponible en: [http://www.cornare.gov.co/PGAR/
Documento-Borrador-PGAR-2013-2032.pdf].
Gómez, A. M., Anaya, J. A., y Álvarez, E. Análisis de fragmentación de los ecosistemas
boscosos en una región de la cordillera central de los andes colombianos. Revista
Ingenierías Universidad de Medellín. 2005. V. 4(7). Pp. 13-27.
González, S.; Restrepo, Z.; Ortiz, C.; Botero, S. y Álvarez, E. Antioquia: un territorio para
conservar. Medellín: Jardín Botánico Joaquín Antonio Uribe de Medellín y Gobernación de
212 Antioquia. 2014. P. 32. Medellín, Colombia.
Grey, D. y Sadoff, C. ¿Hundirse o nadar? La seguridad hídrica para el crecimiento y el
desarrollo. Política Hídrica. 2007. V. 9. Pp. 545–557.
Hansen, M. C.; Potapov, P. V.; Moore, R.; Hancher, M.; Turubanova, S. A.; Tyukavina, A.;
Thau, D.; Stehman, S. V.; Goetz, S. J.; Loveland, T. R.; Kommareddy, A.; Egorov, A.; Chini,
L.; Justice, C. O. y Townshend, J. R. G. Global Forest Change. University of Maryland.
Department of Geographical Sciences. S.f. Disponible en: [http://earthenginepartners.
appspot.com/science-2013-global-forest].
Mejía, O. SMA. Gob. de Ant. Beneficios de invertir en la conservación de la naturaleza en Antioquia.
Documento de la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de la Gobernación de Antioquia. 2015. Sin publicar.
Ramírez, J. J. y Machado, T. Influencia de la precipitación y los ortofosfatos sobre el
fitoplancton de la represa La Fe, Antioquia, Colombia. Actualidades Biológicas. Enero-
marzo 1982. V. 11(39). Pp. 3-21.
Restrepo, Z. et al. Flora y fauna amenazada del municipio de Envigado. Proyecto
SILAPE: Diseño de un Sistema de Áreas Protegidas para el municipio de Envigado.
Convenio JBMD-Envigado. 2014.
Restrepo, Z. Identificación de áreas prioritarias y especies apropiadas para la
restauración de la biodiversidad a escala del paisaje en valles de San Nicolás. En: Flora
del Oriente Antioqueño: Biodiversidad, ecología y estrategias de conservación. Universidad
Católica de Oriente. En prensa.
Sáenz, L. y Mulligan, M. The Role of Cloud Affected Forests (CAFs) on Water Inputs to
Dams. Ecosystem Services. 2013. V. 5. Pp. 69-77.
Tierra Minada. Cartografía de actividades minero-energéticas en Colombia. 2015.
Disponible en: [https://sites.google.com/site/tierraminada/].
UPB. Uso del agua en la cuenca del río Porce, Colombia. 2012.
Yepes-Quintero, A.; Duque-Montoya, Á. J.; Navarrete-Encinales, D.; Phillips-Bernal,
J.; Cabrera-Montenegro, E.; Corrales-Osorio, A.; Álvarez-Dávila, E.; Galindo-García, G.;
García-Dávila, M. C.; Idárraga, A. y Vargas-Galvis, D. Estimación de las reservas y pérdidas
de carbono por deforestación en los bosques del Departamento de Antioquia, Colombia.
Actualidades Biológicas. 2011. V. 33 (95). Pp. 193-208.
GREEN INDICES AND INDICATORS (PAGE 192)
First exercise in urban environmental quality measurement at the national level
Authors
Adriana Díaz Arteaga, adiaz@minambiente.gov.co, Coordinator grupo Gestión
Ambiental Urbana, Ministerios de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible.
Sandra Isabel Granados Avellaneda, sandraisa.granados@gmail.com, Independent consultant.
Andrea Yinneth Saldaña Barahona, AYSaldana@minambiente.gov.co, Profesional
Especializada, Ministerios de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible.
Notes
1. Díaz Arteaga et al. (2014).
Bibliography
Díaz Arteaga, A.; Granados, S.; Saldaña Barahona, A.; Minambiente. Dirección de
Asuntos Ambientales, Sectoral y Urbana y Asocars. Índice Nacional de Calidad Ambiental
Urbana: Áreas urbanas con población superior a 500.000 habitantes. Ministerio de
Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible. 2014. 93 p. Bogotá, Colombia.
Díaz, A.; Peñuela, R.; Granados, S. y Bernal, J. A. Hoja metodológica del indicador Área
Verde Urbana (Versión 1.00). Iniciativa Latinoamericana y Caribena para el Desarrollo
Sostenible (ILAC). Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADS), Departamento
Administrativo Nacional de Estadistica (DANE). 2012. 10 p. Colombia.
Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible. Circular 8000-2-34415 del 10 de
octubre de 2013. 2013.
Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible et al. Conpes 3718. Política nacional de
espacio público. 2012. Bogotá, D. C.
Naciones Unidas. Informe de la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre los
Asentamientos Humanos (HABITAT II) (ONU 1996). 1996. Naciones Unidas. Turquía.
Disponible en: [http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G96/025/03/PDF/
G9602503.pdf?OpenElement]. Acceso: octubre 22 de 2012.
República de Colombia. Decreto 1504 de 1998 “Por el cual se reglamenta el manejo
del Espacio Público en los Planes de Ordenamiento Territorial”. 1998.
República de Colombia. Ley 768 de 2002 “Por la cual se adopta el Régimen
Político, Administrativo y Fiscal de los Distritos Portuario e Industrial de
Barranquilla, Turístico y Cultural de Cartagena de Indias y Turístico, Cultural e
Histórico de Santa Marta”. 2002.
Reyes, S. y Figueroa, I. M. Distribución, superficie y accesibilidad de las áreas verdes en
Santiago de Chile. EURE Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios Urbanos Regionales. 2010.
GLOSSARY
Bibliography
Alcaldía de Manizales. Secretaría de Planeación Municipal. Plan de Ordenamiento
Territorial del Municipio de Manizales 2015-2027. Documento técnico de soporte.
Componente urbano. 2015. Manizales, Colombia.
Aponte, G.; Schnitter, P.; Cadavid, J.; Salazar, S.; Penagos, G.; Ruiz, S. y Escobar, L.
M. Paisaje de borde: el papel estructurante de las quebradas en las laderas de Medellín.
Investigación No. 750A-12/10-28- UPB 2011-2012. S.f. Sin publicar. Medellín, Colombia.
Asociación de Cooperación en materia de Bosques. El MFS y los bosques primarios. S.f.
Disponible en: [http://www.cpfweb.org/32857-04174f2cee36c34938d7ca757532bcd04.pdf].
Asociación de Empresas de Energías Renovables. ¿Qué es la Biomasa?. S.f. Disponible
en: [http://www.appa.es/04biomasa/04que_es.php].
Bedoya, C.; Caravedo, J.; Moreno, G.; Puma, L. y Salazar, K. Guía para la
transformación de conflictos socioambientales. PNUMA. 2010. Lima, Perú. Disponible en:
[http://www.pnuma.org/gobernanza/documentos/PC%20Peru/Guia%20para%20la%20
Transformacion%20de%20Conflictos%20Socioambientales.pdf].
Brown, S. y Lugo, A. E. Rehabilitation of tropical lands: A key to Sustaining
development. Restoration Ecology. 1994. V. 2(2). Pp. 97-111.
Biomass Users Network. Manuales sobre energía renovable: Biomasa. Biomass Users
Network. 2002. 42 p. San José, Costa Rica.
Colombia. Decreto 3600 del 2007. Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial. 2007.
Colombia. Ley Nacional 99 de 1993. Disponible en: [http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/
sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=297]. Acceso: octubre 8 de 2015.
Conke, L. S. y Ferreira, T. L. (2015). Urban metabolism: Measuring the city’s
contribution to sustainable development. Environmental Pollution. 2015. V. 202. Pp. 146-
152. Disponible en: [http://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.03.027].
Dudley, N. 2008. Guidelines for applying protected area management categories. IUCN.
2008. Gland, Suiza. Disponible en: [http://data.iucn.org/dbtwwpd/edocs/paps-016.pdf].
Acceso: febrero 12 de 2014.
Fals Borda, O. Historia doble de la Costa. Tomo 1, Mompox y Loba. Universidad Nacional
de Colombia, Banco de la República y El Áncora Editores. 2002. Bogotá, Colombia.
Font Quer, P. Diccionario de botánica. Ediciones Península. 2001. Barcelona, España.
Fournier, L. A. El dendrofenograma, una representación gráfica del comportamiento
fenológico de los árbole. Turrialba. 1976. V. 26(1). Pp. 96-97.
García, M. Espacio público. En: Propuesta de Anteproyecto para la recuperación del
Sector 4. S.f. Disponible en: [http://www.ub.edu/multigen/donapla/espacio1.pdf].
Gómez-Baggethun, E.; Gren, Å.; Barton, D. N.; Langemeyer, J.; McPhearson, T.;
O’Farrell, P.; Andersson, E.; Hamstead, Z. y Kremer, P. Urban Ecosystem Services.
En: Elmqvist, T. et al. (Ed). Urbanization, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services:
Challenges and Opportunities. A Global Assessment, A Part of the Cities and
Biodiversity Outlook Project. Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg. 2013. Nueva York,
Estados Unidos – Londres, Inglaterra.
Grupo de Aerobiología de la Universidad de Córdoba. Estudios de fenología en Córdoba. Universidad
de Córdoba. S.f. Disponible en: [http://www.uco.es/aerobiologia/fenologia/fenologia.html].
Herbario de la Universidad Pública de Navarra. Morfología: plántulas. Disponible en:
[http://www.unavarra.es/herbario/htm/plantula.htm].
Ideam, van der Hammen, T. y Andrade, G. (2003). Estructura ecológica principal de
Colombia (Primera aproximación). Ministerio de Ambiente e Ideam. 2003. Bogotá, Colombia.
Le Galès, P. Régulation, gouvernance et territoire. En: Commaille, J. y Jobert, B. (Dirs.).
La régulation politique à paraître. Presses de Sciences Po. 1998. París, Francia.
Leite, A. Humedales, corredores biológicos y conectividad en ecosistemas terrestres
y costero marino para el Manejo Integrado del Agua y Áreas Marino Costeras - MIAAC.
Ministerio del Medio Ambiente. Gobierno de Brasil. S.f.
Lerner, J. Acupuntura urbana. Editora Record. 2003. ISBN: 85-01-06851-9. Río
de Janeiro, Brasil.
Lieth, H. Phenology in productivity studies. En: Reichle, D. (Ed.). Analysis of Temperate
Behind the Experiences
Forest Ecosystems, Ecological Studies. Chapman and Hall. 1970. Londres, Inglaterra.
Marañón, T. El banco de semillas en el suelo. S.f. Disponible en: [http://digital.csic.es/
bitstream/10261/48200/1/El%20banco%20de%20semillas%20en%20el%20suelo.pdf].
Martín-López, B.; Gómez-Baggethun, E. y Montes, C. Un marco conceptual para la
gestión de las interacciones naturaleza-sociedad en un mundo cambiante. Cuides 3.
2009. Pp. 229-258.
Meiklejohn, K.; Ament, R. y Tabor, G. 2009. Habitat corridors & landscape connectivity:
Clarifying the terminology. Center for Large Landscape Conservation. 6 p. Bozeman,
Estados Unidos. Disponible en: [http://largelandscapes.org/media/publications/Habitat-
corridors-and-landscape-connectivity1.pdf]. Acceso: octubre 8 de 2015.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Ecosystem and human well-being: biodiversity
synthesis. World Resources Institute. 2005. Washington, Estados Unidos.
Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible et al. Conpes 3718. Política nacional de
espacio público. 2012. Bogotá, D. C.
Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial. Resolución 0601 de 2006.
Por la cual se establece la Norma de Calidad del Aire o Nivel de Inmisión, para todo el
territorio nacional en condiciones de referencia. Bogotá, Colombia. Disponible en: [http://
www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=19983].
Ministerio del Medio Ambiente. Informe del estado del medio ambiente.
2011. Chile. Disponible en: [http://www.mma.gob.cl/1304/articles-52016_
InformeEsradoMedioAmbiente_Completo_2011.pdf].
Montenegro, F.; Gómez, G. y Quimbayo, G. Informe Técnico Convenio 1275 SDA-IAvH.
Producto Análisis comparativo de las figuras de gestión social del territorio que contenga
la propuesta de la o las figuras más adecuada para el borde sur incluyendo su sustento
técnico, social. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt
y Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente. 2015. Bogotá, Colombia.
Moreno Slagter, M. Columna de opinión. El Heraldo. Octubre 9 de 2014.
Nichol, J. y Wong, M. Modelling urban environmental quality in a tropical city
Landscape and Urban Planning. 2005. (73). Pp. 49-58.
Pantoja, A.; Smith-Pardo, A.; García, A.; Sáenz, A. y Rojas, F. Principios y avances
sobre polinización como servicio ambiental para la agricultura sostenible en países de
Latinoamérica y el Caribe. La Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y
la Agricultura (FAO). 2014. 55 p. Santiago, Chile. Disponible en: [http://www.fao.org/3/a-
i3547s.pdf]. Acceso: octubre 8 de 2015.
Pope, C. A. y Dockery, D. W. Health effects of fine particulate air pollution: lines that
connect. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association. V. 56(6). Pp. 709-742.
Ramírez, D. P.; Trespalacios, O. L.; Ruiz, F. L. y Otero, J. Conectividad ecológica en
las zonas urbano-rural de la localidad de Suba. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos
Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. 2008. 125 p. Bogotá, Colombia.
Red Académica de Bogotá. ¿Y qué es eso de la cartografía social?. S.f. Disponible
en: [http://www.redacademica.edu.co/archivos/redacademica/proyectos/ddhh/
autoformacion_ddhh/unidad8/and0301.pdf].
Risler, J. y Ares, P. Manual de mapeo colectivo: recursos cartográficos críticos para procesos
territoriales de creación colaborativa. 1a ed. Tinta Limón. 2013. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Soriano, J. P. Funtional structure of bat communities in tropical rainforest and andean
cloud forest. Ecotrópicos. 2000. V. 13(1). Pp. 1-20.
Stiles, F. G. y Rosselli, L. Inventario de las aves de un bosque andino: comparación de
dos métodos. Caldasia. 1998. V. 20(1). Pp. 29-43.
Subgerencia cultural del Banco de la República. Área de amortiguación. 2015.
Disponible en: [http://www.banrepcultural.org/blaavirtual/ayudadetareas/ciencias/
area_de_amortiguacion].
Trzyna, T. Urban Protected Areas: Profiles and best practice guidelines. Best Practice
Protected Area Guidelines Series. 2014. V. 22.
Tzoulas, K.; Korpela, K.; Venn, S.; Yli-Pelkonen, V.; Kazmierczak, A.; Niemela, J. y James,
P. Promoting ecosystem and human health in urban areas using green infrastructure: a
literature review. Landscape and urban planning. 2007. V. 81(3). Pp. 167-178.
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Statewide Integrated Pest
Management Program. What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?. S.f. Disponible en:
[http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/GENERAL/whatisipm.html]. Acceso: octubre 8 de 2015.
Winterhalder, K.; Group, P. W. y Higgs, E. Overview. The SER International Primer on
Ecological Restoration. 2004. V. 2(2). Pp. 206–207.
213
 Urban
Urban Nature  Platform of Experiences
Nature
A BOOK REVIEW FROM THE POSITION
OF THE SURE (SOCIETY FOR URBAN
ECOLOGY)
Jürgen Breuste, Germany
SURE (Society for Urban Ecology) President
Urban nature becomes more and
more a focal point of urban research
after so many years of underestima-
tion. Since now about nearly only 50
years more and more publications
about urban nature can be found in
journals and since the last 20 years
also as books, collecting the knowle-
dge and making it available for stu-
dents, researchers and practitioners.
Since Berlin, Germany was a
starting point of modern urban eco-
logy in 1960s the subject of dealing
Instituto Humboldt
with ‘urban nature’ started as part of
landscape ecology, mainly in Euro-
pe. Later in the 1990s urban ecology
began to establish as own discipline.
Text books and teaching courses,
meetings, workshops, post-gradua-
214 te education are actually structuring
and developing the subjects of urban
ecology. Actual trends are not only
to collect more and more knowledge
– which is still necessary – about ur-
ban nature, but also to make use of
this knowledge in urban design and
management to let people benefiting
from urban nature. Urban ecosys-
tem services and nature-based so-
lutions are in discussion and already
in application. Models and scena-
rios are in work to forecast the urban
and nature development and to get
prepared for the future status related
e.g. climate change, invasive spe-
cies, changed demands by people
and many other challenges.
This remembers us not to forget
that cities and towns are the main li-
ving spaces of us, the humans and
that it depends on us to create our
environment there; to develop urban
nature on low level of risks, to pro-
fit best from it and to seek sustai-
nable and resilient stages for nature
in cities. To fulfill all this targets, in-
cluding our social, cultural and aes-
thetic perspectives, is not easy to
realize and will always imply different
solutions and interesting case stu-
dies from which we can learn, but
which we can’t simply transfer to
another point of the urban world.
In 2009 the Society for Urban
Ecology (SURE) was founded in
Salzburg, Austria, by encouraged re-
searchers from many countries and
started with the idea of a worldwide
perspective to identify challenges for
urban ecological research and urban
ecosystem management, to include
the young generation of researchers
and students and to cooperate in re-
search and management about ur-
ban ecosystems.
In order to develop an unders-
tanding of the structure and function
of urban ecosystems and to advan-
ce towards a balanced interaction
between humans and their environ-
ments in cities and towns world-
wide, SURE targets to foster and
develop knowledge and implemen-
tation of urban ecology strategies
globally by strengthening contacts
and enriching the dialogue between
researchers and practitioners, by re-
presenting the interests of the aca-
demic community within the wider
international institutional context and
by making the collective expertise of
SURE available, where appropriate,
in furthering the discussion of urban
ecological issues.
Up to now we organized one
world conference (2013 in Berlin,
Germany), will have the next this
year (2016) in Shanghai, had four
SURE summer schools, several in-
ternational workshops and have
now already four regional chapters
working in Latin America, China,
South East Europe and South Asia.
The Latin American chapter beca-
me one of our most dynamic. Star-
ting in Brazil in 2014 and organizing
the first SURE Regional Conference
in Bogotá, Colombia as Internatio-
nal Symposium on Urban Ecolo-
gy (8-10 September 2015). All were
impressed about the overwhelming
attention and interest of different
professionals and especially young
researchers! There is no doubt,
that we have in Latin America a big
community of researchers already
cooperating with urban landscape
architects, environmental managers
and designers, creating a new ur-
ban nature wherever it is possible.
There is also no doubt, that this is
only possible together with the peo-
ple living in the cities and towns and
meeting their interests, supporting
their benefits, using urban nature as
contact with nature to enjoy it, but
also to learn from it, making it our
common surrounding in cities.
It is very important to share our
experiences with processes as the
one María Angélica Mejía did with
the wonderful book ‘Naturaleza Ur-
bana’, making it a platform for ex-
periences but also of ‘esperanzas’
or hopes, that this will be success-
fully used, adapted and implemen-
ted on many other places.
It is impressive to read the long
list of authors contributing to the
book, the diverse perspective of
subjects included, and the exce-
llent design and beautiful graphics.
I am very SURE that this book will
be warmly welcomed for many peo-
ple, not only in Colombia and Latin
America, but also anywhere else in
the world. For this a translation into
English is strongly recommended.
Urban Nature embraces the idea
of a city and a community from be-
Review from SURE
ginning -often forgotten- and it ends
up with this: including urban natu-
re into the design and pattern and
creating it step by step with sma-
ll bits and pieces, not less than the
‘eco-city’ we all need.
The book shows that the idea of
integrating nature in cities is already
taking place from considerable years
in Colombia, with more or less results
in urban design. It acknowledges that
innovative urban environmental expe-
riences do go beyond Colombian ca-
pital or main cities. It also shows that
the Colombian cities beside many
problems and failures in urbanization
have still a great ‘nature capital’ with
great biodiversity level from which
more people could now benefit.
It will be welcome to see that the
authors understand urban nature not
as a closed up heritage which has
to be preserved against damages of
people and which should be hidden.
The nature is always right unders-
tood as a part of ‘socio-ecological
systems’ and only can be profitable,
protected and developed including
the people, the urban dwellers, of di-
fferent social and educational status.
Let’s make urban nature pla-
ces which belong to us as urban
dwellers, let’s benefit from their
ecosystem services they provide
us and let’s make them to places
to enjoy and to learn. 215
Preservation, restoration, monitoring of biodiversity and promo-
tion of native species, in their strict and classical sense, could be
unviable strategies in the cities. Management systems such as
the protected areas acquire profoundly different connotations and
objectives from the traditional ones when thought of in the
context of a city. Similarly, although ecological restoration seeks
to return to a baseline ecosystem, there is little that we know
about the vegetation present on the urban borders of the main
Colombian cities prior to the 20th century. Finally, the models for
potential distribution of species could produce unreliable results,
because their methodological bases were not conceived based
on urban dynamics. In this context, to define urban biodiversity
and what strategy must be applied for its conservation implies a
challenge that, beyond being scientific, is necessarily social and
cultural and involves planning and design. Innovation is inevitable.

9 789585 418042