Biodiversity and carbon in cattle ranching landscapes of Colombia
Cattle ranching covers 35M hectares in Colombia, causing biodiversity loss and high CO₂ emissions. This research assesses three management scenarios to enhance species diversity, conservation, and carbon storage, offering a roadmap for sustainable practices and climate change mitigation.
Subject Tags
- Carbon storage
- Climate mitigation
Abstract
Cattle ranching is historically and geographically the most extended land use in Colombia with up to 35 million hectares dedicated to this activity. As such, it is considered one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss and the largest source of CO2 emissions in the country. Thus, how these areas are managed may have a large impact on avoiding biodiversity loss and climate change mitigation. Considering that the cattle ranching sector is highly commited to lead a transition towards sustainable use models and stop deforestation, this research aims to evaluate the impact of implementing three management scenarios on species diversity, species protection and carbon stocks, providing a roadmap for future conservation action in cattle ranching landscapes.
Citation
Velásquez-Tibatá, J., Biodiversity and carbon in cattle ranching landscapes of Colombia.
Media Contacts
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Diego Navarrete
SR Carbon Technical Specialist, Carbon Markets
The Nature Conservancy
Email: diego.navarrete@tnc.org