Footprints Project
Since 2005, travelers like you have helped us change the world through micro-donations.
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A total of
36
Travelers
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donated
$244.69
(0% funded) -
to help improve
Environment
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impacting
100
people -
in
Colombia
Project background
Cotton-top tamarins are a critically endangered primate endemic to the tropical dry forests of northern Colombia . They are threatened primarily by the dramatic loss of habitat as well as by hunting for the illegal pet trade. The loss of cotton-top habitat over the past few decades is mainly due to agricultural and cattle ranching expansion, and what remains is greatly fragmented – existing as isolated islands of forest that prevent the tree-dwelling cotton-tops from growing their populations. The tropical dry forest has been identified as one of the most threatened ecosystems in Colombia. Within the cotton-tops’ historic range, less than 8% remains suitable habitat, and it supports a global population of around 7,000 individuals.
Proyecto Tití is the only non-profit organization in the world dedicated to the protection of cotton-top tamarins. They use an integrated approach that includes habitat conservation, forest restoration, environmental education, raising public awareness, and local income generation to combat the threats facing cotton-top tamarins and protect their future in Colombia.
Project overview
The main objective of the project is to restore land within Proyecto Tití’s Los Titíes de San Juan forest reserve, in San Juan Nepomuceno (Bolívar, northern Colombia) that was previously used for cattle ranching and/or agriculture. They aim to turn these lands into tropical forests to support the long-term conservation of cotton-top tamarins and improve local livelihoods.
Proyecto Tití established Los Titíes de San Juan forest reserve in 2015, with the purchase of a 70-hectare property, neighboring the 1,000-hectare “Los Colorados” National Wildlife Sanctuary, home of wild populations of cotton-top tamarins. This reserve creates a buffer around part of the existing Sanctuary, thus helping to better safeguard habitat for cotton-tops and other wildlife that call the area home.
They have purchased an additional 830 hectares to expand the forest reserve even further, totaling 900 hectares of land designated for wildlife conservation in perpetuity. To bring back the forest in some of these expansion areas (Sector 12 on the map), in 2026 they will propagate and plant at least 60,000 native trees of 50+ species, grown in our nursery through diverse forest active restoration strategies. Proyecto Tití’s forest will continue to provide permanent and temporary jobs for the local community, to support their restoration efforts through:
- collecting and germinating seeds
- managing saplings on the nursery
- planting them in the target restoration areas
- monitoring their survival and growth to assess the effectiveness of these efforts in bringing back the forest for the monkeys and native wildlife
- restoring the ecosystem services forests provide to human communities.
They will use local providers for supplies, equipment, and services, supporting the economy of local communities.
Key outcomes
The main outcome of this project will be at least 100 hectares of land within Los Titíes de San Juan forest reserve expansion areas under active restoration measures, and at least 60,000 native tree saplings propagated in their nursery and planted in these target restoration areas to bring back the forest for cotton-top tamarins and native wildlife.
The restoration efforts are intensive within the first 2-3 years (planting target native tree species and monitoring survival/growth). Once landcover improvements have been monitored and confirmed using drone overflights, follow-up routines will monitor survival rates, which to date have kept about 70% after the third year. The forest restoration and connectivity work is a crucial aspect of their long-term strategic plan for cotton-top tamarin conservation, and it is part of the Ministry of the Environment’s National Conservation Program for Cotton-top Tamarins.
Contribution to the Broader Project Strategy:
Securing protected forest areas and creating connectivity between existing forest fragments is the single most important way to ensure a future for the critically endangered cotton-top tamarins. For a one-pound monkey, every hectare is significant.
The forest reserve is part of a larger forest connectivity project being implemented in partnership with the Los Colorados Sanctuary, with other local NGOs, and local farmers, to increase and connect habitat for wildlife. Efforts to restore the forest protected areas are critical to guarantee achieving the goal of expanding the forest for cotton-top tamarins and native wildlife, while improving local livelihoods.
What are the costs covered?
All funds raised will go directly towards the funding of our forest restoration work in 2026, estimated in a total of $320,000 USD. About 70% of this cost is currently either secured or pending from other sources. Support from the Footprints Network will go towards helping us close the remaining gap and secure funds to support our forest conservation efforts for cotton-tops, other wildlife, and the welfare of local communities.
Partner and community involvement
Corporación Autónoma Regional del Canal del Dique – CARDIQUE: regional environmental authority, supervising and partnering with Proyecto Tití’s conservation work and collaborating on the establishment of protected areas under their jurisdiction.
Santuario de Fauna y Flora Los Colorados - SFFLC (Los Colorados National Protected Area within the National Natural Parks System): Coordinating the SILAP (Local System of Protected Areas), which gathers local stakeholders working in conservation of natural resources in this area.
Fundación Ecosistemas Secos de Colombia – FESC: a Colombian non-profit organization, with experience in the biology and ecology of tropical dry ecosystems in northern Colombia, as well as with reforestation and restoration initiatives. Proyecto Tití works in partnership with FESC to implement and monitor restoration strategies.
Community Action Board / Reserve’s neighbors: groups of farmers with parcels in the adjacent and surrounding areas of Proyecto Tití’s Los Titíes de San Juan forest reserve and Los Colorados Wildlife Sanctuary, with whom we interact on a regular basis.
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