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Before the REDD+ Matavén Project, the Indigenous communities of Matavén faced significant challenges. Despite being exceptional guardians of their forests, they lacked access to essential resources like education, healthcare, and markets. With few alternatives, mining, livestock expansion, and illegal activities became some of the only viable income sources, leading to deforestation and threatening their lands, culture, and livelihoods.
REDD+ provided a vital solution—offering compensation through carbon credits for protecting natural resources, allowing communities to both safeguard their environment and improve their quality of life.
Home to 22.486 Indigenous people, the Indigenous Reservation of the Matavén Forest stands today as Colombia’slast well-preserved transition zone to the Amazon, thanks to the ongoing efforts of the REDD+ Matavén Project, which since January 1, 2013, has been dedicated to:
What happens in Matavén affects us all. These forests are vital to Colombia and the world, they serve as one of the planet’s most important carbon stocks. When forests are lost, we lose a powerful ally in the fight against climate change, putting entire ecosystems and cultures at risk. By supporting REDD+ Matavén, we help safeguard a shared future for our planet.
REDD+ is a UN-supported global initiative to combat climate change by reducing emissions from deforestation.
Forests like Matavén absorb carbon dioxide, and when cleared, CO2 is released into the atmosphere.
For every ton of carbon that stays stored in the forest, REDD+ provides financial compensation, recognizing the vital role of forests in climate mitigation.
“I’ve been part of the REDD+ Matavén Project since day one, back in 2012, when ACATISEMA invited Mediamos all the way from Cali, Colombia, to Matavén. Together, we visited the communities, forests, savannas, morichepalm groves, and conucos, exploring the best ways to protect our Selva Matavén and our people. The journey hasn’t been easy. We’ve faced several challenges, but I’ve seen how this project has given us the strength and tools to create real change. I’m living proof of how it empowers us, day by day, todefend our land and secure our future. For the past 12 years, as Co-Director, I’ve been training and learning everything I need to eventually step up as Director, continuing this important work.
When I walk through the forests we’re protecting, I feel the heartbeat of our culture in every tree, every stream, every bird call. Every step we take today helps secure a better tomorrow — not just for Matavén, but for the world.”
Through 8 Key Activities and 6 Special Programs, we are committed to stopping deforestation, preserving Matavén’s rich biodiversity and waters, and creating a sustainable future for its Indigenous communities.
The REDD+ Matavén Project is certified under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Standards, ensuring the highest levels of integrity and transparency.
Managed by Verra, the world’s leading certification body, these standards guarantee that the project delivers both environmental and social impacts, promoting sustainable development for Indigenous communities, biodiversity conservation, and long-term forest protection. They also ensure that every carbon credit sold is based on verified reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Led by the Indigenous authorities of Matavén, ACATISEMA and co-developed with Mediamos F&M, the REDD+ Matavén Project was one of the first initiatives in the world to apply this pioneering mechanism. By combining Indigenous leadership with modern sustainability practices, we’re showing how climate action can be driven by traditional knowledge.
