Visions of change: innovation, conservation and restoration at the service of the environment
By Diego Hurtado T.
This edition of "Visions of Change" explores how innovation, knowledge integration and laws come together to promote peace and environmental protection. From the Bolivian Amazon to the urban rivers of Panama, passing through the integration of ancestral and scientific knowledge in North America, we present inspiring stories of commitment to our planet.
Innovative measures to address pollution of the Juan Díaz urban river in Panama
For the inhabitants of Panama City, the Juan Díaz River is essential; It has witnessed its urban expansion and is one of the most important tributaries of the country. However, like other bodies of water in the city, it presents alarming levels of pollution, which affects the communities and species that live on its banks. For this reason, the Marea Verde Association, with the Wanda Díaz project, has combined innovation and environmental action to achieve sustainable solutions. Wanda is “the first hydraulic wheel in Latin America, which traps floating solid waste from the river, preventing it from reaching the sea”, combining the capabilities of hydraulic and solar energy. In addition, it uses the support of a floating bio-barrier that captures waste and sprays it with non-toxic bio-enzymes that eliminate bacteria that cause bad odors. As of 2023, both structures had managed to capture 45,000 pounds of plastic for recycling and more than 264,000 pounds of floating solid waste.
Creation of the Great Manupare to protect 452,639 hectares of Bolivian Amazon forest
Social networks have helped us to present data about the relevance of the Amazon and its complex situation; Increasingly, we learn about the many challenges facing this biome of planetary importance. From deforestation related to illegal mining to intentional fires to dedicate the land to livestock exploitation, the images we receive about this area of the planet are not encouraging
Fortunately, it's not all bad news. In Bolivia, the creation of the Great Manupare natural area through municipal law 009/23 seeks to provide protection to 452,639 hectares of Amazon forest in the department of Pando, where the forests have an optimal state of conservation. Due to its extension, this area connects with other reserves and protected areas, covering up to 10 million hectares of the Bolivian Amazon.
This decision is the result of the joint work of different local actors such as the Association of Municipalities of Pando (Amdepando), as well as the NGO Conservación Internacional y Central de Campesions Sena-San Lorenzo. These actions, which can have an important local impact, serve as a model for other communities with access to the Amazon that could adopt similar initiatives.
Restoration proposal in the Andes may receive support from the UN
A regional project that seeks to impact ecosystems at the point of no return received recognition as a United Nations Flagship Global Restoration Initiative by UNEP and FAO. This project has been advanced by the social movement Andean Action, inspired by the Peruvian non-profit organization ECOAN (Andean Ecosystem Association), which seeks to restore some 30 million trees in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela by 2030. The objective is to replicate the community reforestation model in an area of 800,000 hectares so that inhabitants of Andean communities can benefit.
Some 25,000 residents participate in the project, both in restoration and protection of thousands of hectares of Andean forests; It is expected that through this initiative they will obtain benefits such as access to medicines, solar panels and clean-burning mud stoves, and support for improving rangeland management and sustainable agriculture. The award was granted within the framework of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. In the long term, the project plans to protect and restore a forest area of one million hectares by 2045.