Last updated: May 2025
The Establecimiento Público Ambiental (EPA) Cartagena has led multiple tree-planting initiatives in the Mamonal Sector as part of its ongoing efforts to promote environmental sustainability in Cartagena. The main goals of this initiative are to recover and enhance urban green spaces by planting trees, improve air quality and build a strong environmental culture within the community. In April 2024, EPA Cartagena led a tree-planting and public space recovery initiative in Nuevo Oriente, in collaboration with local authorities, community representatives, and the private sector, such as Veolia, as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental education and promote urban sustainability (ref 1). In a related tree-planting campaign, 210 new trees in Mamonal and Membrillal to help mitigate climate change, reduce air pollution, and protect local biodiversity. The effort received support from local industries such as Etex and AM SAS Mamonal. This campaign also aimed to enhance the natural environment in industrial areas and to encourage other companies and community members to join in environmental restoration efforts (ref 3).
planting session in Mamonal
https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/empresas-de-mamonal-se-unen-a-campana-de-arborizacion-del-epa-cartagena/#:~:text=Empresas%20de%20Mamonal%20se%20unen%20a%20campa%C3%B1a%20de%20arborizaci%C3%B3n%20del%20EPA%20Cartagena
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Improvements to water quality
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Air pollution
- Other
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks)
Project objectives
- Plant trees to preserve the planet for future generations and contribute to a green and sustainable future and to mitigate the effects of climate change, reduce air pollution, conserve ecosystems, and protect biodiversity (ref 1, 3)
Implementation activities
As part of its ongoing urban reforestation campaign, EPA Cartagena led the planting of 210 trees in the Mamonal and Membrillal sectors in November 2023, with support from local companies Etex and AM SAS Mamonal. Company representatives publicly called other businesses and residents to join the initiative to improve the area’s natural environment. In April 2024 EPA Cartagena also carried out a tree-planting and public space recovery activity near the return leading to the Mamonal road, in the Nuevo Oriente neighborhood. This intervention focused on preparing spaces for new trees and enhancing air circulation, and was implemented in collaboration with the Local Mayor’s Office of the Historic and Caribbean North Zone, the Environmental Guard, the Public Space and Mobility Management, Veolia, and community COMBAS representatives. Residents were also invited to identify additional planting sites and participate in future restoration activities.
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Public sector institution
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The EPA Cartagena decided to establish a permanent technical committee to address and provide solutions to the requests of communities in the Mamonal sector. EPA Cartagena and the Risk Management Office, Environmental Guard, Public Space Management, Environmental Police, and community leaders inspect much of the Policarpa sector ref 2.
The event was the result of joint efforts with the Mayor's Office of the Historic and Caribbean North Locality, Environmental Guard, Public Space and Mobility Management, Veolia, and representatives of the COMBAS of the neighborhood. ref 1
This week, 210 new trees were planted in the Mamonal and Membrillal sectors with the support of companies Etex and AM SAS Mamonal. Executives of these companies are calling on their clients and other industries and commercial entities in the sector to join the EPA Cartagena's tree planting campaign to improve the natural environment of that area of the city. PA Cartagena calls on communities to collaborate ref 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
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Corporate investment
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
Economic impacts
Socio-cultural impacts
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 evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
El Universal (2024). EPA lidera siembra de árboles en barrio Nuevo Oriente. Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
2.
EPA Cartagena (2022). EN MAMONAL. EPA INSTALA MESA TÉCNICA POR CONTAMINACIÓN EN BARRIO POLICARPA . Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
3.
EPA Cartagena (2023). Empresas de Mamonal se unen a campaña de arborización del EPA Cartagena.. Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
4.
El Tiempo (1993). MAMONAL, A LA VANGUARDIA. Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
5.
El Universal (2021). Policarpa, el barrio de Cartagena que no quiere ser olvidado. Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
Visit to mamonal
https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/en-mamonal-epa-instala-mesa-tecnica-por-contaminacion-en-barrio-policarpa/
Visit to mamonal
https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/en-mamonal-epa-instala-mesa-tecnica-por-contaminacion-en-barrio-policarpa/
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.