Securing Water for 250,000 People: A Collaborative Victory for Nature in Colombia
04/16/2026
Nature and Culture International celebrates a historic milestone for conservation in the Colombian Andes. The Estrella Hídrica de Caldas has been officially established as a Regional Integrated Management District. This specific category of protected area under Colombian law is designed to balance ecosystem conservation with sustainable local land use.
This achievement is a major win for ecological connectivity in the Andes because the area retains approximately 77% of its natural land cover, making it one of the last remaining continuous forests in the department of Caldas.
Located in the west-central district of Caldas, Colombia, this new protected area spans 59,236 acres of high-value ecosystems, including sub-Andean and high-Andean forests, páramos, sub-páramos, and wetlands.
The Estrella Hídrica: A Source of Life
The area takes its name from the Estrella Hídrica, or “Hydrological Star,” a term used in conservation science to describe high-elevation points where water flows outward in multiple directions toward distinct river basins.
This “star” is the primary engine for water regulation in the region. Currently, 67% of the area directly feeds the aqueducts that provide clean drinking water to nearly 250,000 people. By protecting these vital water sources, which drain into the Cauca River—one of Colombia’s most important rivers—we are ensuring long-term water security and climate resilience for a quarter of a million residents living downstream.
A Sanctuary for Rare and Endangered Life
Beyond its role in water catchment, this landscape is a biological treasure trove home to 880 recorded species. The protection of these continuous forests provides a safe haven for:
- 108 endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.
- 33 species threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List.
- 89 species protected under CITES, ensuring international safeguards against the illegal trade of the area’s unique flora and fauna.
- The rare “Cuatrecasas’ Lepanthes” orchid (Lepanthes cuatrecasasii) and a newly discovered species of rain frog from the genus Pristimantis.
Conservation Rooted in Coffee Culture and Community
While the Estrella Hídrica provides essential resources for thousands, it is also the ancestral home of 1,319 residents from local farming families.
The region is part of Colombia’s Coffee Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage site where sustainable coffee farming and nature are deeply intertwined. The management of this new protected area will actively involve these 1,319 guardians by promoting local conservation agreements and participatory monitoring of biodiversity. This ensures that while we protect the headwaters, we also strengthen the livelihoods of the families who care for them.
The Power of Partnership
This protected area was made possible through the joint work of Más Biomas, Corpocaldas, the Gobernación de Caldas, Nature and Culture International and the Instituto Alexander von Humboldt and financial support from Andes Amazon Fund and Re:wild. Since September 2024, Nature and Culture has been a key strategic partner by providing the technical follow-up and expertise necessary to bring this long-term vision to life.
A Vision for a Resilient Future
The Estrella Hídrica de Caldas is now the largest protected area in the state. For Nature and Culture International, this success reaffirms our commitment to working at a landscape scale to implement solutions that bridge the gap between nature conservation and human well-being for generations to come.
