On August 28^th the final reports of the project "Design and implementation of the monitoring program of Tuparro National Park as a core area of the Biosphere Reserve" were ready. This is the first monitoring program formulated for a nationally protected area, under the framework of adaptive management.

For two years and three months, researchers from the WCS Colombia program, the Institute for Scientific Research Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH) and the Red de Reserva de la Sociedad Civil (Resnatur), worked on the design of the monitoring framework and implementation hereof. Everybody was included, from the team of officials of Tuparro National Park, to the directors of Territorial Orinoquía and the subdirectors of management of the Colombian National Parks authorities.

As part of the project results, the conceptual framework and the designs for the monitoring program were presented:    

* The state of Conservation Values and Targets of the park (ecosystems, water resources, ungulates, river turtles, and fishing resources).

* The pressures affecting the park.

-        * The response of the park team to reduce these pressures through prioritized management strategies.

The monitoring frameworks were implemented during three field trips.

During these trips information was obtained about the extent of the natural units associated with rocky outcrops, water dynamics from the Tomo and Tuparro rivers, and the occupation of the tapir (Tapirus terretris) and Brocket deer (from the genus Mazama sp.).

In addition, the park team was trained in field techniques for collecting information from each of the Conservation Values and Targets.

Similarly, the SENA (sectional Vichada) participated in the training and implementation of the monitoring program of the park. And the IDEAM showed great support by installing the hydrological stations in the Tomo and Tuparro rivers.

Finally, the park officials were trained in the construction of monitoring frameworks for the National Parks of Colombia.

The results of the monitoring program of the Tuparro National Park were made public on October 5th, in front of representatives of Action Fund, the Alexander von Humboldt Institute, Red de Reservas Naturales de la Sociedad Civil Resnatur) and the National Natural Parks of Colombia authorities.