In Medellín, Colombia, the “Bosque de los Héroes” project aims to plant native tree species to connect rural and urban communities and provide a rich urban forest for the city’s residents.
“Medellín is a city that leads great changes, making it stand out as the first in Colombia to sign the Climate Action Plan with C40. We are convinced that in the next 20 years, Medellín will achieve a 37 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below business as usual and will become a leading carbon neutral city by 2050.
The coming years will be decisive in the fight against climate change and we are prepared to face this and take appropriate action. We are committed to pursuing high-impact strategies to advance the dream of an inclusive ‘Medellín Futuro’ that is committed to the well-being of the environment.”
—Daniel Quintero Calle, Mayor, Medellín, Colombia
Success Story
The Bosque de los Héroes project is one of the initiatives being implemented for public use in Medellín by the Secretariat of Environment. The project aims to restore a 15-hecatre degraded forested area in the city, which is owned by the Ministry of Defense and the Fourth Brigade. The Bosque de los Héroes is in an area of ecological importance and the goal of the project is to plant native tree species of high ecological value to help restore the biological diversity of the city. The Bosque de los Héroes project will connect rural and urban parts of Medellín and provide a rich urban forest for the city’s residents. The forested area will also help absorb and store carbon dioxide in the city, improve air quality, and increase vegetation cover. During the baseline assessment of the project, the environmental conditions of the park were evaluated, providing key insights on the state of the ecosystem, which includes 85 species of birds and 143 species of plants. Thus far, 43,966 trees have been planted in The Bosque de los Héroes, including 140 native species, and the site is already a refuge for new species of fauna such as the Guacharacas.
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