In commemoration of Arbor Day, the general director of the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Tolima, Cortolima, Olga Lucía Alfonso, visited the Yaporogos Taira de Prado indigenous reservation to review the successful implementation of an ecological restoration project based on lemon planting little bird, native forest trees and corn.
The project not only seeks to recover a 1.5 hectare community property but also to support the economy of the 50 families that make up the reservation, through the production and eventual marketing of lemons, and the preparation of corn-based products for their own consumption.
“We are supporting the community, giving them the opportunity to restore a property and make it productive so that they obtain an economic benefit. We provide supplies, materials, tools and assistance for labor. To conserve, restore and preserve we have to work with the communities,” said Alfonso Iannini.
The corporation invested more than $11 million in the project, of which $4.1 million was allocated to a community labor incentive and $7 million in materials and supplies, including the vegetation contribution of 305 lemon trees, 200 forest trees and several kilos of corn.
“My reservation is made up of 318 people who are going to benefit from this dual-purpose project: with the corn we are going to make chicha, arepas and wraps, and we are going to have extra income from the sale of the lemons. It is a very sustainable project for us,” said Diana Graciela Ibarra, governor of the reservation, located in the Tortugas village.
The director of the corporation recalled that in Prado more than $3.5 billion have been invested in environmental projects and programs, such as the delivery of 99 eco-efficient stoves and 66 Wastewater Treatment Systems (STAR), among other initiatives.
How do we protect nature’s guardians?
During the celebration of Arbor Day, the director of Cortolima highlighted that more than $9.2 billion have been invested in ecological restoration processes in 2,179 hectares of several municipalities with species such as samán, iguá, pink cedar, gualanday and Nacero.
In addition, he reported that between January and March of this year the corporation has delivered more than 37,000 seedlings from its nurseries as part of the strategy to promote forest cover in Tolima. In total, since he took over the direction of the entity, 2 million trees have been planted in the department.
