The jaguar, the Tanagers and the Fuertes parrot already have their own festival. In 2014 we first celebrated the Jaguar Festival in Mapiripan, Meta; the Tangaras Festival in El Carmen de Atrato, Choco and the Fuertes’s Parrot Festival in Cajamarca, Tolima; regions in which ProAves have protected areas for these species.

These and over 120 bird species in Colombia are in some category of threat and its the communities that can gestate actions for preservation, which is why for over 10 years, ProAves has been promoting their massive participation in the realization of Threatened Parrots festivals in Colombia, Migratory Birds, El Paujil and Birds of the Caribbean, added together these 3 new events were attended by about 700 people in 2014.

The Festivals that ProAves holds are major events that revolve around the conservation of endemic species or those with some degree of threat in a particular place. For the town of Mapiripan in the Meta department, the first Jaguar Festival became the first environmental event that was set up with the newly formed environmental committee and with local leaders, showing the interest in these communities of participating in initiatives to help reduce pressure on the Amazonian ecosystems that are home not only the Jaguar (Panthera onca) but other threatened mammals such as the Pink Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), Red Deer (Mazama americana), Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and Churuco (Lagothrix lagotrica). The Jaguar represents the importance of conservation of these umbrella species, in this case for the regulation of populations they hunt, their habitat disappears dramatically, forcing them to seek prey in livestock areas, dying at the hand of humans. The festival teaches to protect, to get to know its natural history promoting from biological knowledge their protection and cultural roots.

These cultural performances, held at festivals, are the epicenter of the ultimate expression of commitment and ownership of the territory. Strengthening the knowledge, community work and values; where the community shows that even though they are in areas of high social conflict can have a vision of culture, art and tradition hand in hand with conservation activities:c

Summary

I Jaguar Festival:

Biological Education Workshops

Parades through the main streets, accompanied by the party band

Folk dances, Plays, Dance, Song, Musical.

1 Las Tanagers Festival:

Support the celebration of Peasant Day

Development of crafts for understanding the Tanagers

Community Meeting in Las Tanagers Nature Reserve

Field trips: birdwatching, ecology and ecological balance

I Fuertes Parrot Festival

Troupes parade through the main streets

Protocol acts for submission of the Fuertes parrot as the representative species of the town

Cultural activities

We thank the mayors, community leaders, corporations, committed teachers, educational centers, parents, local merchants, for their support in the celebration of these events.

Colombia, Australia, China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and the United States. These countries have a third of the global diversity of birds, mammals and amphibians, which partly explains why most of the losses are so concentrated. However, other megadiverse countries like Brazil, India and Madagascar performed better in preserving their diversity.

Research published in the journal PLoS ONE, conducted by scientists from the Centre for Ecology Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and BirdLife International, evaluates, for the first time, the fulfillment of nations with their responsibilities in the conservation of global diversity.

Supporting the results published recently by ProAves in State of Birds of Colombia, our diverse country has contributed negatively to the trends of biodiversity worldwide for birds, mammals and amphibians. In fact, along with Australia, China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and the US we are responsible for more than half of the overall deterioration in the condition of vertebrate species.

The study also reveals that, contrary to expectations, countries with better economies are no more effective than others, with the US and Australia in the list, the GDP does not explain its effectiveness in reducing biodiversity loss, instead success seems to result from the implementation of appropriate policies.

Very few countries, mostly island nations such as the Cook Isles, Fiji, Mauritius, The Seychelles and Tonga, have made ​​significant improvements. Likewise Brazil, India, Peru and Madagascar have done a better job proportionally in fulfilling their commitments to prevent biodiversity loss.

“One of the keys to success that these five countries have had is to implement consistent conservation actions over several decades. The conservation rarely achieves success through short-term projects, but require a long-term approach, something that donors should take note of”. Explained co-author Simon Stuart to the English magazine Birdwatch.

The study also revealed that the main threats to biodiversity differ substantially between zones. These results are visibly similar to those published in The State of the Birds of Colombia, for agriculture, unsustainable logging and invasive species are the main drivers of biodiversity loss in Colombia, including the Chytrid fungus, an invasive species that is the main cause of the decline of amphibians in tropical Andes and Central America.

To download The State of the Birds of Colombia click here.

Thanks to hundreds of researchers a new publication highlights the serious problems facing birds in Colombia – establishing a barometer for the state of the environment in this, the richest country for birds on earth. For the first time, “The State of the Birds of Colombia” evaluates the status and priorities for the conservation of Colombian birds. Unfortunately the situation of birds in Colombia is deteriorating rapidly in recent decades, and as “canaries in the coal mine” birds provide an important warning about threats to our water, air, natural resources in Colombia is shown.

Birds are critical indicators of the overall health of our environment. Like the canaries in the coal mine, they provide an early warning system about threats to our water, air, natural resources, climate and much more. The ProAves team brought together decades of data from the IUCN Red List along with information to identify the trends of our most threatened bird populations – and to highlight species, sites and habitats at greatest risk.

Posted by ProAves, who focuses on concrete conservation actions throughout Colombia, is undoubtedly one of the most important documents published in Colombia recently is published consultation provides important data regarding the current situation of our species threatened bird species in Colombia, this work is primarily an alert to all and an effective tool for making conservation decisions.

In Colombia have been advanced reviews by species of Colombian avifauna thanks to the red books of several international and national institutions, However this new publication outlines a benchmark for identifying priorities in management ecosystems and protected areas where endangered bird species in Colombia are concentrated.

This report establishes an annual baseline by which to monitor birds across Colombia in order to efficiently and effectively direct conservation actions by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and local communities across Colombia.

The document is divided into four sections, the first: The State of birds in Colombia where is summarized the current situation of Colombian birds according to IUCN Red List and Birdlife International. The second section identifies and describes the main threats that are detrimental to the populations of Colombian birds.

The third section presents an analysis of lost and threatened species in different geographic regions of Colombia. Finally the report concludes with Actions and perspectives on major conservation actions undertaken in the last 10 years in the country.

Excerpts from The State of The Birds in Colombia 2014 include:

• Colombiais the countrywith the greatest wealthof birds with1903species, unfortunatelyjust over 6% (122 species) are threatened withextinction.
• About 40% of birds underthreat categoriesare endemic toColombia.
• For various reasons, humans are the causeof mostthreatsfacingbirdsinColombia.
• The Andean region isone of the areasof greatest environmentalcriticalityinColombia
• Conservation actionsmust be based onscientific knowledgeof high quality.
• The NationalSystem of ProtectedAreas (SINAP) protects most speciesunder  the lowest threat category (Vulnerable) whilst ProAves network of private reserves protects most species under higher threat categories (Endangered and Critically Endangered) .

The report highlights the ten most endangered birds in Colombia. All are Critically Endangered with a high probability of going extinct within ten years.  Five of the ten species are dependent on the fragile páramo ecosystem that provide vital year-round water resources for millions of Colombians living in the Andes.

The gravest situation occurs in the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, within the Sierra Nevada National Park, where uncontrolled burning and cattle grazing has extensively damaged this sensitive paramo ecosystem and threatens the survival of three Critically Endangered species.

1) Blue-bearded Helmetcrest (Oxypogon cyanolaemus) – Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
2) Sinu Parakeet (Pyrrhura subandina) – Cordoba
3) Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) – Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
4) Antioquia Brush-finch (Atlapetes blancae) – Antioquia center
5) Gorgeted Puffleg (Eriocnemis isabellae) – Algeria, Cauca
6) Perija Thistletail (Asthenes perijana) – Serrania del Perija
7) Santa Marta Wren (Troglodytes monticola) – Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
8) Chestnut-capped Piha (Lipaugus weberi) – Northeastern Antioquia
9) Colorful Puffleg (Eriocnemis mirabilis) – Munchique, Cauca
10) Urrao Antpitta (Grallaria fenwickorum) – northwestern Antioquia.
ProAves wishes to acknowledge the contributions of hundreds of employees and volunteers who generously donated their time and expertise to ProAves’ research programs across Colombia for over 15 years and the many professionals working for various government agencies (including 15 regional corporations) and non-governmental organizations in Colombia and the world who helped create, enhance and analyze the data taken as a base to produce this first barometer for Colombia.

Download the pdf version in Spanish

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Since February 2014 nursery and reforestation activities have been developed in the Tangaras Bird Reserve, a nursery of 200m² and an annual production of 15,000 seedlings of 12 different species, it is expected that 2014 will finish with 46 acres reforested.

After almost a year since the establishment of the nursery, located in the area known as “La  Sánchez”, it was possible to produce more than 15.000 seedlings in the nursery and have material available to reforest 46 acres distributed between the Reserve and the farms adjacent to the protected area.

Las Tangaras Bird Reserve, which is located in the municipality of Carmen Atrato (Chocó), was created in 2009 in order to protect the habitat of two species of endemic birds,   the Gold-ringed tanager (Bangsia aureocincta) and the Black-and-gold tanager (Bangsia Melanochlamys); there are nearly 9.900 acres that protect the Rio Atrato basin (the most important River on the Chocó), which serves as a vital economic resource for tens of thousands of people living in the surrounding rural communities.

The long process of producing seedlings started in February 2014 with the sowing of the seeds, transplanting, fertilizing, watering and weeding; now a variety of native species are produced in the nursery.

In addition seeds and seedlings of seed trees identified by the field technician, Elver Andres Ledesma, responsible for directing these activities, are collected. The goal is to produce 15.000 seedlings in the nursery and have materials available to give to the community reforestation initiatives on farms in the area.

In December 2014 46 acres of reforested old pastures are expected to be completed; these areas are located in the vicinity of the Sanchez river and minor tributaries, this month planting was begun and the trees that have been sown have a minimum height of 25 cm, with good root development, good leaf development, free from pests and proper hardiness.

With the support of

         CONSORCIO LAX

ProAves participates in the Anorí Municipal Environmental Bureau, a process led by Corantioquia, where different activities are socialized, debated and coordinated, in partnership with the community and in the Environment’s benefit.

The Municipal Environmental Bureaus are an interaction scenario, inclusive and participatory; where the confluence of the communities around environmental management is sought, creating proposals to solve the environmental problems of the territory.

In 2006 ProAves established the Chestnut-capped Piha Bird Reserve, located in the municipality of Anorí,  Antioquia and created to conserve the habitat of the Critically endangered species chestnut-capped piha(Lipaugus weberi) as well as protecting the biodiversity associated with its habitat.

In the Anorí Environmental Bureau participate, among others, the Environmental Management Unit (UGAM) ProAves, teachers from the Anorí Education Institute, Anorí Miners Association, City Council, Planning and Public Works, the Catholic Church, Timber Association, the Parents Association of the Anorí Education Institute, the Fire Department and the Association of Merchantsamong others interested in environmental conservation in the municipality.

The Bureau meets monthly to socialize, discuss and coordinate various activities for the benefit of the environment, it is a function of the Bureau also to perform control actions and monitor possible effects or environmental damage to the municipality and remit the respective complaints to the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Central Antioquia, CORANTIOQUIA.

Among the many activities of the Anorí Environmental Bureau and the ProAves Foundation supports, the Environmental and Biological Education Workshops are highlighted with different groups of population, this teaching strategy involves developing different concepts and themes, birding outings, hiking, observing the flora and fauna, waking up observation skills, the sense of belonging, critical thinking and awareness among participants, fundamental tools for creating conservation spirits.

ProAves also accompanies the group process created by the Environmental Bureau, Guardians of Nature, a first group of 15 children between 11 and 14 years, and a second group of 17 children between 8 and 10 years, who were trained by CORANTIOQUIA and who now continue to work hand in hand with the Environmental Bureau.

Felipe Metaute, president of the Environmental Bureau and leader of the Guardians of Nature group and argues that the Guardians seek to strengthen the “environmental wave” raised by the Bureau as replicator actors of conscientious families on the wealth of the water and landscape of the Anorí municipality. Emphasis is on the individual relationship – nature to create a bond of respect for all living things, from the most common plants, to the animals as agents participating in the process. The Guardians of Nature are another arm in this network of people in love with the area, who are present and participate in the most biodiverse process of Anorí

Marcela Arboleda says,  I have been on the Bureau for three years and finally an era of exciting and enriching activities for the community has been reached, the group that currently makes it up is committed with the topic we seek to be more proactive than critics without ignoring that we are an overseer entity of projects and problems that relate to the environment, but we have focused on educational campaigns to empower the citizen in their environment and create a sense of belonging in the municipality’s children teaching them the value of the resource that we have, that they  might feel they are the owners of their space and enabling them to be spokespersons for environmental programs for future generations.

ProAves has been a key supporter in carrying out these activities with the Chestnut-capped Piha Bird Reserve, various activities of Education Biological have been carried out in the reserve, with the support of the protected area staff.

8 Threatened Parrots Festivals, Migratory Birds & the Jaguar join the community in activities that promote and make visible the ongoing efforts to protect endangered species in Colombia.

About 5.000 people will show the world their commitment to save many species from extinction through the Threatened Parrots, Migratory Birds and Jaguar festivals.

During these activities, which began on Oct. 31 and will go on until November 20 countless ecological workshops, territory recognition outings, social mapping, birding walks, bioliteracy, regional and national stands, characterization of wildlife, cultural events and workshops on sustainable economic alternatives, which rise from the towns and the need to strengthen actions that promote the responsible use of the environment.

ProAves Foundation, during its 15 years of research and conservation, has managed to link communities in the protection of approximately 80% of endemic and threatened bird species of Colombia, through environmental education actions like the Threatened Parrots, Migratory Birds and the First Jaguar Festival in Colombia in 8 municipalities of the country.

To the Migratory Birds and Threatened Parrots festivals, conducted in the municipalities of Jardín (Antioquia), Genova (Quindío), Cajamarca and Roncesvalles (Tolima), Minca (Santa Marta) and San Vicente de Chucuri (Santander), has been add this year the first Las Tangaras Festival in El Carmen de Atrato, Chocó and the first  Jaguar Festival in Mapiripan, Meta.

With different events ranging from parades through the main streets of the towns to artistic and cultural exhibitions, dances and concerts, where the community participates in a massive carnival of life, the importance of promoting knowledge of the ecology of the species and the urgency for the conservation of their habitats is shown.

One of the most significant results in recent years is the institutionalization in the municipalities of some of these species and their parties through municipal agreements; the 2014 project for the institutionalization of the Migratory Bird Festival in the town of San Vicente de Chucuri and The Santa Marta parakeet Festival was presented in the village of Minca, Santa Marta.

We hope that these Festivals continue to motivate many more people and institutions to join in our mission and prevent the extinction of bird species in Colombia.

ProAves is conducting a series of workshops in handmade shoes, sandals and candles, with the objective of providing economic alternatives for families in rural communities adjacent to some reservations.

During the first workshop, held in April in the town of Roncesvalles, Tolima, buffer zone of the Loro Coroniazul Bird Reserve, 10 rural women were taught on how to make shoes in crochet, these women are mostly without paid work or dedicated to housework. They live in farmhouses adjacent to the reserve, their main activity is milking and manufacturing cheese, but none gets paid for their work.

During the workshops, participants were encouraged to market the products they made and have had excellent results, some distributed their products locally, they also have sold them in other villages or towns and have even participated in craft fairs.

The second workshop was held in August in the municipality of San Vicente de Chucuri, in the village of El Centro, area of influence of the Reinita Cielo Azul Bird Reserve. This workshop was based on the development of craft boots made from artesian yarn and wool.

In the municipality of  Anorí, Antioquia department, area of influence of the Arrierito Antioqueño Bird Reserve two workshops were performed, the first included the participation of women in the villages of Roble Arriba and Villa Fátima, where basic principles were experienced making handmade candles: transforming paraffin, giving color and scent, different shapes and textures.

And the second workshop, held in the village of Charcón, 10 women were trained in the decoration of sandals, the workshop lasted 6 hours where each of the participants received the necessary material to make 2 pairs of sandals.

With the support of:

During the last years major approaches have been achieved with the community in the areas of influence of the ProAves reserves located in the departments of Nariño and Cauca.  

Since their creation in the El Pangan (Nariño), Zamarrito del pinche (Cauca) and Rana Terribilis (Cauca) reserves, the environmental education processes attempt to strengthen partnerships with the community and encourage in children and young people a conservation culture.

The areas where these reserves in particular are located are of special concern because of a difficult history of public policy, travel and, above all, pressure on one of the most vulnerable and important ecosystems in the world, the biogeographic Chocó which, in Colombia, comprises a great variety of ecosystems, has high levels of endemism and high species richness.

These factors have drastically changed the environment to the point that their own cultural activities such as fishing, food crops, and use of coconut, peach and Naidis palms among others, are replaced by other non-sustainable practices with the ecosystems to survive.

With social cartography as main tools ProAves conducted a series of workshops with the community of San Miguel del rio, located in the municipality of Timbiquí, Cauca, in order to identify the way the community perceives its environment and how they would like to see it in the future; with proposals arising directly from key community leaders, it is hoped to provide solutions and, with the information collected, promote concrete actions to mitigate the pressures of their natural heritage.

Likewise, there have been ecological workshops and field trips with the student community of Junin village, Nariño and the village of El Naranjal in the municipality of La Argelia, Cauca, these approaches were focused on publicizing the flagship species of the reserves and the importance of habitat conservation.

In the case of area influence of Zamarrito Reserve in Argelia, the community has high expectations for the environmental education work that is being started, they assert they require urgently to appropriate and commit themselves to their environment and this can only be achieved by implementing a long-term environmental process and biological education.

In the town itself approaches are going ahead with community villages of el Naranjal, Las Palmas, El Diviso and El Diamante. The commitment is to build a process in which the needs, problems and threats to the environmental education process are really meaningful and address real problems in the area.

With the support of:

During several field trips to the El Pangan Bird Reserve and other locations in the western cordillera of Colombia researchers made ​​an important discovery of a new plant species endemic to Colombia

The discovery was published in the Phytotaxa Magazine by researchers Diana Gamba, Frank Almeda and Marcela Alvear, members of the project: Miconieae Planetary Biodiversity Inventory. It is a new plant species associated to the Melastomatacea family. “The new Miconia indicolviolacea has purple to dark blue flowers and azure fruits which are of ecological importance for hummingbirds and flycatchers that consume their flowers and fruits”

Apparently, this group of plants, which currently has 985 different species, many of which are endemic or unique, further studies must be done and perhaps new discoveries may come to light in the near future.

Such findings highlight the importance of protected areas in perpetuity. The Natural Bird Reserve El Pangan was created in 2002 thanks to the interest of ProAves in preserving the still pristine forests of the south in the foothills of Nariño Pacific.

Cataloged as an Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) site www.zeroextinction.org, the reserve has more than 20.600 acres of directly and in perpetuity protected conservation, where there have been bioliteracy processes with the surrounding community and the nearby villages, including Junín, San Francisco de Cuchirrabo, Mirador de Tajadas, El Gualte and El Gavilán.

El Pangan Bird Reserve is home to approximately 360 birds species, among which are 21 endangered, 2 endangered, 13 Near Threatened , 4 vulnerable and 49 endemic (EBA-041 Stattersfield et al. 1998). As for the Herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) we have an approximate record of 21 species of amphibians divided into 6 families and 17 species of Reptiles, distributed in 7 families. As for mammals there are approximately 36 species logged distributed in 21 families, of which 10 are globally threatened. It also has a variety of Lepidoptera (butterflies), 91 species in 68 genera, 6 families and 14 subfamilies, of which 28 species are endemic, 20 species are rare or very rare and 66 common species.

Complete article http : //mapress.com/phytotaxa/content/2014/f/pt00177p176.pdf

SKU: Diana Gamba, Frank Almeda & Marcela Alvear. 2014 indicoviolacea Miconia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae): a new species from the Colombian western flanks of the Cordillera Occidental. Phytotaxa 177 (3): 171-176.