Climate Action! Support Nature Reserve in Colombia

Dear donors and supporters:

Report on Recent Advancements: Climate Action at Xieti Nature Reserve

This report highlights significant progress made in recent months (June and July 2025) within the "Climate Action! Support Nature Reserve in Colombia" project on GlobalGiving. The project focuses on creating and managing private nature reserves in Colombia, with Xieti Nature Reserve, located next to Lake Tota, being one of the key Andean sites benefiting from this initiative. The aim is to foster human-nature harmony and generate climate actions through knowledge and art.

Key Advancements (June - July 2025):

In June and July 2025, the Xieti Nature Reserve achieved important milestones by strengthening its environmental education capabilities and implementing climate actions through knowledge and art.

1. Inauguration of Taller Xieti (the Xieti Studio):

• The Taller Xieti was officially inaugurated in June 2025, establishing a permanent learning center focused on art and nature.
• Its core mission is to unite art, nature, and environmental education to foster empathy and commitment to the surrounding environment, particularly paying tribute to the Lake Tota basin.
• Juanita Arango, an illustrator and artisan passionate about art and its connection to the natural world, is in charge of the Taller Xieti. Her portfolio gives a valuable approach to her commitment to that topic.
• The Taller Xieti offers a variety of events and workshops including drawing, handicrafts, and bird illustration. It also provides training on diverse topics related to wetlands and conservation, and organizes art exhibitions for pedagogical purposes.
• This initiative was made possible with support from families, the local community, and Full Circle Labs (United Kingdom). The Taller Xieti is situated directly at the Xieti Nature Reserve.

2. Initiation of Constant Pluviosity Monitoring:

• Constant monitoring of pluviosity (rainfall) began on June 28, 2025, providing daily continuous records of precipitation at the western side of Lake Tota.
• This monitoring is conducted using a homemade pluviometer, with measurements taken by volume and converted to millimeters of rain.
• The monitoring serves a dual purpose: as an exercise in citizen science for practical use and dissemination, and as support for scientists requiring data for their research. Specifically, daily and monthly water samples are collected in collaboration with a research project on isotopic traceability and the water cycle, led by biologist (PhD candidate) Alejandra Rodríguez-Abaunza at Indiana University (USA).
• Xieti also monitors wind direction and publishes monthly climate perceptions on its Facebook page since 2019.

Contribution to Climate Action: These advancements directly contribute to the project's goal of enhancing human-nature harmony. The Taller Xieti strengthens the reserve's capacity for environmental education through art, fostering commitment to the environment. The pluviosity monitoring, conducted as citizen science and in support of academic research, provides valuable data for understanding climate patterns and supporting sustainable initiatives.

Both initiatives serve as concrete examples of climate action, aiming to improve learning by experience for locals and visitors, and ultimately leading to greater environmental awareness and positive changes. The long-term vision is for Xieti Nature Reserve to be recognized as an environmental education hub that helps create a nature-harmonious society.

Thank you for your valuable support, that helps to materialise these initiatives and maintain our motivation with this project's purpose.

With gratitude,

Felipe Velasco
Fundación Montecito

Links:

• Taller Xieti (Xieti Studio)
• Podcast version about advancements at Xieti Nature Reserve (ESP)
• Support our Climate Action project with a monthly donation

Creating a Space for Learning and Art: Our Multi-Purpose Room

Dear Supporters,

We are excited to share an important milestone in our journey to strengthen environmental education and cultural appreciation in our nature reserves! We are currently preparing a multi-purpose aula (room) that will serve as a dedicated space for environmental education and nature-inspired art.

A Space for Knowledge and Creativity

This new space is designed mainly to empower local children and communities by providing them with access to knowledge, tools, and inspiration to better understand and protect their natural environment. Our goal is to foster environmental awareness, practical conservation skills, and artistic expression, all centered around nature and sustainability.

What Will This Space Offer?

• Environmental education sessions: Workshops on biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable practices.
• Art and creativity programs: Activities such as painting, storytelling, and crafts inspired by nature.
• Community engagement: A place where local residents, teachers, and visitors can gather to exchange ideas and solutions for conservation.

Why Is This Important?

Many children and community members in the region have limited access to structured environmental education. By creating this space, we are ensuring that they develop the knowledge and skills to become active stewards of nature. Art, in particular, plays a crucial role in deepening our emotional connection with the environment, making conservation a more personal and engaging experience.

How You Can Help

We are working hard to equip this room with essential materials such as furniture, educational tools, and art supplies. Your support can help us make this vision a reality! Every contribution goes directly toward creating a dynamic, engaging, and inclusive learning space for the community.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We look forward to sharing more updates soon!

With gratitude,

Felipe Velasco, on behalf of
The Fundación Montecito Team

Links:

• Monthly Support to Act on Climate & Support Nature Reserve