CO: Caribbean Savannah Carbon Sink project

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The objective of the Caribbean Savannah Carbon Sink Project in Colombia is to pilot the use of carbon sinks (through sylvo-pastoral and reforestation systems) as a tool to arrest the process of land degradation in the coastal plains of the country (focused on 2200 ha of the Caribbean Savannah ecosystem). The project also contributes to improvements in the quality of life of local impoverished Zenu indigenous population, and Afro-Colombian communities ("negritudes"), through the labor and forest product revenues related to the reforestation program as well as a fraction of the carbon revenues. The project has two components: 1) Development of Sylvo-pastoral schemes in the Zenu indigenous area which will support the establishment of 500 ha of sylvo-pastoral schemes. The component will recuperate areas of pastures that are in process of degradation without increasing the number of cattle; and 2) Reforestation which will support the reforestation of 1700 hectares, where 1500 ha will be reforested by small farmers mainly with Hevea Brasilensis in small plots of no more than 5 ha, interspersed with pastures and annual crops. The reforestation will be conducted according to procedures recommended by Corporacion Autonoma Regional de los Valles del Sinu y del San Jorge (CVS) for the region.