After decades of deforestation, cattle ranching, and crops that degraded forests and water sources in the upper Saldaña River basin in Tolima, researchers and rural communities are working to restore its ecosystems. Through conservation agreements, the restoration of riparian forests, and the implementation of more sustainable productive practices, efforts are underway to recover key ecological functions without compromising local livelihoods.
Photo: Saldaña River: A Basin of Life
By: Jacobo Patiño Giraldo
Hundreds of years ago, the slopes of Colombia’s mountain ranges were covered by Andean, high Andean, and páramo ecosystems that, like giant sponges, captured moisture from the clouds and released it into the ground, forming streams that merged into creeks flowing through the mountains.
Over time, people, cattle, and crops arrived, and with them the landscape changed. Although traces of the original forest still remain—some fragmented—they now occupy small patches compared to the pastures and farmlands that surround them across much of the Andean region.
The Amoyá, Alto Saldaña, and Cucuana sub-basins, part of the upper Saldaña River basin in Tolima, have followed a similar path. Decades of unsustainable practices have displaced biodiversity, degraded ecosystems, and weakened the services they provide.
A Story of Fragmentation
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, habitat loss and land-use change—the conversion of natural ecosystems into human-dominated landscapes—are among the main threats to global biodiversity. The upper Saldaña River basin is no exception, explains William Bravo, a biologist and restoration specialist at WCS Colombia.
“Since the time people began settling these mountains, they also started clearing land for cattle ranching. The expansion of the agricultural frontier has been one of the main drivers of environmental degradation in this region,” he says. Beyond impacting biodiversity, this process has also impoverished soils and altered natural water cycles, ultimately affecting rural livelihoods.
Bravo also points to another complex factor: illicit crops. “Many years ago, Las Hermosas Canyon—formed by the Amoyá River as it descends steeply along the eastern slope of the Central Andes—experienced the poppy boom, a crop that destroyed vast areas of forest,” he explains. This not only affected Andean forest cover but also the ecosystem services they provide, including water.
Ecological Restoration
“Restoration can have different meanings,” explains Leonor Valenzuela, a PhD in ecology and coordinator of analysis and synthesis at WCS Colombia. “In a strict sense, it aims to return ecosystems to exactly what they once were—with the same structure, species, and functions. But this can take many years and be very costly.”
From another perspective, however, “restoration can also focus on recovering some components of those natural structures, so that they can regain much of their functionality for both biodiversity and people.” This latter approach has guided restoration efforts in the upper Saldaña basin, particularly in forests surrounding water sources. “These forests play a critical role,” Valenzuela adds. “They provide habitat for many bird and mammal species, help regulate water, and protect aquatic life.”
Photo: Germán Bernal / WCS Colombia
A key first step is establishing voluntary conservation agreements with landowners, who commit to allocating parts of their properties for restoration. This is followed by site assessments and technical guidance to help shift production models toward more environmentally friendly practices.
“For example, we design future paddock divisions, improve pasture management, and implement exclusion measures so cattle don’t enter sensitive areas like forests, springs, and riverbanks. The goal is to reach a win-win agreement with landowners,” explains Bravo.
Once agreements are in place, the next step is to halt further degradation. This is achieved by isolating “stressors”—for instance, fencing off conservation areas to keep livestock out and allow restoration to begin.
Photo: Germán Bernal / WCS Colombia
“We start by identifying the dominant plant species in nearby native forests and prioritize similar native species,” explains Michelle Barragán, a forest engineer working with the Saldaña River: A Basin of Life alliance. “With these samples, we begin plant propagation in nurseries. Once the seedlings are ready, we plant them on farms.”
The process is far from simple. It requires extensive fieldwork to locate viable seeds and seedlings—those most likely to grow into healthy trees. “There are two propagation methods,” Barragán explains. “Sexual propagation involves selecting and assessing seeds, while rescue propagation involves collecting seedlings growing at the base of mature trees. In both cases, we provide appropriate humidity and nutrients in the nursery.”
However, she notes that the process often involves trial and error. The rarity of many species, limited scientific information, and their threatened status make propagation particularly challenging. “Because many of these species are scarce, it’s harder to find seeds and seedlings. And since they are not domesticated plants, there’s little information on how to propagate them. We’ve had to learn how each species behaves in different conditions, which helps us determine what to plant and where.”
Photo: Saldaña River: A Basin of Life
Support from the Franklinia Foundation has been key in working with threatened plant species. “We’re focusing on species such as mountain cedar, black cedar, the wax palm, and three species of Colombian pines,” Barragán adds.
Multiple Strategies
Restoration is only part of the process. Researchers and landowners are also implementing silvopastoral systems, where pasturelands are combined with trees to support biodiversity and prevent soil degradation.
Additionally, enrichment planting is carried out in forests that still exist but were previously disturbed. “We introduce mainly threatened species to increase diversity,” Barragán says.
Photo: Saldaña River: A Basin of Life
Still, restoration efforts must persist over time to be effective. Ensuring long-term sustainability requires equipping local communities with the tools needed to maintain their lands as biodiversity refuges.
“We’ve worked extensively with schools and other stakeholders to raise awareness. Education is key to achieving long-term sustainability,” says Selene Torres, restoration lead for WCS Colombia.
At the same time, rigorous monitoring is essential. “We track survival rates by species, identify threats, and measure plant growth and natural regeneration,” Torres explains.
For Bravo, one of the biggest challenges has been building trust. “Communities often carry past experiences—some positive, others not—which shape their expectations.”
Photo: Saldaña River: A Basin of Life
Despite this, all experts agree that restoration efforts in the upper Saldaña basin have been highly positive. Plant growth, wildlife return, and community engagement offer hope for the region’s future.
“The fact that people are setting aside land and maintaining it is a huge achievement. Even working with children has been very successful. When you add up efforts across farms, the impact is undeniable—both in awareness and in shaping the future landscape,” Torres says.
In fact, the data support this progress. According to the Saldaña River: A Basin of Life alliance, across the Amoyá, Alto Saldaña, and Cucuana sub-basins, 220 hectares have been restored, while 5,847 hectares are currently under protection through conservation agreements or Civil Society Nature Reserves (RNSC). In addition, nearly 50,000 plants from 45 species have been planted, five of which are classified as threatened.
Consequently, there is little doubt that restoration efforts are helping the upper reaches of this important river in Tolima regain some of the lush greenery that once defined it—this time alongside communities that are actively safeguarding the health of the landscape and looking ahead to the many benefits its biodiversity can provide.
Saldaña River: A Basin of Life is a public-private partnership between Colombia’s National Natural Parks, Cortolima, Fundación Grupo Argos, Concretos Argos, and WCS, with support from the Franklinia Foundation and APC Colombia.
Traslated with AI support