Reflections on the Process of Declaring the Fuquene Lagoon as a Protected Area and Inclusion to the Protected Areas National System

Abstract

Protected natural areas have been considered the best alternative for preserving natural resources in their different forms. The Fuquene Lagoon is a habitat of more than one hundred species of native birds and a site of passage for migratory birds, species of fish, crustaceans endemic to the region, and diverse aquatic macrophytes, with at least sixty species reported. The declaration of protected areas is a way to achieve “in situ” conservation of the species and, in general, of the ecosystems of the national territory. Likewise, it is a way to contribute to mitigating climate change and guaranteeing its permanence. This study aimed to analyze the relevance of the figure of the protected area management chosen by the environmental authority of the Fuquene Lagoon to determine if the Regional District of Integrated Management contributes to conservation objectives of the protected areas and climate change. Finally, it is concluded that the declaration of the study area as a protected area can contribute to a strategy for compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically concerning i) climate action, ii) life of terrestrial ecosystems, and iii) sustainable communities through the change in the legal connotation of the national land policy, plans can be developed that faithfully pursue restoration and ecological recovery.

Paramos in Peril: case study on a blue gold hotspot of central Colombia

“…Water-related replacement of paramo vegetation within Rabanal can be attributed primarily to the creation of the Gachaneca reservoir [35], although seasonality effects were also detected. The Fúquene and Suesca lagoons are known to be heavily intervened, primarily by conversion of native vegetation to agricultural land, pasture, and mining systems [110]; and the accompanying increase in demand for water, mainly for irrigation, has reduced water levels in both systems [111][112][113][114][115]. Interestingly, many of the alterations expected from climate change mirror the impacts observed from current human activities…”