Protecting Chiribiquete Forests: 7 Proven Strategies for Saving a Global Treasure

This policy note examines governance, epistemic, and technological dimensions of biodiversity protection in Chiribiquete National Natural Park (Colombia), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It argues that conservation in high-biodiversity territories cannot be reduced to carbon metrics or remote-sensing outputs alone. Instead, it proposes an integrated framework combining Indigenous ecological knowledge (Traditional Ecological Knowledge, TEK), rights-based governance including Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and advanced data infrastructures (multispectral satellite monitoring, LiDAR, bioacoustics, and AI-driven ecological modelling). Structured around seven complementary strategies: stewardship recognition, buffer expansion, hybrid monitoring, sustainable livelihoods, climate mitigation beyond carbon reductionism, credible research translation, and international collaboration. The note emphasises plural evidence systems, model transparency, and institutional capacity to act under uncertainty. It also discusses Indigenous data sovereignty, transparency standards, and the political economy of environmental metrics.