The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in Colombia, has been named as the world’s most irreplaceable nature reserve. This is the highest coastal mountain range in the world, home to many interesting species and ecosystems, a must-see, particularly for the biologists, ecologists and nature lovers among you!
What makes this mountain range so unique is the different ecoregions at different elevations up the mountain. These are areas with distinct climates and plant and animal species. Because of this, the mountain range is home to many endemic species, which are species that occur nowhere else on the planet.
There are four of these ecoregions on the Sierra Nevada mountain range, changing as altitude increases from coast to snow cap:
1. Guajira-Barranquilla xeric scrub
Imagine an arid region of red sand, dominated by thorny trees and succulents, lying near the coast and reaching elevations of around 500m. This area is well-known for its large population of Caribbean Flamingo, as well as many different types of bats, reptiles and amphibians.
2. Santa Marta montane forests
Forests also occurs near the coast, but reach elevations of up to 3,300m, with the greatest diversity of plants between 1000 and 2500m. These are a stark comparison to the arid scrub regions, with rainforests at lower altitudes, leading up to humid cloud forest at higher altitude. The rainforest and cloud forest contain very different plants, with trees of the cloud forest being shorter and more crooked. Sadly, 70-80% of the forest has been cleared for coffee farms in the last 50 years, which threatens large mammals and can cause erosion.
The remaining forest is very important, due to the huge variety of endemic species, such as the Santa Marta Parakeet.
3. Santa Marta páramo
Above the treeline, and below the snow cap, are grasslands and shrublands. Plants and animals that live here must be adapted to live in cool and wet conditions with intense sunlight. There is tussock grassland and bogs, and again, many species are endemic. Endemic animals include the cougar, and there are endangered bird species including the Andean Condor.
4. Snow cap
Above an altitude of 5000m is a permanent snow cap, despite the mountains being so close to the equator. This is the only place in the world where snow can be seen from tropical beaches, at the Caribbean coast just 30 miles away!
Such a unique place! But sadly, it is under threat. Much of the area was originally occupied by indigenous tribes, such as the Wiwa. However, over the years, their territory has been lost to grazing farmland or marijuana plantations. Rivers ran dry, soil became unfertile and lots of plastic was left. But hope is not lost. The Wiwa live a simple life, keeping to ancient cultures. Their territory remains untouched, with a high diversity of species; a lush green forest full of colourful butterflies! They are committed to conservation, believing it is their duty and purpose, and the reason they live where they do.
“We are caring not just for the Sierra Nevada, but the world. The Sierra Nevada is the lungs, we are the heart. It can’t be a mistake that we were born in the Sierra Nevada and grew up there. Why were we born there? It was because we had orders to look after it.”
Edinson Videl Daza, a member of the Wiwa community https://news.mongabay.com/2016/09/indigenous-communities-take-the-lead-on-conservation-in-colombia/
In recent years, the Wiwa, with the help of The Nature Conservancy (an American NGO), have been buying back land, and restoring it to how it used to be. And it is working! Reforestation is occurring in reclaimed land, water is becoming decontaminated, and rubbish-filled lakes are restored. Now, much of the area is protected by a national park and has been labelled as a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Such a unique, special and beautiful land, and no one better could be caring for it than the indigenous tribes. Let’s hope it stays that way for years to come!
Why not join us on one of our trips to Colombia and discover the Sierra Nevada for yourself!