The lower-lying area around the Páramo de Sumapaz in the Department of Cundinamarca was among the original regions dedicated to coffee production in Colombia. By the mid-20th century there were six important plantations around San Bernardo. ArteSumapaz is situated on one of those original haciendas: Finca Australia. Although the territory was eventually converted to cattle grazing, coffee, banana and citrus trees can still be found scattered among areas where the native sub-andean forest has struggled to endure. The members of ArteSumapaz consider themselves stewards of this territory. Our intention is to encourage a return to natural systems of biodiversity.
In Colombia, Sub-Andean forests lie between 1,000 and 2,800 meters above sea level. Finca Australia, home to ArteSumapaz, is between 1,400 and up to 1,700 meters above sea level. Among the visions of members of the foundation is the restoration of the unique biodiversity of the region and the creation of environmental services.
The landscape has been severely altered by agricultural activities, first by coffee production and later with cattle grazing. But visitors are often stunned by the capacity of nature to begin to regenerate itself as soon as human activity has subsided. Members of the Foundation will inhabit only 20% of the territory (with minimal impact) and will promote restoration on the remaining 80%.
We propose different strategies towards this goal:
Identification and generation of seedlings of native species: This includes the native plant species at the service of design products (timber, fiber, oils, dyes) and a greenhouse to propagate and carry out research. This approach was started in 2022 with inventories of existing and potential native species that are appropriate to the Sub-Andean Forest.
Passive Restoration: Bordering one side of Finca Australia is the Rio Negro, an important source of the Sumapaz River. The edge of this river has been relatively unaltered and pioneer species appear, undaunted by the fierce invasive grasses left behind by cattle. There are other sources of water (Quebrada la Carbonera and the Quebrada Beneficiadero, likely fed by underground springs) that need protection and conservation. In these and other sections of the Finca it is inspiring to witness the natural expansion of fauna and flora. Among our goals is to document this natural transformation by making on-going inventories of plants, animals and insects as they return to the territory.
Agroforestry: A goal is to produce as much of the food and building materials as feasible. We hope to work closely with local growers to cultivate (permaculture methods) fruits and vegetables for our own consumption and to identify other potential edible products (like fruits, nuts, honey or other wood products) and simultaneously to work with local growers to identify and produce marketable goods, including heritage plants that are native to the region.
Each of these strategies allows us to create parallel and complementary projects that will attract local and distant visitors, creating a demonstration effect in order to share our Restoration plan. Related projects include:
- A trail system
- A sculpture park
- Bird observation
In 2022 ArteSumapaz joined Restor.eco, a community network to map, report and monitor our impact in restoration. We will continue to build alliances among academics, artists, volunteers, civil society organizations and local communities to restore the flora and fauna, to enjoy our natural habitat and to generate greater biodiversity in ASP.
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