Local Conservation with Global Impact

We left around 7:30 in the morning. Yes, we were running late, but this was an unusual group of birdwatchers that included environmental leaders, local and international journalists, businesspeople, and government representatives who had never birdwatched before, let alone after intense days at COP16. With high expectations and a strong cup of Colombian coffee, we immersed ourselves in a birdwatching paradise in the forests of Kilometer 18, right above Cali.

Andrés Osorio led the group, providing information about the ecosystem we were in and predicting some unique bird sightings. He introduced himself as one of the 400 birdwatching guides trained by Audubon. Andrés discovered the joy of birds after graduating as a bilingual tourism guide at SENA, and he traded "concrete offices for the nature and biodiversity of Colombia." Touched by Andrés' words and the chilly mystery of the cloud forest, the visitors' binoculars also let them see what it means to do local conservation work—something I consider a crucial route to achieving a global impact. Like practically everywhere else in the country, birdwatching in Kilometer 18 is made possible by the people and communities who inhabit these places and have made the daily care of nature a way of life. Before policies, science, or compensation calculations, there are the people in the areas we need to conserve.

Many people have asked me for a summary of COP16. I have many words of gratitude, congratulations, and recognition for relevant achievements. I also have a few more to discuss the weak results regarding the contributions of industries that exploit nature and save the benefits for the communities that preserve this heritage. The financial support for biodiversity added little at COP16.

But there were gains at Kilometer 18. Comparisons aren't always bad; they can help put things into perspective. Cali, for example, has 562 species of birds observed within its 564 km², according to the Colombia BirdFair—around half the number found in the continental United States (1,120 species across 7,825,268.25 km²). And Valle del Cauca, at 22,140 km², has almost as many bird species as in the entire U.S. In short, birdwatching makes clear the importance of Valle del Cauca and the biodiverse and bird-rich country that Colombia is. It was certainly enough to understand why Audubon has focused on this region and Colombia for years. But above all, it gave specific weight, names, and faces to the work done by people and communities for birds and nature.

Last June, when we started this journey towards COP16, I said that birds should take center stage in this global meeting. And in many ways, they did. However, recognizing the great work with local and international allies, partners, and friends, I fell short in emphasizing that communities are the foundation for substantial conservation. Supporting bird and nature guides and backing sustainable ventures is vital for correctly elevating conservation across the planet.