Beyond Indicators: How Conserving a Wetland is Transforming Communities

In a territory that has endured decades of environmental degradation, social tensions, and institutional fragmentation, communities that were once separated are now coming together, engaging in dialogue, and building a future together. Beyond their differences, they share a common conviction: the Ciénaga is a sacred ecological and cultural space that sustains life and is now being defended collectively.

The Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM) is Colombia’s largest coastal wetland and one of the most important ecosystems in the Caribbean. It plays a fundamental role in biodiversity conservation, artisanal fishing, and the food security of thousands of families. However, decades of environmental degradation, marked by mangrove loss, changes in water flows, and deteriorating productive conditions, have affected both the ecosystem and the communities that depend on it.

To address these challenges, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is implementing a project financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with the motto “La Ciénaga nos conecta” (the Ciénaga connects us). This motto has evolved from a catchy phrase into a tangible reality. 

The project, "Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CO-G1014),” adopted a comprehensive approach to promote biodiversity conservation, combining participatory governance actions, conservation tools, and sustainable production practices in the Aracataca and Fundación River Basins. 

This approach aims to strengthen the territory's resilience, improve environmental conditions, and generate sustainable benefits for local communities.

The project is demonstrating that ecological restoration requires a comprehensive vision of the territory that goes beyond restoring vegetation cover. Incorporating the surrounding productive areas and promoting sustainable practices generates benefits that extend beyond individual farms, improving water quality and strengthening the well-being of the communities that depend on the Ciénaga’s water resources. In the case of mangroves, restoration begins with restoring water flows, monitoring salinity, and the use of natural regeneration processes, together with agreements for the sustainable management of the territory.

But the Ciénaga experience also shows that restoration is a long-term process that requires coordination, technical knowledge, community commitment, and innovative approaches. In addition to environmental benefits, investments in biodiversity generate positive impacts for communities by strengthening local organizations, fostering dialogue, and building capacities to face future environmental challenges.

The experience demonstrates that the recovery of strategic ecosystems is more sustainable when environmental restoration goes hand in hand with community participation, institutional coordination, and a shared vision of the territory. In the CGSM, these processes do not advance separately; they reinforce each other.

Halfway through implementation, significant results are emerging:

• Six territorial working groups bring together more than 540 stakeholders who are building agreements and strengthening governance.
• Community participation, including three Indigenous and Afro-descendant organizations, four fishers’ and farmers’ organizations, and 35% women’s participation in decision-making spaces.
• Environmental management, restoration, or conservation schemes covering 125,690 hectares.
• Voluntary enrollment of more than 1,500 producers to improve their production practices.
• Sustainable practices adopted by 125 producers on 1,604 hectares under conservation, restoration, or agroecological production.
• Ecosystem restoration is underway on 200 hectares of mangrove, based on water flows, natural regeneration, and participatory monitoring.

These advances are important because they contribute directly to ecosystem conservation, but they also reveal important changes in the way communities, institutions, and organizations interact with one another.

One of the main lessons learned from this experience is that environmental progress in the CGSM has been accompanied by social and institutional processes that strengthen the sustainability of the interventions:

1. Governance Built from the Territory

The participation of Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, fishers, producers, and public institutions has made it possible to create spaces for dialogue around shared interests. Governance has become a tool for building agreements and coordinating actions.

At the same time, coordination among entities such as the Magdalena Regional Autonomous Corporation (CORPAMAG), National Natural Parks, the Ministry of Environment, the “José Benito Vives de Andréis” Marine and Coastal Research Institute (INVEMAR), and other regional stakeholders have strengthened the capacity to make decisions with a more integrated vision of the territory. In addition, the creation of coordination mechanisms and the development of the Decision Support Information System are showing how scientific evidence can support more effective management of natural resources.

2. Science at the Service of Communities

Local ownership of technical knowledge is emphasized in hydrological monitoring, water quality analysis, and ecosystem monitoring, moving beyond specialized reports to become tools for learning and dialogue between communities and producers. This exchange of information, together with the development of participatory monitoring mechanisms, strengthens the capacity of local stakeholders to better understand the relationship between productive activities and ecosystem health, promoting more sustainable and informed management of natural resources.

3. Women Leaders as Drivers of Change

The leadership of dozens of women in organizational, productive, and environmental processes is paramount. Their participation has been fundamental in coordinating activities, mobilizing communities, promoting sustainable enterprises, strengthening collaborative networks, and generating economic opportunities. Examples include:

• Resilient Women of Tasajera “Cultivando Vida”: an association that promotes environmental conservation and the economic inclusion of women who are heads of vulnerable households in Tasajera, Santa Marta.
• “Viajando con Gaby”: a community-based, sustainable tourism enterprise that works to raise the visibility of the area's mangrove ecosystems and amphibian culture. Through its leader, Gabriela, and the women involved in the initiative, the enterprise supports monitoring, restoration, and environmental awareness activities, serving as a bridge between scientific knowledge and the local community.
• “Fundamor”: The women of this foundation seek to support families of children with disabilities through logistics services. Through their contribution, they coordinate visits to agricultural and livestock farms, ensuring that each tour offers a deep connection with the territory.

Ecological restoration goes far beyond environmental recovery. The progress achieved in the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta has also strengthened the social fabric, institutional coordination, and community participation, confirming that nature-based solutions have a greater impact when they integrate conservation, governance, and social inclusion from the outset.

Furthermore, the project demonstrates that it is possible to restore vulnerable ecosystems while strengthening the capacities of the communities that inhabit and protect them. Although consolidating these achievements will require continued collaboration among local stakeholders, institutions, and development partners, the experience offers a clear lesson: sustainability depends both on environmental results and on people’s ability to build and sustain a shared vision of the future.

To learn more about how the IDB supports biodiversity conservation and natural capital across Latin America and the Caribbean, click here.