ANDEAN FORESTS: CONNECTING COUNTRIES

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ANDEAN FORESTS: CONNECTING COUNTRIES
Installed capacities, knowledge and
experiences on sustainable forest
management, but climate change
poses additional challenges
and concerns
COMMON CHALLENGES
Steep
environmental
gradients
Many implementation initiatives, but also gaps in
measuring the impacts of long term intervention,
advocacy and environmental monitoring
The need to
highlight the role
of Andean forests
in climate change
mitigation
Evidence of common concern among
countries on the conservation and
sustainable management of Andean
forests, but also limitations to measure
the effectiveness of policies, practices
and promising schemes
High diversity
and endemism
Information and
knowledge gaps
on the dynamics of
Andean forests and the
relationships between
species facing climate
change impacts
The need to
highlight the role
of Andean forests
in the adaptation
strategies of the
population
The need to strengthen
the Andean regional
institutionality capable of
hosting and harmonizing the
many advances, experiences and
knowledge generated about
managing Andean forests in the
countries
Variability
of natural
and human
disturbance
regimes
Existing
conservation
efforts focused
on lowland
forests
Changes in the
Andean forests
that influence in
the dynamics of
the Amazonian
forests
The need to
integrate the
Andean forests into
the production
systems
BOSQUES ANDINOS ES UN PROGRAMA DE:
The need to generate
elements and arguments
in order to build a shared
vision of the value of
Andean forests against
climate change
FACILITADO Y ASESORADO POR:
2/6
ANDEAN FORESTS: FACTS AND FIGURES
The natural ecosystems
of the tropical Andes are
considered to be the richest
and the most biologically
diverse on the planet.
The content of organic carbon
in the soil of the Andean, high
Andean and moorland natural
ecosystems, is among the
highest in the world.
40
The Andean forests help to
protect watersheds, reduce soil
erosion, prevent landslides and
buffer weather events.
Farming, livestock and forest
fires are the main causes of
Andean forests loss.
The estimated total area of the
andean forests in the 7 andean
countries is more than
31
million people
depend directly on
environmental services
provided by the Andean
forests in
The Andean forests can
eventually build up between
of its original area
Organic carbon stocks in Andean
forest soils at
3000-3300 m.a.s.l. can be
20 and 40
120 t/ha C
tonnes of carbon
per hectare
In moors soils, organic carbon stocks
can be
above ground, thus being an
important carbon pool.
BOSQUES ANDINOS ES UN PROGRAMA DE:
5-10%
covering about 11%
of the total forest area in
these countries.
7 andean countries
1400 t/ha C
FACILITADO Y ASESORADO POR:
More than
Andean forests
now cover
million of
hectares
Peasant communities and native
peoples living in the Andes
who depend on the forests
for their survival, carry out
activities that are compatible
with their conservation and the
maintenance of their functions.
Andean forests that could be affected by
climate change by 2050
13-21%
Rainforests
6-7%
Pluviseasonal
forests
4-5%
Xerophytic
forests
SOURCES:
• Cuesta, F., M. Peralvo, y N. Valarezo. 2009. Los Bosques Montanos de los Andes Tropicales: Una evaluación regional de su estado de conservación y de su
vulnerabilidad a efectos del cambio climático. Quito: Programa Regional Ecobona – Intercooperation.
• Pliscoff P y Luebert F. 2008.
• Josse, C., F. Cuesta, G. Navarro, V. Barrena, E. Cabrera, E. Chacon-Moreno, W. Ferreira, M. Peralvo, J. Saito, y A. Tovar. 2009. Ecosistemas de los Andes
del Norte y Centro: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru y Venezuela. Lima: Secretar¡a General de la Comunidad Andina, Programa Regional Ecobona Intercooperation, CONDESAN - Proyecto Páramo Andino, Programa BioAndes, EcoCiencia, NatureServe, IAvH, LTA-UNALM, ICAE-ULA, CDC,UNALM,
RUMBOL SRL.
60%
of available water in the
Amazon basin originates in
the Andes.
Land use change causes
between
20 to 100%
of loss of soil carbon
on moorland, highland,
jalca and upper montane
forests.
• Gibbon, A., M. Silman, Y. Malhi, J. Fisher, P. Meir, M. Zimmermann, G. Dargie, W. Farfan, y K. Garcia. 2010. Ecosystem Carbon Storage Across the Grassland–
Forest Transition in the High Andes of Manu National Park, Peru. Ecosystems 13 (7):1097-1111.
• Zimmermann, M., P. Meir, M. Silman, A. Fedders, A. Gibbon, Y. Malhi, D. Urrego, M. Bush, K. Feeley, K. Garcia, G. Dargie, W. Farfan, B. Goetz, W. Johnson, K. Kline,
A. Modi, N. Q. Rurau, B. Staudt, y F. Zamora. 2010. No Differences in Soil Carbon Stocks Across the Tree Line in the Peruvian Andes. Ecosystems 13 (1):62-74.
• Coppus, R,. L. Endara; M. Nonhebel; V. Mera; S. León-Yánez; P. Mena Vásconez; J. Wolf & R. Hofstede. 2001. El estado de salud de algunos páramos en el
Ecuador: una metodología de campo. Pp 219-240 in: Mena V., P.; G. Medina & R. Hofstede (eds.). Los páramos del Ecuador: Particularidades, problemas y
perspectivas. Abya Yala/Proyecto Páramo. Quito.
• Chimner, R., y J. Karberg. 2008. Long-term carbon accumulation in two tropical mountain peatlands, Andes Mountains, Ecuador. Mires and Peat 3 (4):10.
3/6
ANDEAN COUNTRIES: KEY FIGURES
VENEZUELA
30,4 million
2,7 million
916 445 km2
47 632 75011 ha
1 359 401 ha
ECUADOR
39,6 %31
5,2 Mt
24,19 %
61 80018 ha/yr
410 01025 GgCO2eq
15,7 million
6,1 million
283 561 km2
11 307 6279 ha
2 734 921 ha
Population in the Andes2
10,6 million
9,4 million
1 098 581 km2
57 196 0006 ha
4 186 939 ha
8,4 Mt
38,22 %
+74 26016 ha/yr
59,623 GgCO2eq
3,5534 tCO2eq/person
40,1 million
5,3 million
2 780 400 km2
31 443 8735 ha
4 073 880 ha
-15,35 %27
Total area of primary forests4
Andean forests area12
National rate of deforestation
Contribution of Land Use, Land Use
Change and Forestry (national) to
Total National Emissions
GHG emissions
Emissions per capita
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
BOSQUES ANDINOS ES UN PROGRAMA DE:
FACILITADO Y ASESORADO POR:
11
12
The World Bank 2013 (data.worldbank.org).
Most recent National Census data.
2002 Official Census. Including people living in the Andean areas/regions of Chile.
They can be partially degraded, but not completely deforested. It excludes plantations.
Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development. 2005 National Report. First
National Inventory of Native Forests. Native Forests Project and Protected Areas.
FAO. 2010. National Report Bolivia (Plurinational State of). Evaluation of Global Forest
Resources 2010.
National Forestry Corporation. 2011 Cadastre of native vegetation resources of Chile.
28 pp.
Ministry of the Environment and IDEAM. 2010 Annual Report on the Condition of the
Environment and the Renewable Natural Resources in Colombia - Forests 2009.
Ministry of the Environment. 2012 Deforestation Baseline (2008) of Continental Ecuador,
Quito-Ecuador.
Ministry of the Environment (MINAM) - Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MINAG).
2011. El Peru de los Bosques (73 pp).
MINAMB. 2014. Area covered by forests in Venezuela. http://www.minamb.gob.ve/files/
planificacion-y-presupuesto/IndicadoresAmbientales.htm
It includes the following types of forests according to the ecological systems classification
by Josse et al. 2009: High Andean Forest, High Montane Forest, and Montane Forest.
The sources used for: Andean Patagonian Forest, Andean Thorny Forest, Andean
Sclerophyllous Forest, Andean Deciduous Forest, Andean Conifer Resin Forest, and
Andean Evergreen Forest were; for Chile: Pliscoff Luebert P and F. 2008, and for Argentina:
9 million
km2
of the Earth’s surface,
equivalent to
24%
of the planet
coverage37.
48 %28
17,4 Mt
7,32 %
205 00015 ha/yr
85 33122 GgCO2eq
ARGENTINA
Biomass carbon stored in
above and below ground13
Percentage of Andean forest
cover compared to total native
forest in the country
National territory area
26,8 Mt
9,77 %
310 34917 ha/yr
180 00824 GgCO2eq
4,2535 tCO2eq/person
BOLIVIA
CHILE
Total population1 (inhabitants)
Montane forests around
the world cover
48,3 million
34,5 million
1 141 748 km2
69 394 8128 ha
6 780 134 ha
14,45 %30
26,4 Mt
8,71 %
163 30019 ha/yr
134 57026 GgCO2eq
5,736 tCO2eq/person
17,6 million
3,63 million
1 382 555 km2
13 804 8687 ha
5 276 120 ha
-32 %29
MOUNTAIN
FORESTS OF
THE WORLD
COLOMBIA
PERU
30,4 million
9,4 million
1 285 216 km2
73 294 95810 ha
6 380 371 ha
39 %32
15,9 Mt
2,85 %
288 00020 ha/yr
139,52 GgCO2eq
29,2 Mt
12,96 %
301 50014 ha/yr
238 70321 GgCO2eq
6,533 tCO2eq/person
Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development. 2005. National Report. First
National Inventory of Native Forests. Native Forests and Protected Areas Project.
13 UNEP-WCMC http://carbonbiodiversitycalculator.unepwcmc.org/data#carbon
14 Department of Forests, Sub-Secretary for the Environment and Sustainable Development
of the Nation 2012.
15 Rate 2005-2010: Map of deforestation in the lowlands and Yungas of Bolivia, Fundación
Amigos de la Naturaleza (Friends of Nature Foundation) (FAN-Bolivia).
16 CONAF 2012. The numbers correspond to increasing forest area and not to forest loss.
17 Rate from 1990 to 2010; Ministry of the Environment - IDEAM 2014.
18 Rate from 2000 to 2008; Ministry of the Environment - Socio Bosque (Forest Partner
Programme) 2013.
19 Rate from 2005 to 2010; MINAM DGOT 2012.
20 FAO 2013.
21 Argentina’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC. 2007. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2000.
22 GHG Emissions Inventory of Bolivia. Ministry of the Environment and Water of Bolivia.
2002-2004.
23 Chile’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC: 2011. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2006.
24 Colombia’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC: 2007. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2004.
25 Ecuador’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC: 2011. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2006.
They cover
1/4
of the total area of
mountain ecosystems
in the world.
They are home to
1/8
of the world
population.
26 Climate Change Planning Project (PlanCC Project) - Ministry of the Environment of Peru.
2014.
27 Argentina’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC. 2007. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2000.
28 GHG Emissions Inventory of Bolivia. Ministry of the Environment and Water of Bolivia.
2002-2004.
29 Chile’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC. 2011. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2006.
30 Colombia’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC. 2007. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2004.
31 Ecuador’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC. 2011. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2006.
32 Climate Change Planning Project (PlanCC Project) - Ministry of the Environment of Peru.
2014.
33 Official data of national population by 2001 (National GHG Inventory by 2000).
34 Department of Climate Change CONAMA, Chile. 2010. Reference year: 2006.
35 Colombia’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC. 2007. Reference year for the
National GHG Inventory: 2004.
36 Climate Change Planning Project (PlanCC Project) - Ministry of the Environment of Peru.
2014. Reference year: 2010.
37 Price, Martin F, Georg Gratzer, Alemayehu Lalisa Duguma, Thomas Kohler, Daniel Maselli,
and Rosalaura Romeo (editors) (2011). Mountain Forests in a Changing World - Realizing
Values, Addressing Challenges. Published by FAO / MPS and SDC, Rome.
4/6
ANDEAN FORESTS: FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THEIR MANAGEMENT
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS BY COUNTRY
Growing
database and
information on the condition
of Andean forests, their
composition and structure,
sources of threats to their
existence and opportunities
for their management and
conservation considering
climate change.
New legal
frameworks on
ecosystem services
for the forestry and
environmental sectors
providing greater clarity
on rights of access, use and
tenure of forests, goods
and associated
services.
Development
of an institutional
framework
to strengthen
the sustainable
management of
Andean forests.
Promotion of
national and
subnational financing
alternatives for
the conservation
of Andean forest
ecosystems.
Organized
popular groups close
to Andean forests:
community councils,
municipalities,
irrigation committees,
conservation
committees, etc.
CHI
COL
VEN
ARG
CHI
COL
Great
experience gained
through the
implementation
of management
initiatives and research
on forest systems in
Andean areas.
A juridical-legal
framework underpinning
the protection of
biodiversity, ecological
processes, protected
natural areas, and
promoting the sustainable
management of the
Andean forests.
The subnational
or decentralized
governments include
aspects of conservation
and sustainable
management of
Andean forests in their
development and land
use plans.
Advances
inthe design and
implementation
of national forest
monitoring systems
and permanent forest
inventory.
Growing concern
among the rural
population to cope
with the effects of
climate change and the
role of Andean forests
in the production of
water.
Implementation of
forest certification
schemes that
promote forest
conservation in the
countries.
ECU
VEN
Consolidated
infrastructure for
teaching, training,
research and
extension.
Publishing, in
authorized magazines,
the results of research
carried out in Andean
forests of these
countries.
BOL
COL
ECU
PER
ECU
CHI
COL
VEN
Financial support
(public / private) to
projects in the areas
of science, technology
and innovation.
PER
COL
ECU
BOL
ECU
VEN
PER
Experiences in
popular participatory
planning processes
and self-management
of resources,
oriented to social
infrastructure.
CHI
BOL
ECU
VEN
Organized social base
aware of the importance
of safeguarding
the Andean forests
and moorlands;
ecosystems which are
managed by grassroots
organizations.
COL
PER
CHI
PER
BOSQUES ANDINOS ES UN PROGRAMA DE:
FACILITADO Y ASESORADO POR:
Design and updating
of policy instruments
in relation to
climate change
management.
COL
PER
A growing social
network with an
increasing number of
financial services for
the rural sector.
A great deal of
research and
highly recognized
academics in
sustainable
management and
conservation of
moorlands and high
Andean ecosystems.
Extensive financial
and technical support
from (bilateral
and multilateral)
international
cooperation.
COL
PER
BOL
COL
ECU
PER
Implementation
of new financial
mechanisms for
the conservation
of Andean forests
(voluntary markets,
conservation
agreements, payment
mechanisms for
ecosystem services,
REDD+).
Voluntary forest
certification
systems with
experience in
certifying groups
in Andean
forests.
ARG
Applied research
and methodological
development of
activities related to
the management
and conservation
of Andean forests
facing climate
change.
CHI
COL
PER
Presence of Model
Forest projects
in areas of major
Andean forests with
organized local
stakeholders and
strengthened social
infrastructure.
Open to
establish
public-private
partnerships
at all levels to
create new ways
to invest for the
conservation of
Andean forests.
CHI
ECU
CHI
COL
CHI
CHI
BOL
COL
Accumulation of
valuable experiences
at the local level
that promotes
appreciation of
the native Andean
forest.
Governmental financial
and/or investment
mechanisms that
support the actions
performed by peasant
families aimed at
the conservation
and sustainable
management of Andean
forest ecosystems.
CHI
Has implemented
Forestry NAMA.
REFERENCE:
Baseline Document for the Andean Forests Programme: Conservation of High Andean forests facing climate change:
Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. 2013.
5/6
ANDEAN FORESTS: ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Andean forests are extremely important for the strategic environmental services they
provide. 40 million people are directly dependent on the provision of environmental services
of Andean forests.
ANDEAN FORESTS: WATER AND CLIMATE CHANGE
The links between mitigation and climate change
adaptation in the Andean forests are based on
the ecosystem services that forests provide, the
initiatives to improve forest governance, the national
and international policies, the financial instruments
that support conservation and the sustainable
management of forests.
Future changes in the amount of rainfall and its seasonality will
affect ecosystems by increasing soil drought and reducing water
retention capacity of soil and, consequently, this could increase
flow variability.
In the long run, changes in the volume of glaciers could cause
considerable changes in the seasonal hydrology patterns of
glaciers downstream.
Changes in coverage and land use may result in the modification of
water yield.
ANDEAN FORESTS: CARBON AND
MITIGATION POTENTIAL
Andean forests, moorlands and wetlands contain
important global carbon stocks.
These stocks are as large as, or larger than, those
of the Amazon forests. This is due to high carbon
stock in the soils of these forests.
Climate change could jeopardize the capacity
of Andean forests to supply climate regulation
services.
ANDEAN FORESTS: BIODIVERSITY
AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Changes in temperature may reduce the area of
distribution of ecosystems which would result in a
decrease in the number of species.
A drop in biodiversity due to a reduction in the
area of the ecosystem would be expected, but also
an increase in the number of species due to higher
temperature.
Along with climate change, variations in the climatic
niches extensions of the Andean biomes are also
expected as these would tend to show an upward
vertical displacement.
BOSQUES ANDINOS ES UN PROGRAMA DE:
FACILITADO Y ASESORADO POR:
HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES
• High water production
• Water regulation
• Reduction or prevention of sedimentation
SOURCES:
• Vuille, M. 2013. El cambio climático y los recursos hídricos en los Andes tropicales. IDB Technical Note; 517.
• Cuesta, F., Bustamante, M., Becerra, M.T., Postigo, J., Peralvo, J. (Eds.) 2012. Panorama andino de cambio climático: Vulnerabilidad y
adaptación en los Andes Tropicales. CONDESAN, SGCAN, Lima.
• Quintero M. ed. 2010. Servicios ambientales hidrológicos en la región andina. Estado del conocimiento, la acción y la política para
asegurar su provisión mediante esquemas de pago por servicios ambientales. Lima, IEP; CONDESAN (Agua y Sociedad, 12; Serie
Panorama Andino, 1).
6/6
ANDEAN FORESTS: WORK IN PROGRESS
Impacts of
implementing
conservation measures,
sustainable land
management and
incentive schemes on
these forests and the
environmental services
they provide.
Analysis of
the design and
operation of incentive
schemes and financing
mechanisms for the
conservation of Andean
forests environmental
services.
Current and
future water
availability and
water use demands
in the Andean
basins.
Monitoring to assess
current and future
Andean forests
contributions to the
provision of water
under different land
use and climate change
scenarios.
Inclusion of
Andean forests
in national and
subnational monitoring
and reporting systems
of land use.
BOSQUES ANDINOS ES UN PROGRAMA DE:
Incentives
to increase
contributions from the
private sector with high
potential of impact
on the conservation
of Andean forests and
their services.
Deepen the
knowledge of the
impacts of land
use change on the
flow of carbon and
biodiversity in the
Andean forests.
FACILITADO Y ASESORADO POR:
Contribution of
natural and assisted
regeneration of Andean
forests to carbon
balance.
Making carbon
stocks and fluxes in
the Andean forests to
understand the role
and contribution of the
Andean forests to climate
regulation.
Estimates of
carbon emissions and
specific contributions
of these forests to the
countries’ national GHG
inventories.

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