Guardians of the Paramos: Protecting South America's Water Towers

Rural communities in Colombia and Ecuador battle to conserve high-altitude wetlands, or paramos, essential for water cycle regulation. These efforts, alongside international advocacy, strive to combat drought conditions worsened by climate change. Grassroots initiatives aim to restore native plants and preserve vital water resources for the region.

In the high-altitude terrains of Colombia and Ecuador, rural communities are engaged in a critical battle to protect the delicate paramos, key ecosystems that stabilize water cycles in the region.

As both nations grapple with severe water rationing due to the compounded effects of a strong El Nino and climate change, grassroots activists, backed by international organizations such as Conservation International, are taking significant steps to preserve these vital wetlands.

Their efforts focus on restoring native plant species, like the water-retentive frailejones, integral to sustaining water supplies for both local populations and hydroelectric energy production.

(With inputs from agencies.)