The Yotoco Forest Reserve (RFY) is a sub-tropical humid forest remnant in the Cauca
Valley, South Western Colombia. The RFY has been the property of the National
University of Colombia (UNAL) since 1958, and is administrated jointly by UNAL and
the environmental body of the Departmental government (CVC). The main objective of
the reserve is the protection of the water catchment area for the town of Yotoco, with
more than 12,000 inhabitants. These proprietary rights and purpose ensure the stability
of the reserve into the future. The RFY is less than an hours journey from the major
city of Cali, and offers a valuable opportunity for access to and appreciation of forest
ecosystems by urban communities. However, lack of infrastructure currently limits
these educational objectives. I here request OCI funding to support baseline ecological
studies for in situ orchid conservation in the RFY, and to secure and document an ex situ
collection in the reserve for environmental education. These objectives cover three of
the four listed OCI funding priorities. |