2,500 Residents Rally to Restore Colombia’s Key Wetland
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📰 The quick summary: Colombia’s largest wetland ecosystem is being restored through community-led conservation efforts to protect vital fishing grounds and combat climate change.
📈 One key stat: Fish catches have plummeted from 60,000 tonnes in the mid-20th century to just 4,721 tonnes in early 2024, threatening the livelihoods of over 2,500 people living in stilt villages.
💬 One key quote: “When I drink the water, it causes me a lot of stomach pain. We don’t have drinkable water,” says Yeidis Rodríguez.
1️⃣ The big picture: The Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia’s largest coastal wetland and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, faces severe environmental degradation threatening both wildlife and human communities. Over 2,500 people living in stilt villages depend on these wetlands for their survival, but poorly managed infrastructure projects and pollution have devastated fish populations and contaminated drinking water sources. The ecosystem’s decline impacts traditional fishing communities who have lived there for generations, while also reducing the wetland’s crucial role in climate change adaptation. Local residents are now fighting to save this vital ecosystem through community-led conservation efforts.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: The recent court ruling ordering environmental authorities to unblock the Aracataca River marks a significant step toward restoring natural water flows. Proper restoration of the wetland can transform it from a potential methane source into a carbon sink, helping combat climate change. The wetland provides natural buffers against rising sea levels and feeds water back into crucial river systems. Community members remain committed to protecting their ancestral home while new infrastructure like schools continues to be built, showing ongoing investment in the area’s future.
3️⃣ What’s next: Environmental authorities must begin dredging operations to restore water flow through the wetlands’ canal system. The illegal diversion of the Aracataca River by landowners needs to be addressed to restore fresh water access. A comprehensive waste management system should be implemented to reduce pollution. Most urgently, proper water treatment facilities must be established to provide safe drinking water to the stilt communities.
Read the full story here: The Guardian – ‘No fish, no money, no food’: Colombia’s stilt people fight to save their wetlands
