A New Fund for Colombian Park Chiribiquete

The program “Chibiribiquete, a Landscape Forever” was announced on April 25. This initiative will receive an annual contribution from international cooperation entities to protect Colombia’s Chiribiquete National Park.

Colombian National Natural Parks, the Zoological Society of Frankfurt, and the German fund Legacy Landscapes have unveiled the program. Chiribiquete will receive a budget of at least $1 million per year for a minimum of 30 years, dedicated to park management.

The largest Colombian natural park

The funding will cover a total of 6,670,816 acres of the park. Chibiriquite is Colombia’s largest protected area, spanning over 4 million acres across the Caqueta, Putumayo, and Amazon regions. In 2023, the Legacy Landscapes Fund selected Chibiriquite to join 14 other natural parks in Africa, Asia, and South America that will receive long-term funding to preserve their natural resources.

Additionally, the fund will foster relationships with nearby territories and communities in the Chibiriquite area. It will coordinate actions with local and indigenous authorities, as well as municipal and environmental officials in the region.

According to the Ministry of Environment, deforestation, an increase in illicit crops, and illegal infrastructure pose threats to the preservation of Chiribiquete. Luis Olmedo, the director of Natural Parks, stated, “Colombia’s national parks do not maintain themselves. We require greater efforts and collaboration, along with resources that will ensure fair compensation for our workers.” 

Chiribiquite Park and deforestation

It is also worth noting that on April 8, several government authorities revealed preliminary data indicating a 40% increase in deforestation during 2023 and the first half of 2024, compared to the same period in the previous year.

Although environmental agencies have not accounted for this rise in deforestation, the Minister of Environment cited the main reasons for this increase as “armed groups and the favorable conditions provided by the El Niño phenomenon.”