- ISA, through its sustainability program Conexión Jaguar, chose the Cloud Forest Habitat Bank – El Globo (BHG) to venture into the acquisition of biodiversity credits.
- The credits support the preservation and restoration of the ecosystem for 30 years, including the protection of 290 species of birds, 76 mammals and 24 reptiles, among others.
- The protected area is home to endangered species such as the yellow-eared parrot, the spectacled bear, and the magnolia tree.
Conexión Jaguar, ISA’s sustainability program, enters the first habitat bank implemented to issue biodiversity credits in Colombia, through financial support to the management plan of the El Globo Habitat Bank (BHG) project, developed by Terrasos. The contribution will focus on the conservation and restoration of 16,250 m2 of cloud forest located in Támesis, Antioquia, where the project seeks to protect six water sources, 290 species of birds, 8 amphibians, 24 reptiles, 12 fish, 29 butterflies and 76 mammals.
The cloud forest is an ecosystem considered one of Colombia’s most valuable jewels. One of these areas is located in the foothills of the Western Cordillera, in the jurisdiction of the municipalities of Támesis and Jardín (Antioquia), between 2,400 and 2,800 meters above sea level.
The ecosystem is a global priority due to the richness of fauna and flora species, some of which are endemic, especially epiphytes (plants that grow on another plant or object as a support), vascular and non-vascular plants. the cloud forest fragments in the Cloud Forest Habitat Bank – El Globo (BHG) are crucial for water regulation, carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling, helping to counteract habitat loss and fragmentation.
“The acquisition of these Voluntary Biodiversity Credits is the confirmation of our commitment to be one of the first companies with concrete and verifiable actions to achieve Positive Nature goals, reducing the financial gap for biodiversity conservation,” stated Juan Fernando Patiño, leader of the Conexión Jaguar program.
Mariana Sarmiento, general manager of Terrasos, explained what the Biodiversity Units consist of. “They are a type of voluntary biodiversity credits, as
financing mechanism for biodiversity projects that allows both companies and individuals to contribute in a simple, quick and reliable way to the protection of nature. Having ISA and its Conexión Jaguar program as an ally represents a very clear signal that the private sector finds value in biodiversity protection through a traceable, transparent and high integrity instrument”.
About Habitat Banks
These are conservation areas where preservation and restoration actions are carried out in endangered ecosystems. These Habitat Banks can issue and market Biodiversity Credits as an instrument to finance biodiversity conservation in an efficient and high-impact manner.
On Biodiversity Credits or Biodiversity Units, offsetting and positive investments mechanisms
The Protocol for the Issuance of Voluntary Biodiversity Credits is a pioneer in Latin America and globally, articulating the efforts of diverse actors to promote exceptional conservation projects in an emerging voluntary biodiversity market. This protocol allows the purchase of 10 m² of threatened ecosystems, guaranteeing their conservation for 30 years under strict technical, financial, and legal standards.
Developed by Terrasos, the protocol is consolidated as a methodological tool that ensures the quality of Voluntary Biodiversity Credits, supported by principles such as traceability, permanence, rigor, transparency, and additionality.
By purchasing these credits, companies are not offsetting their negative impacts, but are making a positive contribution to biodiversity in the long term through voluntary contributions. These investments ensure climate change mitigation, improved species resilience and reduced ecosystem fragmentation, among others.
Each transaction is recorded in Biotrust, a digital platform developed by XM, which uses blockchaintechnology to keep track of each unit purchased. Thanks to this decentralized accounting technology, it is possible to consult the public record and guarantee its immutability.
With this initiative, Terrasos seeks to generate exceptional conservation projects in the most endangered ecosystems of Colombia and has technical, financial expertise, a component of permanence and knowledge of the region.
About Conexión Jaguar
Conexión Jaguar is the sustainability program of ISA and its companies, which it develops to contribute to biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and the development of rural communities in Latin America. The program provides technical and economic support to implement financial instruments for the conservation and restoration of the best forestry initiatives, such as carbon credits and now biodiversity credits.
ISA, with the participation in the project Cloud Forest Habitat Bank – El Globo (BHG), seeks to support the development of the emerging market of biodiversity credits, through the support to the implementation of project activities and the acquisition of 1,650 biodiversity credits on a voluntary basis, representing 16,250 m2 that are expected to be conserved for 30 years, as well as the species that inhabit the forest such as the yellow-eared parrot, the tropical screech-owl and the Andean or spectacled bear.
Conexión Jaguar has a permanent open call for forestry projects that wish to join the program. It is also looking for cooperators who wish to leverage or support technically and economically the projects in ISA’s portfolio.
