In September 2009, TBI Colombia signed in partnership with “Patrimonio Natural Fondo para la Biodiversidad y Áreas Protegidas”, the cooperation agreement “Incentives, compensation and/or payment for environmental services in collective lands of indigenous people and afro-descendant communities”. One of the components of the agreement is the design, validation and application of methodologies and strategies of evaluation, valuation and negotiation of potential compensation schemes for environmental services in collective lands of indigenous and afro-descendants communities, while contributing to increase in these communities the capacity of management and negotiation around this issue.

This agreement is part of the partnerships between TBI Colombia and Patrimonio Natural, which dates from 2007, were technical, operative and financial efforts where joint in order to support the management of protected areas and biodiversity conservation strategies from cultural strengthening processes, exchange of experiences, local research, intercultural management and local capacity building. The strategic contribution of TBI Colombia within the framework of the agreement is related to its experience in the development of participatory methodologies that contribute to the monitoring of natural resources, fundamental in the existing agreement, for the identification and valuation of goods and environmental services.

At the end of 2009, TBI Colombia signed a cooperation agreement with National Parks, with the purpose of joining technical, administrative and financial efforts for the systematization and analysis of experiences in the implementation of the Policy for Social Participation in conservation areas of the National Parks System. The results from the analysis should contribute to the elaboration and publication of a concept paper on the construction processes and implementation of agreements for the use and management of natural resources by ethnical groups.

The following are the expected outcomes:

• A concept paper which should include the analysis on the construction processes of agreements on the use and management of natural resources;
• Recommendations for future construction processes;
• A publication on the construction and implementation of the Policy for Social Participation for the conservation and Special Management Strategies.

 TBI Colombia in association with Gaia Foundation, Patrimonio Natural, Conservation International Colombia, SINCHI Institute and National Parks, held the “Third Meeting of Environmental Management Lower Caquetá River”, in La Pedrera, Amazon, during the week of the 14^th to 21^st of February 2010 with the attendance of 60 people representing organizations and institutions of the middle and lower Caquetá river region.

Daniel Matapí Yucuna, a Matapí indigenous man, who has developed several initiatives of local research with the support of TBI Colombia, participated in the meeting with the socialization of the experiences of participatory monitoring of commercial fishing of large catfish in the middle Caquetá river, in the area of Araracuara and Quinché. The outcomes presented by Daniel were fundamental in the discussions regarding fisheries management with fishing communities, because through the materials presented the importance of information generated from the local level for political negotiation and decision making was shown. Indeed, TBI Colombia was invited by various communities to participate more closely in the processes of local research and local monitoring of the use of natural resources.

As a result of this meeting a booklet was published with the memoirs.
 Download the booklet here..... 1.92 MB

As a conclusion, the activities developed by TBI Colombia in partnership with various institutions, converge with the purpose of the General Assembly of the United Nations, which has proclaimed 2010 as the international year of biological diversity, in order to draw the world's attention about the need to safeguard the biodiversity, reduce the accelerated loss and promote a sustainable use.