NEW PALTZ – Two provincial governors from northern Colombia are part of a 20-member delegation visiting the Hudson Valley this week, in an effort to save their endangered tropical dry forest.
The group, hosted by the Open Space Institute, is studying local eco-tourism, public park systems, nature conservation, plus inter-municipal and private partnerships. They hope to model a new interstate national park for their South American nation.
Scholars and environmentalists are among the visitors, which include Edwardo de la Rosa and Dumek Turbay Paz, the political leaders of Atlantico and Bolivar, respectively – which are adjacent Colombian states.
Colombia is divided into 32 Departments, or provinces, similar to counties in the U.S.
Also joining the group from South America this week is noted Colombian environmentalist José Vicente Mogollón, the former Colombian environmental minister. Atlantico Governor Edwardo de la Rosa also previously served as Colombian environmental minister, and as Secretary General of the progressive Liberal Party.
Although the climate and wildlife are different between the two continents, the ecological issues and goals are the same. Over 90 percent of the tropical dry forest has been destroyed since Spanish settlement, said OSI trustee Peter Bienstock, who toured nature trails in New Paltz with his international colleagues on Sunday.
“It’s the largest, most-threatened forest type in the world, and maybe the largest threatened ecosystem,” Bienstock said. Several million acres in Colombia are affected, Bienstock noted. OSI has been working with the Colombians for the past three years, joining recently for the opening of the first 40,000 acres of nature preserve.
The plan is to establish public-private partnerships, for purchase of old cattle ranches converting them back to original forest – up to three million acres over the next half century. “It’s a potentially huge project, and has terrific scientific and political support,” Bienstock added. “If we can see the restoration of a lot of that forest, it could have a significant effect on mitigating climate change in South America.”
A rare endangered species of titi monkey is currently threatened by the dry forest crisis. Colombia has the most diverse wildlife and largest number of bird species worldwide. Governor Paz said there is much more water and biodiversity back home in Colombia, compared to the Hudson Valley. “It is 80 degrees all year long, not cold like here,” Paz said.
Their five-day visit ends this Wednesday. On Sunday they met with officials from the Palisades Park Commission, as well as Bear and Storm King Mountains. On Monday they will be touring Mohonk Preserve and other sites including Walkway Over Hudson and Roosevelt Estate.
“The main idea for the park that we would like to do, between the two cities of Barranquilla and Cartagena, in Colombia that is going to be totally the same ideas what you have been doing in this area, are really wonderful,” Governor de la Rosa said.
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