Growing the Magnolios Nature Reserve

The cloud forest north of Medellín, Colombia, is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Because of the humidity, plants can get all the moisture from the air. They grow right on top of each other, meaning a single tree can host thousands of species that spend their entire lives without ever touching the ground. Unfortunately, this unique ecosystem is being cleared for cow pasture. It’s a practice that dates back to colonial times and remains a common way to make a living, even though farming on these steep, misty slopes is incredibly inefficient.

To make sure the cloud forest is permanently protected, Fundación Magnolios is building a nature reserve. Once the land is secured, we let nature take the lead. Because the area is so moist and lush, nature regenerates faster here than almost anywhere else on Earth. For the rarest species that need an extra hand (especially Magnolia polyhypsophylla, M. guatapensis and M. yarumalensis), the team collects seeds to raise in a nursery before replanting them in the wild. We are also very active in investigating new species, such as orchids, frogs and tree ferns.

In the most recent project of Fundación Magnolios, Planet Wild and Ecosia teamed up with Fundación Magnolios to help protect purchase 53 additional hectares of cloud forest. We are now at 850 hectares of conservation land and keep going. We are now seeking funds to be able to repair the run-down conservation house that came with the newly purchased land (water, power, hygiene), separate the paths used by mules from those used by humans to avoid that they get destroyed, and further develop the nature reserve’s infrastructure so that scientific and ecotourism visitors can come, stay and support the nature reserve.