[Andean Forests: issues and characterisation] Seven years building well-being and sustainability: sharing experiences, achievements, findings and lessons learned

The Andean Forests Programme began winding down in October 2021. SDC held a series of national and thematic events to share experiences, achievements, findings and lessons learned and their status in the region, and for stakeholders to make a joint analysis of the progress and opportunities brought about when these valuable ecosystems are better managed.

The aim of the Andean Forests Programme was that the «Andean community living in and around Andean forests reduce their vulnerability to climate change and receive social, economic and environmental benefits from the conservation of Andean forests».  The initiative was promoted by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s Global Programme Climate Change and Environment, which has been supporting rural and environmental development in the Andean region for over 40 years.

The first phase of Andean Forests started in 2014 and was implemented across the region. It was facilitated by the Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and CONDESAN consortium. Its intervention strategy focused on generating knowledge; generating and expanding collaboration for validating sustainable forest and Andean ecosystem management practices; and consolidating enabling conditions so that they could be replicated and scaled up. The programme adopted a multi-level work approach, with local or landscape, national, regional and global activities, especially geared to organisational strengthening and inter-institutional liaison, contributing to its strategic partners’ aims and priorities (PBA 2014). 

The Programme’s second phase started in October 2019 with the objective of «improving enabling conditions and scaling up sustained collaborative action for consolidating, replicating and scaling up good practices and knowledge management for the sustainable management of Andean forest landscapes and the resilience of communities and ecosystems in the Andean region» (PBA, 2019a).

When the programme began, this situation was compounded by the fact that stakeholders had insufficient basic knowledge to take decisions, by delays in the development of compensation schemes for ecosystem services, by insufficient stakeholder consultation, and by the absence of forest development planning. The Programme therefore gave priority to six themes for its collaborative action:

  1. The appreciation of ecosystem services.
  2. The protection and recovery of springs to improve water flow in water sources and the promotion of compensation for the ecosystem service provided by water.
  3. Landscape restoration, to reverse forest segmentation and degradation and habitat loss, improving ecosystem services.
  4. Income generation through economic activities that reduce pressure on forests.
  5. Environmental governance through improved stakeholder coordination and the development of planning and prevention instruments.
  6. Research and knowledge generation, through forest monitoring and evaluation and applied research.

Learn more about these themes in the following videos:

The brochure below has valuable information about the issues and characterization of Andean forests, their direct and indirect relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals, and the characteristics of these ecosystems – where they are located, the value of their biodiversity and their role and importance for the subsistence of communities living in and around them.

2021 11 NUESTROS BOSQUES ANDINOS -DATOS Y CIFRAS

Source: Andean Forests


Further information:
Brochure: Andean Forests: problems and characterisation
FS Andean Forests Programme
Website: Andean Forests Programme

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