Scenarios and alternatives for ecological restoration in degraded Andean landscapes: the case of the upper basin of the Bogotá River (Suesca, Cundinamarca)

Abstract

The intensification of agriculture and urban expansion have reduced habitats in tropical ecosystems resulting in the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services and impacting on the living conditions of people. In the Andean region of Colombia, the socio-ecological dynamics and fragmentation of the landscape underscore the necessity for comprehensive ecological restoration approaches engaging local communities to bolster territories resilience and sustainability. Here we used a participatory methodology to investigate communities’ perspectives on the future restoration of their environment. We derived our findings from surveys, interviews, workshops, and field trips. We identified and categorized areas and restoration strategies and we proposed two complementary future scenarios: ecological connectivity and agro-ecological transition aimed at recovering biodiversity and ecological processes associated with water, soil, agriculture, and livestock (pollination, natural pest control, thermal comfort), associating specific restoration strategies and plant species. Our findings indicated that participatory scenarios facilitate community management of territories towards collaborative solutions related to ecological restoration. We believe the study can be replicated in other degraded Andean landscapes where communities’ knowledge and academia’s support are essential to improve restoration effectiveness.