Cali Forestry Plan, Colombia

The Forestry Plan is the basic legal instrument of the Urban Forests since through it the mandate to create them is given. The Forestry Plan, Resolution 1530 of 2019: Forestry Plan, raises a proposal of "induced renaturalization", for the urban area of Santiago de Cali, expressed in proposals of increase, renovation, management and conservation of the Vegetal Covers of the city, applying a broad vision that tends to improve the connectivity and ecological functionality between the urban and rural areas. In this process of creation of urban forests, the Community Network of Urban Forests is created, which uses public or private spaces, with three fundamental objectives: a) to fulfill conservation objectives in the forests and nearby polygons b) to generate and consolidate processes of social participation c) to build effective relationships with public and private entities, through the management of resources and strategic alliances to develop harmonization plans for the forests and their areas of influence. The following are part of the network: community and neighborhood action boards, universities, residential units, sports units, and the DAGMA (Administrative Department of Environmental Management of Santiago de Cali) as a partner in the process.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Legislative, regulatory and strategic instruments›Dedicated strategy, plan, or law

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Soil quality
Water management (e.g. reuse)
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Heat stress and heat island effect
Air quality
Noise
Social cohesion
Social equity
Nature appropriation / stewardship
Reconnection to the biosphere / environmental education
Human health, comfort and well-being

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

The plan seeks to reduce heat islands and improve urban biodiversity qualitatively and quantitatively with community participation.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Green areas for water management

Derelict areas

External building greens

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

Good practice characteristics:

Effective

Support multifunctional NBS

Sustainable in the long-term

Locally appropriate

Potential to be replicated / upscaled

Inclusivity

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

DAGMA - Departamento Administrativo del Medio Ambiente de Santiago de Cali (Administrative Department of Environment of Santiago de Cali)

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

DAGMA designed the instrument based on a consultancy developed by the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente.

Involvement of non-governmental actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Private sector, corporate, business

Researchers, university

Citizens or community groups / NGOs

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

The DAGMA is currently executing it, however, an expanded committee is being formed to ensure that the process continues and transcends the changes of mayor and validates the process in the long term at the community level.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Citizen councils or consultation for co-planning (e.g. workshops, surveys)

Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory role)

Co-design of NBS, implemented by government

Citizen monitoring and review

Citizen science

Targeted actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Researchers, university

Citizens or community groups (CBOs), NGOs, NGOs, etc.

Financing

Sources of funding:

Public regional budget

Budget:

1 000 000€ - 5 000 000€

Details about instrument financing:

These resources have been invested through an administration and technical follow-up model of the Regional Environmental Authority of Valle de Cauca (CVC).

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Yes

Indicators are listed in the plan but have not been followed up: Decrease in heat islands # of native species established and adopted

Did an evaluation take place?:

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

The Forestry Plan has as its mandate the creation of urban forests and gave rise to the creation of the Urban Forest Network which is the instance through which the impacts and results of the conceptual, technical and methodological guidelines contemplated in the Plan have been achieved. The impacts and results generated by the network are addressed in the Public-Community Agreement between the Cali Urban Forest Network and DAGMA.

Success factors and lessons learned:

The participation of civil society organizations, universities, public service providers, neighbors, the community environmental management system (SIGAC).

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

https://www.cali.gov.co/documentos/1150/arborizacion-dagma/

Interview(s):

DAGMA and Urban Forest Community Network

Further documents

Weblinks:

https://www.cali.gov.co/documentos/1150/arborizacion-dagma/

Photos

@Viviana Giraldo Ossa