Characterization of uses of water resources in the National Natural Parks System of Colombia

Abstract

12.8% of Colombia's surface corresponds to protected natural areas, belonging to the National Natural Parks System. Anthropic activities have been developed there and they require the use of multiple ecosystem services, especially of sweet water. This paper presents the first characterization of water exploitation and use inside the System's protected areas, and aims to establish the relationship between the State -resource management- and the studied zones. We collected Information of 22 qualitative and four quantitative variables of the whole Colombian continental protected areas; the data were analyzed through a multiple correspondence analysis that involves geographical, environmental and structural aspects. Among other aspects, the study reveals that although there are regional differences, almost 88% of the sources of water exploitation in the country's protected areas is currently non-legalized.