Environmental Restoration at Tayrona’s National ParkThe first GSTC Latin American and Caribbean Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, served as a platform for promoting and sharing sustainable tourism practices. After the event, Tayrona’s National Park (PNN Tayrona) contributed with an area of plantation to the restoration of tropical dry forests, one of the most endangered ecosystems in Colombia. These forests face significant threats due to deforestation, cattle grazing, and selective logging.

Environmental Restoration at Tayrona’s National Park

[Photo taken from page 3 of the report]

Restoration Efforts in the Neguanje Sector of Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park faces significant environmental challenges, particularly the fragmentation and degradation of its tropical dry forest ecosystem, one of the most threatened in the world. Over 90% of this forest type in Colombia has been lost due to activities such as cattle grazing, agriculture, and selective logging. Within the park, disturbances such as illegal hunting, wood extraction, and past grazing activities have further degraded habitats, impacting biodiversity and ecological processes. Given this issue, National Parks has prioritized participatory ecological restoration as a conservation strategy, emphasizing community involvement in restoration efforts.

Environmental Restoration at Tayrona’s National Park

[Photo taken from page 4 of the report]

The restoration initiative focused on enriching 3 hectares of degraded tropical dry forest within the Neguanje sector of Tayrona National Park. This effort involved the planting of 450 native trees from species such as Algarrobo (Hymenaea courbaril), Caney (Aspidosperma desmanthus), and Cedro (Cedrela odorata). The reforestation activities were led by the community-based group “Guardianes de los Mangles,” which played a crucial role in seedling production and planting efforts.

Explore the full report of the “Restoration of Tropical Dry Forest in the Neguanje Sector (Former Guaqueada Zone) in Tayrona National Natural Park with Community Participation” here (The report is available in Spanish language).