Viviana Mourra
Executive Director
+57 320 542 4108
www.ecoprogreso.org
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Population: 1,000,000
Economy based on tourism, industry and ports.
60% of the country´s maritime commerce
Best port of the Caribbean
More than 2,500 industries
6% of national GDP
UNESCO World Heritage Site 1984
32,7% of the population live in poverty
Cartagena and Climate Change
With a 2oC increase, sea level will rise 60cm
by 2040
Estimates are of a 4 to 6 oC rise, with devastating
consequences not only on sea level rise, but also
with increased precipitation and droughts.
Cartagena and Urban
Expansion
The city´s growth is characterized by the transformation
of its natural landscape: coastal lagoons, mudflats,
sand dunes, canals, beaches, and mangroves have all
been transformed to give way to built infrastructure.
• Vulnerable population growth
towards high risk areas,
ecosystem margins.
• Threat to environmental
services: storm protection,
erosion control, climate
regulation, food security,
sustainable local livelihoods
(eco tourism)
Informal settlements in areas of
high risk from flooding
Mangrove destruction and
conversion of wetland into new
urban land
Current urban dynamics undermine environment
Informal
settlements
Formal urbanization
Fundación Ecoprogreso
NGO created in
2008 in response to
the environmental
conflicts that
currently threaten
the existence of an
important
ecosystem, the
mangrove lagoon
known as Ciénaga
Juan Polo. Cartagena
Ciénaga
Juan Polo
Biodiversity
Culture
Environmental services
Work towards the restoration and conservation of the mangrove ecosystem through socially inclusive
and participatory strategies that generate wellbeing for present and future generations.
Mission
Strategic Objectives
• Increase awareness about the importance of the mangrove ecosystem in Cartagena, in the afro Colombian communities adjacent to the lagoon and the Cartagena population at large.
Environmental Awareness
• Support projects that encourage grassroots actions for the defense of the mangrove ecosystem.
Environmental Protection
• Establish partnerships with public and private entities to articulate actors around the restoration and conservation of the mangrove lagoon.
Public and Private Partnerships
Achievements 2009-2014
Environmental Awareness
Mangrove curriculum
Scouts Environmental Guardians: 90 youths of vulnerable
communities, between the ages of 6 and 18
Environmental Awareness
Ecoprogreso´s youth groups from La Boquilla, Marlinda,
Villa Gloria and Manzanillo del Mar, participate in
ecosystem monitoring. World Mangrove Day 2014.
Environmental Awareness
Participate in the Neotropical Water Bird Census since
2013, held in february and july, with the support of
Asociación Calidris
Environmental Awareness
Migration Festival celebrated in 6 communities with the
support of Asociación Calidris and the Copper River
Migratory Bird Initiative. Activities were lead by
Ecoprogreso´s youth groups.
Documentary
discussions
Murals
Games
Environmental Awareness
Environmental Awareness: Earth Day
Environmental Awareness: National Climate Change Day
Achievements 2009-2014
Environmental Protection
Consolidated community group for environmental defense: Afro
descendent Environmental Corporation of La Boquilla – CORPAMBO
Neotropical Water Bird Census
Ciénaga de la Virgen Biobliz
Community monitoring initiatives
Guía de Aves Acuáticas
de la Ciénaga de la
Virgen y de Juan Polo.
Mangrove clean ups and
awareness raising campaigns
with neighbors
Achievements 2009-2014
Alliances with private and public entities
Research
Casos Emblemáticos Ciénaga de la Virgen: Análisis de Cinco Casos Fallidos por la Defensa del Ecosistema de Manglar (Restrepo S., Pineda J., Vergara R. 2014) http://bit.ly/casosiconicos
Bioconteo Ciénaga de la Virgen: Monitoreo Participativo de Biodiversidad (2014) http://bit.ly/bioconteo2014
Diagnóstico Participativo de Usos de los Recursos Naturales del Ecosistema de Manglar en la Ciénaga de la Virgen y de Juan Polo (Geiszler, D. 2014) http://bit.ly/diagnostico_recursos_cienaga
Parque Biocultural Ciénaga Juan Polo: Proceso de Pensamiento, Planeación y Construcción Participativa en el marco de la Protección y Conservación de la Ciénaga Juan Polo (Comba Internacional, 2010). http://bit.ly/comba_parquebiocultural
2015-2020
Environmental Community Groups: Activate Tierra Baja group –Community Council and Fundación Serena del Mar
Strengthen groups in Manzanillo del Mar and La Boquilla.
Formalize monitoring and surveillance initiative (Bioblitz, NWBC). Built virtual platform.
Establish alliances with enforcement entities responsible for protecting coastal marine resources.
Bio Cultural Park Ciénaga Juan Polo
Touristic circuit of afrocolombian heritage: development
of diferentiated products resilient to climate change and
development impacts
Manzanillo del Mar: beaches, gastronomy
La Boquilla: beaches, gastronomy, culture, birdwatching
Tierra Baja: Culture (african heritage theme park, festivals,
cultural house)
Puerto Rey: Agrotourismo, birdwatching,
Centralized marketing & Sustainability
Standards
2015-2020
Ecosystem–based Adaptation to Climate Change
2015-2020
Cartagena de Indias Competitive and
Compatible with Climate – Plan 4 C
• 1st city in Colombia to have developed
a long term vision where climate
change will be an opportunity for its
development.
• Place Cartagena as leader in Latin
America on showing how to make
development compatible with climate
change
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