Last updated: May 2025
Reforestation project for the "Cerro de la Popa", which is Cartagena's highest point and one of the main tourist attractions because of the view and its colonial convent (Ref 6). The hill currently faces illegal occupation and environmental deterioration caused by deforestation, poor solid waste management, burning, logging, and the loss of vegetation cover (Ref 4, 5). The intervention in La Popa consists of reforestation activities, environmental education activities with children, and awareness-raising activities with adults about caring for fauna, flora, and water bodies (ref 2, 3). SSince 2020, the Establecimiento Público Ambiental (EPA Cartagena) has led the recovery initiative, prompted by the urgent need to counter the increasing encroachment by migrants and vulnerable populations (Ref 4). The project comprises reforestation efforts, environmental education sessions with children, and community outreach to raise awareness among adults regarding the protection of local fauna, flora, and water bodies (Refs 2, 3). As part of a broader municipal agenda, the initiative remains active, with the most recent intervention conducted on July 11, 2024 (Ref 2).
picture from a planting session in 2020
EPA Cartagena (https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/epa-continua-plan-de-reforestacion-en-la-popa/)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Waste management
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Deforestation and forest degradation
- Soil degradation and loss
- Poor water quality
- Physical water retention and availability
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Limited economic opportunities and local livelihoods
- Resource Scarcity and Competition
- Land rights conflicts
- Other
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Urban reforestation, restoration of street trees, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Remediation activities of sites with very poor environmental quality, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems), Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, n.a.2, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs
Project objectives
Recover the ecological and scenic value of Cerro de la Popa by enhancing biodiversity, increasing carbon dioxide capture, promoting recreational and educational uses, and preserving its visual landscape (Ref. 5).
Implement restoration activities in degraded areas of the hill and undertake construction and slope stabilization in zones affected by erosion (Ref. 11).
Promote recreational and tourism development by leveraging the cultural significance of the Colonial Convent of La Popa and the hill’s strategic role as a panoramic viewpoint of the city (Ref. 5).
Fulfill legal mandates for the protection of Cerro de la Popa by halting deforestation, preventing the degradation of tropical dry forest vegetation and erosion, and preserving the natural habitat of local wildlife (Ref. 2).
Involve multiple neighborhoods surrounding La Popa to safeguard the natural heritage of Cartagena’s most iconic hill (Ref. 2).
Implementation activities
Conduct detailed risk assessments to map areas with high susceptibility to environmental or structural hazards, and implement tailored risk management and mitigation measures accordingly.
Identify and prioritize areas suitable for interventions or for the consolidation of residential functions, based on current land-use characteristics and community needs.
Carry out ecological restoration activities and implement long-term protection and management plans for the Cerro de la Popa ecosystem to counteract ongoing degradation processes.
Develop and construct a network of public facilities and shared community spaces at multiple scales to address service gaps and reduce spatial and social inequities.
Design and install the necessary urban and functional infrastructure to integrate Cerro de la Popa with its surrounding area.
Creation of public spaces that support quality urban environments conducive to economic activities and cultural practices.
Implement an integrated mobility framework on the hill's slopes, including pathways, transit links, and access roads, to enhance connectivity with the city's broader transportation system and improve access for both residents and tourists.
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Low-income neighborhoods, Informal settlements or slums, Other
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore ecological connectivity
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
- Marginalized groups: Homeless people & people living in informal settlements, Disadvantaged ethnic or racial groups, Vulnerable populations in disaster-prone areas
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Public sector institution
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The EPA coordinates the reforestation plan with the support of several institutional partners. The District Administrative Health Department (DADIS) and the Municipal Unit of Agricultural Technical Assistance (UMATA) contribute to technical and sectoral alignment. The areas of Environmental Affairs, International Cooperation, and Logistical Support assist with organizational coordination. The Public Space and Mobility Management Directorate provides field staff and supports tree planting activities. The Office of Risk and Disaster Management of Cartagena leads community engagement initiatives focused on mitigating potential mass movement risks. Additionally, the National Police and a Cartagena-based company, Distribolivar support the project by donating trees as part of their environmental compensation obligations (Ref. 2).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(In 2005, EPA-Cartagena formulated a project aimed at comprehensively restoring an area of 19 hectares of Cerro de La Popa, involving the implementation of bioengineering works, revegetation, and erosion control.
In 2010, the Technical Proposal Study of the Macroproject under Consultancy Contract No. 1521 of 2009 was presented. Its objective was to "Formulate the Urban Macroproject for the Comprehensive Recovery of Cerro de La Popa in the city of Cartagena de Indias, and provide technical support to the respective Administrations in public outreach and in presenting the project to the competent authorities." (ref 12). In 2016, the Ombudsman's Office filed a popular action against the District of Cartagena (admitted on May 26, 2016, by the Eighth Administrative Court) to protect Cerro de La Popa, considered an ecological reserve of the city. It also requested that an alternative housing solution be provided to the people living on the hill, as well as the activation of an emergency plan for potential landslides due to the arrival of ENSO (ref 5). )
Type of enablers
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€10,000 - €50,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Other funding sources are unclear
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of goods
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Environmental quality
- Improved waste management
- Expected improved waste management
- Improved protection against strong wind
- Expected improved protection against strong wind
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Expected increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Restoration of derelict areas
- Expected restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Achieved increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Expected increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Social justice and conflicts, Lack of social acceptance, Displacement of vulnerable or marginalized communities
References
1.
cities4forest (n.d.). Cartagena Urban Tree Project. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Mayor's Office of Cartagena de Indias (11/07/2024). EPA Cartagena lideró jornada de recuperación ambiental en el Cerro de La Popa. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Caracol Radio ( 10/07/2024 ). Recuperación ambiental en cerro de La Popa liderada por EPA Cartagena. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Technological University of Bolivar (10/08/2022). El Cerro de La Popa, entre el deterioro y la restauración ambiental. Cartagena: Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Cartagena Environmental Public Establishment (n.d.). ACCIONES PRIORITARIAS PARA EL CERRO DE LA POPA – CARTAGENA. Cartagena: Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Mayor's Office of Cartagena de Indias (2021). ECOPARQUE CERRO DE LA POPA . Cartagena: Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Cartagena Environmental Public Establishment (n.d.). Cartagena's population. Cartagena: Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link];
8.
National Administrative Department of Statistics (2020). LA INFORMACIÓN DEL DANE EN LA TOMA DE DECISIONES DE LAS CIUDADES CAPITALES. Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Montaño, John (2021). S.O.S por Cerro de La Popa en Cartagena: es urgente un CAI Ambiental. El Tiempo , Accessed on August 5, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Environment Ministry (2024). Reporte final de Proyectos de Control Social Ambiental Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo Marzo-202. Accessed on August 5, 2024, [Source link];
11.
EPA Cartagena (2020). EPA continúa plan de reforestación en La Popa. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
12.
EPA Cartagena (2010). MACROPROYECTO URBANO PARA LA RECUPERACIÓN INTEGRAL DEL CERRO DE LA POPA EN LA CIUDAD DE CARTAGENA DE INDIAS. Accessed on August 10, 2024, [Source link];
planting session in 2021
Caracol Radio https://caracol.com.co/emisora/2021/05/27/cartagena/1622118475_986546.html
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.