Durham-Based Nonprofit Expands Conservation Efforts in Colombia

Saving Nature, a conservation nonprofit headquartered in Durham, has secured 865 acres in Colombia’s Western Andes, one of the most biologically rich and threatened regions on the planet. The newly protected land includes more than 600 acres of intact cloud forest and 247 acres that will be restored with more than 16,000 native trees.

This expansion of the Mesenia-Paramillo Nature Reserve is a major step toward protecting endangered species and reconnecting fragmented ecosystems in the high Andes. It also provides critical wintering habitat for migratory birds that begin their journeys in places like South Durham. Among them are the Canada warbler, cerulean warbler, olive-sided flycatcher, and mourning warbler, all of which travel thousands of miles each year to reach these forests.

The region is home to rare orchids, endangered amphibians, and the spectacled bear, South America’s only bear species. But threats to these species are mounting. The rapid growth of agriculture, including commercial avocado plantations, is fragmenting forests and cutting off wildlife from the resources they need to survive. For species already living near the edge of their ecological limits at high elevations, the added stress of climate change only makes things worse.

“Forests are vanishing, species are being pushed to the brink, and ecosystems are unraveling,” said Dr. Stuart Pimm, president of Saving Nature. “Wildlife corridors like this help stitch nature back together. By restoring habitat and reconnecting what remains, we give species a real chance to survive and even recover in a rapidly changing world.”

Since 2013, Saving Nature has worked with Colombian partner Fundación Bioconservancy and local communities to protect 5,407 acres and reforest hundreds more. Together, they are building a 100,000-hectare wildlife corridor in the Western Andes that will allow species to move more freely through the landscape and adapt to a changing climate.

Saving Nature focuses on protecting and restoring ecosystems by reconnecting fragmented habitats and planting a wide diversity of native tree species in some of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots. Through these efforts, the organization helps fight climate change, prevents species extinction, and supports the well-being of local communities. Its work centers on reforesting degraded land and creating wildlife corridors that help animals navigate shifting landscapes brought on by environmental pressures.