CO: Caribbean Savannah Carbon Sink project

The project development objective is to pilot the use of carbon sinks (through sylvopastoral and reforestation systems) to arrest the process of land degradation in the coastal plains of the country (focused on 2200 ha of the Caribbean Savannah ecosystem). This will be achieved through schemes that include: growing trees in pastures, introducing live fences, growing fodder banks, promote direct reforestation and secondary forest regeneration. The improved productivity will increase the storage of carbon both above- and below-ground. The project also contributes to improvements in the quality of life of local impoverished Zenu indigenous population, and Afro-Colombian communities, through the labor and forest product revenues related to the reforestation program as well as a fraction of the of the carbon revenues as incentive for sustainable ecosystem management. The increase in carbon sink will not change the nature of the Savannah ecosystem. The reforestation will be implemented in traditional forest areas around the piedmont of the Andes. The BioCarbon Fund intends to purchase around 200,000 t CO2e in carbon sinks. A letter of intention has already been signed. A letter of no objection from the Designated National Authority has also been received. The project has also the endorsement of the BCF Committee and has been vetted by the Sector Manager for LCSEN.