Author: Mathieu Woldhuis, David Caro and Eliane Arzuza
Photos: Mathieu Woldhuis, Alonso Quevedo Gil, Eliane Arzuza
The central mountain range of the Andes in Colombia has one the highest biodiversity endemism degree of amphibians. A couple of years ago in this region near the village of Falan, two new poison frog were discovered. The frogs are living in one of the last relicts of forests that used to be here. Unfortunately also this forest was under threat to become a plantation, as the owner of the land was planning to sell it. Thanks to ProAves together with Dendrobatidae Nederland, IUCN and Conservation International the property could be purchased and the establishment of the amphibian Reserve was a fact. Of course other animals are also benefitting, now the threat of logging is gone. Plans were made to optimize the infrastructure of the park and to reforest parts of the property. This article will tell you about what now a year later has been accomplished.
The reserve is located in the western part of the Central mountain range (Cordiliera Central) in the Vereda El Llano near the small village of Falan. This is in the north of the province Tolima, between Bogota and Medellin. The region is mountainous with a lot of agriculture. The land is very suitable for the cultivation of coffee, which is being done here a lot. The region is not highly populated, but everywhere there are settlements of people, mostly small farms. The region used to be covered with forest, but almost all is now altered into plantations with some very small pieces of forest in between. The only piece of forest of a considerable size was private owned and for sale. After one of the authors of the Ranitomeya tolimense publication asked for help to preserve this forest, Dendrobatidae Nederland, ProAves, IUCN and Conservation succeeded in to create a nature reserve in which two species of poison frogs could survive. The reserve was initially the size of approximately 6300 m2 ,but thanks to some donations more land could be purchased to connect some forest on the mountain ridges together.
The reserve is not only forest as parts of the property was a used as a farm. In the middle of the reserve there is a large meadow, used for cattle grazing.
A lot of the work had now to begin to improve the infrastructure of the reserve and the road to the reserve. Also there is a need for a research centre and facilities for receiving visitors and researchers.
Furthermore ProAves developed various activities needed in the park:
- Constant vigilance to avoid hunting, this is one the main causes of decreasing populations of animals in Colombia.
- Constant vigilance to avoid that cattle from neighbouring properties entered the reserve.
- The construction of appropriate fencing around the reserve.
- Strengthening the relation with the School Vereda el Llan and the School of the Corregimiento de Frias in order to show environmental projects and the development of them
- To put information signs along the trails
Before everything can be done it was necessary to make improvements on the road to the reserve. This was due to the fact that there were no good drainage system along the road. The road was in such condition that no car could reach the farm. Thanks to the support of the Government of Falan, who contributed significantly with specialized equipment to improve the road. For the small stream that crossed on the road and caused a lot of damage to the road a small bridge has been build. Now the reserve has a better access, materials could be brought in, to make a start with transformation of the old farm into a research and visitor centre. To manage all the activities that had to be done a other person is contracted by ProAves. This person Oscar Gallego, a ecologist from Falan will, among his other responsibilities, supervise the park ranger in his work and he is also in charge to set up a nursery for growing trees in order to reforest parts of the reserve. The nursery counts with an area of germination and 6 beds of 10 by 1 metre to accommodate the bags with the small trees or seeds, till the trees are ready to be transplanted. The seeds are collected in the reserve itself to make sure that the same species of trees for the reforestation. The machinery that was used to improve the roads, is also used to make the terrace on the hill slope at the other side of the road by the farm. The nursery is covered with a screen to provide the necessary shade that the newly germinated plants need.
In order to mark the boundaries of the reserve, markings had to be provided with the logo of ProAves. All around the borders of the reserve these markings has been planted so it is visible for everyone where the reserve is. This helps to avoid non authorized personnel in the area not to enter the reserve. Besides these markings, also signs have established in different strategic points of the reserve and prohibiting the access for non-authorized personnel. The construction of good fencing to avoid that cattle of the neighbouring farms cannot longer enter the forest, is being done. In the reserve 60% of the planned paths are made, which is needed for research purposes and for the visitors.
As the old farm maintenance was neglected over the years by the old owner, it was needed that the walls and floors had to be restored and better sanitary should be installed, together with a new septic tank. The kitchen was also in a very bad condition and although improvements are made, more needs to be done. Also other adaptations has been done in and around the farm, so the farm can now function as a research centre and it can provide accommodation for (eco) visitors and researcher.
As the reserve main goal is the conservation of the habitat of Ranitomeya tolimense and Ranitomeya dorisswanonae, for other species is the reserve also important. Four species of glassfrogs can be found in the reserve and are listed on the threatened amphibian list of the IUCN. These frogs are Nymphargus rosada, Cochranella susatamai, Cochranella punctulata and Centrolene geckiodeum. Furthermore there are Bolitoglossa lozanoi, Bolitoglossa ramosi, Eleutherodactylus fallax, Eleutherodactylus penelopus, Eleutherodactylus raniformis, a unidentified colostethus species, two IUCN Endangered birds, the Yellow-headed Brush-finch (Atlapetes flaviceps) and White-mantled Barbet (Capito hypoleucus), the “extinctus” subspecies plus several Neotropical migrants, including the Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera). Several beautiful tanagers species like the golden tanager (Tangara arthus), the bay-headed tanager (Tangara gyrola) can be seen here together with the elusive sickle-billed hummingbird Euthoxeres aquila. It is amazing that for such a small size of an area, that almost 150 species of birds can be observed. Three of them are endangered by the IUCN red list.
Important to make the reserve a success, is that the local people that lives near the reserve and the people in the region are aware of the importance of the reserve. And of course that they become very proud of having such a treasure in their region. To achieve this, education programmes are being developed and the relationships with people will be intensified. In order to preserve also the neighbouring countryside, workshops in sustainable development for the local community shall be given. In this way the local community can learn other ways to farm on their lands with less impact on the environment.
In one year a lot of work has been established and I’m convinced that the park will grow more beautiful and larger.
If you want to help the reserve, you can make a donation. for details there is a special page for this on the website of ProAves.
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Ranita Dorada, a year later
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