Northern Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a region of snow-covered mountains, wide valleys, primordial rainforests and crystal clean rivers that run to the Caribbean. Safeguarded by Indigenous Peoples for centuries, this coastal mountain range is a refuge for hundreds of threatened species. But mining, intensive tourism, urban settlements and coal ports are encroaching on this vulnerable land, threatening the survival of its biodiversity and the communities that live here.

With peaks reaching nearly 19,000 feet, Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is the highest coastal mountain range in the tropics. With dramatic changes in altitude, distinct compositions of flora and fauna are found here in abundance, including many endemic and endangered species. Among the threatened species are the Brown Spider Monkey (CR), Red Crested Tree Rat (CR), Santa Marta White-fronted Capuchin (EN), Varied White-fronted Capuchin (EN) and Unicolored Oldfield Mouse (VU).

Stop Mining on Indigenous Ancestral Lands

Mining is a serious threat to the unique biodiversity of the Sierra Nevada and to Indigenous reservation lands in Colombia that are legally titled as Resguardos (territorial units made up of communal and inalienable lands). Although Resguardos status protects ancestral territories and the cultural and political self-government of Indigenous communities, it provides no legal protection against mining. In addition, increased pressure from new urban settlements, tourism and coal ports risk Santa Marta’s biodiversity and communities.

Rainforest Trust is partnering for the first time with an Indigenous-led organization—Resguardo Kogui Malayo Arhuaco—to expand the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park by protecting 426,154 acres of Indigenous-owned land. This relationship with Resguardo Kogui Malayo Arhuaco is crucial to the success of the project. The land will then benefit from the highest level of environmental protection possible in Colombia—the only way to stop mining—while maintaining Indigenous ownership. These acres will be patrolled and supervised in collaboration with the Colombian National Parks authorities and the Kogui, Malayo and Arhuaco people.

The expansion of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park is part of an Indigenous-led strategy to reclaim lost ancestral territories and sacred sites surrounding the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta known as “La Línea Negra” (the Black Line). This increased protection will also fortify ecological corridors for many species, from the lower terrain of the Sierra Nevada to the peaks, improving ecological resilience in the entire region.

Support Cooperative Management Compatible with Conservation

Protecting this vital habitat will also strengthen collaboration between Indigenous Traditional Authorities and the Colombian government to create strong, culturally appropriate protected areas that benefit species, Indigenous communities and the planet.

Only sustainable, ancestral uses of the land by Indigenous Peoples will be permitted along with responsible stewardship activities. Indigenous national park staff members directly impacted by the project will participate in species monitoring and management activities—empowering Indigenous communities on their ancestral land.