Author: Gary Kirkpatrick

In the Highlands you will find more than 250 species of birds…

[nggallery id=2]En las Tierra Altas se encuentras más de 250 varie…

[nggallery id=2]

The Chiriqui Highlands forms part of the Talamanca Mountain Range, which has the highest biodiversity index of the Central American isthmus, although it is most famous for its bird populations. In 2001 the  Range was designated a Worldwide Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The area contains the International Park la Amistad and the Volcan Baru Park. It is part of the PAMBAC (Panamanian Atlantic Mesoamerican Biological Corredor) which extends from the Colombian border to the Costa Rican frontier.

The isthmus of Panama itself is one of the most diverse in the world in terms of species, with more than 1,300 species of fish, 175 of amphibians, 228 of reptiles, 930 birds and 232 of mammals. The flora has more than 9,520 species, 850 of which are angiosperm, 22 gymnosperm, and 930 compatible fern and related organism. (statistics per publications of Smithsonian Tropical Reaserch Institute and ANAM (Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente)).

The forested area also provides a significant contribution to carbon sequestration. The University of Northern Colorado is studying the area of Chiriqui called Renacimiento, whose capital is Rio Sereno on the Costa Rican border. The study seeks to determine current land use, degree of deforestation and potential for providing forestation incentives.

Panamanian environmental authorities began to develop a general land use and environmental monitoring plan starting in the 1996. It was part of a regional study of the MBC (Mesoamerican Biological Corridor) sponsored by the Global Environmental Facility (http://www.gefweb.org/) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Promotion (the World Bank). Under ANAM, the effort identified biological corridors and began to focus GEF funds on still intact areas. This project became known as the Panamanian Atlantic Mesoamerican Biological Corridor Project (PAMBC). The objective of the project was to promote biodiversity and sustainable development.  The Chiriqui Higlands was one of the areas which have received attention in this project.  Local groups engaged in reforestation, organic agriculture and sustainable  development projects as a result.

The two protected areas in this region are the Volcan Baru National Park and Parque Internacional La Amistad. An environmental education project was part of the program to protect these areas. Adata members participated in this project and continue to promote environmental awareness. A large number of projects focused on opportunities to produce income in an environmentally responsive way.

Las Tierras Altas de Chiriqui forma una parte de…

The Chiriqui Highlands forms part of the Talamanca Mountain Range with the highest biodiversity index of the Central American isthmus.  In 2001 the Talamanca range was designated a Worldwide Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.  The area contains the International Park la Amistad and the Volcan Baru Park.

The isthmus of Panama itself is one of the most diverse in the world in terms of species, with more than 1,300 species of fish, 175 of amphibians, 228 of reptiles, 930 birds and 232 of mammals.  The flora has more than 9,520 species,  850 of which are angiosperm, 22 gymnosperm, and 930 compatible fern and related organism.  Statistics per publications of Smithsonian Tropical Reaserch Institute and ANAM (Autoridad Nacioanl del Ambiente).

ADATA ((Alianza para el Desarrollo Ambiental de Tierras Altas) is an alliance of 13 environmentally oriented organizations in the Highalnds of Chiriqui Panamá. Member organizations are non-profit and self-governing.

Members support sustainable development in this beautiful and ecologically sensitive zone.  Some are organic farmers, while others work in ecotourism supporting the famous International Park la Amistad.  There are organic coffee producers, fish farmers, a biodigestor, and more.  On this site you will learn about them all.  Follow the links to their pages.

In addition you can learn about how very important the Chiriqui Highlands

are from an environmental perspective, the threats the area faces to human health, flora and fauna populations, and more.

google map of the regionADATA (Alianza para el Desarrollo Ambiental de Tierras Altas) es una alianza de 13 organizaciones ubicados en las Tierras Altas de Chiriqui, Panamá, sin fines de lucro con autogestiónñ que comparter saberes para impulsar cambios en la sociedad y su entgorno, del tal forma que selogre el desarollo humano sostenibles de los habitantes de Tierras Altas.

Las organizaciones miembros de ADATA tiene objetivos y fines se enfocan a la conservación y desarrollo sostenible de los recursos naturales.

Todas tienen su área de acción en la zona amortiguamiento de la Reserva de la Biósfera la Amistad.

Porque las Alianzas representan la unidad para el logro de objetivos mayores y la fuerza para proteger los recursos naturales, la desigualdad y la corrupción de las instancias que deben velar por su conservación.

Algunos miembros son granjeros, otras trabajano con turistas o apoyan La Parque Internacional la Amistad.  Hay productores de cafe organico. peces, biodigestor y mas. 

En este sitio web se aprende de todos y además de la importancia de esta área desde un punto de vista ambiental, y las amenazas al ambiente y la salud.

mapa google de la region