60th Anniversary - 34

K E Y SU C C E S S E S A N D C H A L L E N G E S
RAINFOREST SUCCESS
IN COLOMBIA
WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE HELPED ESTABLISH THE WORLD'S LARGEST TROPICAL
RAINFOREST NATIONAL PARK IN COLOMBIA.
In the heart of the Colombian Amazon,
Serranía del Chiribiquete National Park is
one of the most pristine areas of tropical
rainforest on the planet. It's home to
almost 3,000 species of animals and
plants, including vulnerable wildlife like
lowland tapirs, giant otters and jaguars.
An amazing diversity that's explained by
its unique location - where the Amazon
meets the neighbouring ecoregions of the
Andes, Orinoco and Guyanas. Chiribiquete
is also vitally important to local Indigenous
communities, some of whom remain
uncontacted or live in voluntary isolation.
In 2018, after years of campaigning by
WWF and others, the Colombian
government increased the size of the
national park by more than half. At 4.3
million hectares - the size of Denmark -
it's now the world's largest area of protected
rainforest. Chiribiquete has also been
recognized as a World Heritage site.
We're now working with communities,
government and other partners to make
sure the national park is properly looked
after. And, together, we're working to create
a network of well-managed and well-funded
protected areas right across Colombia.
But 10 million hectares still lost each year
Although many governments, businesses
and others have committed to end
deforestation, 10 million hectares of forests
globally are still being lost each year -
that's an area the size of a football pitch
every second. Governments, communities,
businesses and many others, including
WWF, all have a part to play in turning
things around. We need to help people
better understand the many vital services
forests provide to all of us, no matter
where we live, from clean water to healthy
soils. We need to halt deforestation,
better protect and sustainably manage
the forests that remain, and restore
forest landscapes.
60 YEARS OF ACTION FOR NATURE AND PEOPLE
© Luis Barreto / WWF-UK
60th Anniversary

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 60th Anniversary
