Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BOGOTA384
2009-02-05 21:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
DRAMATIC FUNDING INCREASE FOR COLOMBIA'S NATIONAL
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UNCLAS BOGOTA 000384
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV CO
SUBJECT: DRAMATIC FUNDING INCREASE FOR COLOMBIA'S NATIONAL
PARKS
REF: 08 BOGOTA 04226
UNCLAS BOGOTA 000384
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV CO
SUBJECT: DRAMATIC FUNDING INCREASE FOR COLOMBIA'S NATIONAL
PARKS
REF: 08 BOGOTA 04226
1. SUMMARY. The GOC increased the budget of its National
Parks Authority (NPA) by 40 percent, amounting to the largest
investment ever in Colombia's national parks. Colombia has
54 national parks (including reserves and sanctuaries) that
amount to 10 percent of Colombian territory, and the NPA
plans to designate 15 new sites within the next three years.
NPA representatives expressed pleasure at the increase, but
noted that the extra resources -- which increased the NPA
budget to USD 20 million -- are insufficient to address the
broader issues of displaced communities and illicit crop
production that plague the national park system. This
financing ensures an NPA presence in each park, but
represents a fraction of the funds that NPA needs to manage
and protect such a vast network of parks and protected areas.
END SUMMARY.
NPA With Greater On-The-Ground Presence
--------------
2. In January 2009 the GOC increased the budget of its NPA
to USD 20 million, up from USD 14 million in 2008. The NPA
will use the money to invest in park security and to reduce
illegal activities. Emilio Rodriguez, technical director of
the NPA, told us that historically it was impossible for NPA
to have a presence in every park due to staffing deficits,
and that the new financing will ensure that a NPA official
resides in or near each park. The NPA presently has 400
direct employees responsible for all aspects of park
management (e.g. park designation, administration,
maintenance and enforcement),a minimal force for a system
that covers 11,000,000 acres, or 10 percent of the national
territory. NPA officials do not have criminal law
enforcement authority, but collaborate with Colombia's
Environmental Police (reftel) to counter illegal activities
in parks. Without on-the-ground NPA presence, such
enforcement is practically non-existent.
Need To Address Social Issues In Parks
--------------
3. Rodriguez cautioned that the funding would still not
enable the NPA to manage broader social problems, such as
displaced communities and illicit crop production, that are
extensive within the parks. He highlighted that 30 out of 54
parks contain displaced or indigenous communities whose
activities (logging, mining, cattle breeding) run counter to
the NPA's environmental objectives. Rather than focusing on
strategies to best protect, administer and maintain park
biodiversity, the NPA often entertains a social policy
function, collaborating with GOC bodies on issues such as the
relocation of displaced communities and alternative
development strategies. The NPA role is further complicated
by coca cultivation in parks, which is estimated to extend to
35-40 percent of the system. Rodriguez said the NPA does not
have the personnel nor financial resources to properly manage
the parks environmental issues, much less the social ones.
Expansion Plans Continue
--------------
4. Despite the resource limitations, the GOC continues to
expand the system and plans to designate 15 more parks within
the next three years. The NPA estimates that Colombia has
180 different ecosystems and its intent is to protect a
portion of each ecosystem. Rodriguez said the NPA plans to
announce Bahia Malaga (Valle del Cauca),Playona Acandi
(Choco) and the Paz de Ariporo Wetlands (Casanare) as parks
within the next few months.
Comment: Increased Funding: Only A Drop In The Bucket
-------------- --------------
5. The budget increase is a step forward, but it still does
not strengthen NPA capacity to manage and effectively protect
the parks. The isolation and difficult terrain of numerous
parks invites social problems that the NPA is not equipped to
address, and that distract from the NPA's principal mandate
of protecting Colombia's biodiversity. In lean budget times,
the extra resources are a real boon and demonstrate the
increased GOC focus on environmental issues. But they are
far from sufficient, and the NPA must continue to look beyond
the national budget to the donor community if it is to become
more than a skeletal organization, expert at selecting and
designating parks, but without resources to accomplish its
other objectives.
BROWNFIELD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV CO
SUBJECT: DRAMATIC FUNDING INCREASE FOR COLOMBIA'S NATIONAL
PARKS
REF: 08 BOGOTA 04226
1. SUMMARY. The GOC increased the budget of its National
Parks Authority (NPA) by 40 percent, amounting to the largest
investment ever in Colombia's national parks. Colombia has
54 national parks (including reserves and sanctuaries) that
amount to 10 percent of Colombian territory, and the NPA
plans to designate 15 new sites within the next three years.
NPA representatives expressed pleasure at the increase, but
noted that the extra resources -- which increased the NPA
budget to USD 20 million -- are insufficient to address the
broader issues of displaced communities and illicit crop
production that plague the national park system. This
financing ensures an NPA presence in each park, but
represents a fraction of the funds that NPA needs to manage
and protect such a vast network of parks and protected areas.
END SUMMARY.
NPA With Greater On-The-Ground Presence
--------------
2. In January 2009 the GOC increased the budget of its NPA
to USD 20 million, up from USD 14 million in 2008. The NPA
will use the money to invest in park security and to reduce
illegal activities. Emilio Rodriguez, technical director of
the NPA, told us that historically it was impossible for NPA
to have a presence in every park due to staffing deficits,
and that the new financing will ensure that a NPA official
resides in or near each park. The NPA presently has 400
direct employees responsible for all aspects of park
management (e.g. park designation, administration,
maintenance and enforcement),a minimal force for a system
that covers 11,000,000 acres, or 10 percent of the national
territory. NPA officials do not have criminal law
enforcement authority, but collaborate with Colombia's
Environmental Police (reftel) to counter illegal activities
in parks. Without on-the-ground NPA presence, such
enforcement is practically non-existent.
Need To Address Social Issues In Parks
--------------
3. Rodriguez cautioned that the funding would still not
enable the NPA to manage broader social problems, such as
displaced communities and illicit crop production, that are
extensive within the parks. He highlighted that 30 out of 54
parks contain displaced or indigenous communities whose
activities (logging, mining, cattle breeding) run counter to
the NPA's environmental objectives. Rather than focusing on
strategies to best protect, administer and maintain park
biodiversity, the NPA often entertains a social policy
function, collaborating with GOC bodies on issues such as the
relocation of displaced communities and alternative
development strategies. The NPA role is further complicated
by coca cultivation in parks, which is estimated to extend to
35-40 percent of the system. Rodriguez said the NPA does not
have the personnel nor financial resources to properly manage
the parks environmental issues, much less the social ones.
Expansion Plans Continue
--------------
4. Despite the resource limitations, the GOC continues to
expand the system and plans to designate 15 more parks within
the next three years. The NPA estimates that Colombia has
180 different ecosystems and its intent is to protect a
portion of each ecosystem. Rodriguez said the NPA plans to
announce Bahia Malaga (Valle del Cauca),Playona Acandi
(Choco) and the Paz de Ariporo Wetlands (Casanare) as parks
within the next few months.
Comment: Increased Funding: Only A Drop In The Bucket
-------------- --------------
5. The budget increase is a step forward, but it still does
not strengthen NPA capacity to manage and effectively protect
the parks. The isolation and difficult terrain of numerous
parks invites social problems that the NPA is not equipped to
address, and that distract from the NPA's principal mandate
of protecting Colombia's biodiversity. In lean budget times,
the extra resources are a real boon and demonstrate the
increased GOC focus on environmental issues. But they are
far from sufficient, and the NPA must continue to look beyond
the national budget to the donor community if it is to become
more than a skeletal organization, expert at selecting and
designating parks, but without resources to accomplish its
other objectives.
BROWNFIELD