Cartagena, Cartagena (FUA), Colombia
City population: 1138298
Duration: 2018 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Residential, Sea coast (e.g. dunes, beach)
Last updated: May 2025

The "Mangle Verde" project is a community-led intervention aimed at reforesting mangrove areas in Cartagena, particularly around the Ciénaga de la Virgen and Ciénaga de Juan Polo. Initiated by Gloria Sánchez and other members of the Villa Gloria community, this project is a response to the environmental degradation caused by urban development, including the construction of a viaduct, and the damages inflicted by invasive settlements and pollution​(ref 1,4). The primary goal of the project is to restore the mangrove ecosystems, which are essential for maintaining water quality, preventing coastal erosion and supporting marine biodiversity conservation (ref 4). In addition, this initiative provides socio-economic benefits by fostering ecotourism and increasing fish populations, which directly benefit the local fishing economy​(ref 1). The "Mangle Verde" project emerged as a grassroots response to compensations granted by the Concesión Costera for the damage caused by infrastructure projects in the region. Local residents of Villa Gloria, recognizing the importance of the mangrove ecosystem, established nurseries in their homes where they cultivate three types of mangroves (ref 2,4). So far, the initiative has planted over 26,860 mangrove saplings and is committed to continuing the reforestation efforts, which also include cleaning and maintaining the canals around the mangroves​ (ref 1). Beyond ecological restoration, the project also addresses key environmental risks in Cartagena, including coastal flooding and habitat degradation, driven by both natural phenomena (e.g., tides) and human activities such as urban sprawl and illegal dumping (ref 6, 7).

Gloria Sanchez in the nursery
Gloria Sanchez in the nursery
https://www.eluniversal.com.co/cartagena/2021/08/29/mangle-verde-para-reforestar-la-cienaga-de-la-virgen/

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Blue infrastructure
  • Coastal wetland, mangroves and salt marshes
  • Mangroves

Key challenges

  • Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
  • Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
  • Marine and coastal biodiversity protection
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity restoration
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Inclusive governance
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social cohesion
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Economic development: agriculture

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Climate-Related Hazards
  • Coastal hazards (e.g. erosion, flooding)
  • Environmental Degradation
  • Biodiversity loss
  • Deforestation and forest degradation
  • Poor water quality
  • Land use and Socio-economic change
  • Limited economic opportunities and local livelihoods

Key priorities

Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)

Focus

Coastal landscape management or protection, Coastal ecosystems restoration and maintenance (mangroves, dunes, saltplains, underwater meadows), Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Restoration of mangroves, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Sustainable use of natural resources to improve livelihoods and food security (eg. community- based wildlife or forest management)

Project objectives

The primary goal of the project is to reforest the damaged mangrove ecosystems of the Ciénaga de la Virgen and Ciénaga de Juan Polo (ref 1). - Restore the ecosystem, which will enhance fish populations and overall biodiversity, benefiting the local fishing communities (ref 1). - Protect the coastline from erosion and environmental hazards such as flooding (ref 4). - Empowering local residents to take ownership of environmental restoration (ref 2). - Raise awareness within the community about the importance of environmental conservation and aims for long-term sustainability (ref 1).

Implementation activities

- The project itself originated from demands raised during prior consultations by Afro-descendant communities in La Boquilla to the Concesión Costera, which had constructed the viaduct over the Ciénaga de la Virgen, a body of water deeply valued by the people of Cartagena. As part of a legal action, community councils insisted on being consulted regarding the risks of the project, and they immediately raised concerns about the serious environmental impact it posed to the mangrove ecosystems (ref 2). - The community selects seeds from the lagoon and takes them to the nurseries, where they plant and prepare compost. When the seedlings reach 30 or 35 centimeters, they need to be moved out. On the plot, they also have a well from which they extract water to maintain moisture with low salinity, ensuring the mangroves survive. They also make their own insecticide, clean the canals, and maintain the mangroves after they are transplanted to the lagoon (ref 1). - With institutional support from SENA and Cardique, women from the community were trained in mangrove cultivation and in methods for repopulating the lagoon. The project was officially reinforced through support from ISA and Cardique, who provided a modern nursery where sweet mangrove is cultivated alongside other species such as chirimoya, passion fruit campano, and oak. These trees are sold to Serena del Mar as part of a formal agreement and in the framework of environmental compensations(ref 3)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity restoration:

  • Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
  • Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)

Main beneficiaries

  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • District/neighbourhood association

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Deliberative decision-making processes (e.g., consensus building, deliberative polling)
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
  • Co-management/Joint management

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The Afro-descendant community of Villa Gloria initiated the "Mangle Verde" project to reforest the Ciénaga de La Virgen and Ciénaga de Juan Polo following compensation from the Concesión Costera for the environmental impact of the Gran Manglar viaduct. Over the past year, the community set up nurseries in their homes to cultivate mangroves. The project emerged from consultations regarding the viaduct's risks, with community leader Gloria Esther Sánchez Anaya warning about the severe environmental impact on mangrove ecosystems. In the first year, they cultivated 8,000 mangrove plants. Supported by Caribe Compensa Caribe and with training from Sena and Cardique, the women of Villa Gloria—who consider mangroves a source of life—continue their efforts to repopulate the lagoon and restore local ecosystems. Since 2018, this initiative has been empowering the community, many of whom rely on fishing, to improve their environment and livelihood. (ref 1,2,3)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Type of enablers

NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation, Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Corporate investment

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved water quality
  • Achieved improved water quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Increased protection of threatened species
  • Achieved increased protection of threatened species

Economic impacts

  • Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
  • Achieved increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
  • More sustainable tourism
  • Achieved more sustainable tourism

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Education
  • Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
  • Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Unknown

References

1.
El Universal (2021 ). “Mangle Verde” para reforestar la ciénaga de La Virgen. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
2.
El Tiempo ( 2019). El pueblo en Cartagena donde siembran manglar para salvar una ciénaga. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
3.
El Tiempo (2023). Las mujeres que cultivan mangle para salvar a la Ciénaga de la Virgen en Cartagena. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Donde By El Universal (n.d.). Manglares en Cartagena: "oro verde". Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
5.
CONTRERAS FANEYTE, DANIELA (2021). VIVIENDA Y MANGLAR: UN ANÁLISIS DE LOS PROCESOS DE RETERRITORIALIZACIÓN DESDE LA COMUNIDAD AFRO DE VILLA GLORIA EN CARTAGENA. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Funcicar (2020 ). Ecobloque y Fiscalía trabajan para desmantelar el “cartel del escombro” que rellena cuerpos de agua en Cartagena. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Ministerio de Transporte (2020). Gobierno nacional ratifica la conservación de La Cienaga de La Virgen con ‘plantatón’, en 34 hectáreas de manglar. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
mangrove seedlings
mangrove seedlings
https://www.comisiondelaverdad.co/la-siembra-del-mangle
Gloria Sanchez in the nurserie
Gloria Sanchez in the nurserie
https://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/otras-ciudades/el-pueblo-en-cartagena-donde-siembran-manglar-para-salvar-una-cienaga-414778
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.