History
The Botanical Expedition of 1983 stimulated the awakening of the environmental conscience in Colombia, which became obvious with the increase in the creation of environmental, ecological and conservation organizations.
As a result of this historical moment, different people, groups of friends and families of different cultures, decided to give the title of “Natural Reserve” to their estates, thanks to their environmental and social conscience, and to their understanding of the meaning of “natural and cultural patrimony” specific to the Colombian biodiversity.
A group that initiated the discussion on how to organize itself as a Network around the conservation issue met for the first time in August of 1991 in the Natural Reserve Suma Paz – Cundinamarca. A further meeting was organised for November of the same year, in the desert of Anaime – Tolima, with the participation of 13 Reserves and 55 people. The Coordinating Committee “the COCO” was created to develop the idea of Network, to acquire the legal function and to look for resources. The dream that started in Suma Paz was crystallising during this meeting.
An organization process occurred later among the Natural Reserves of the Civil society that were interested in the creation of Resnatur. The formal constitution of the Colombian Network of Natural Reserves of the Civil Society occurred in April of 1992 through the General Assembly, in the municipality of Chachagüí, in Nariño. 50 people from 37 Natural Reserves from across the country attended this meeting.
A project of law was outlined in November of the same year in Popayán – Cauca for the legal recognition of the Natural Reserves as conservation areas. Among other projects, there was the creation of the group of Heirs of the Reserves and the Ecological Minimums.
Resnatur initiated his first activities in 1993 and obtained the first joint financing of the World Wide Fund for the Nature – WWF – and the Foundation for the Higher Education – FES -.
The project of law for the recognition of the Natural Reserves was formulated, and in December of the same year law 99 of 1993 was sanctioned by means of which the Department of the Environment is created and the National Environmental System (SINA) is organized. This law included the articles 109 and 110 that define the Natural Reserves and their inscription process.
In 1995 the number of associates ascended to 85. The enrolment of new associates was suspended in order to consolidate the actual members. The Heirs of the Reserves changed their name to Heirs of the Planet. Four people constituted the first work team of Resnatur together with a group of advisers.
The main achievement in 1995 was the conservation incentives regulation through the property tax exemption. This occurred in municipalities where the Natrural Reserves are located, such as Armenia, Buga, Tulúa, Sabana de Torres, Pasto, Dagua, Salento and San Martín.
The regulatory decree 1996 of 1998 for the inscription of Natural Reserves at the Ministry of Environment is sanctioned in 1999.
The main activities in 2001 were directed to a more active involvement of the associates and the cohesion of the technical team. This was also the year in which the first document of Strategic Planning of Resnatur was prepared. , It has been updated since 2002 with contributions of different connoisseurs of the subject. In December, 2002 the board approved the document “Organization as a Network”, a collective proposal on an analysis of Resnatur.
Resnatur is a growing Organization that has been assuming the commitment of expansion, facing the diverse outside changes seeking its internal and external positioning through organizational strengthening. The necessity of change and the desire of excelling, have strengthen members’ commitment to this process, positioning their proposals through plans and programs that contribute to make reality their dreams.
Its greater value is the human quality of its members, who propose other alternatives of life, in a context where “progress” and its implications in nature carry a high cost. This implies big positioning efforts and standing up for their ideology.
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