fundación ecoprogreso

Viviana Mourra

Executive Director

+57 320 542 4108

viviana.mourra@ecoprogreso.org

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