Honda, Tolima, is one of Colombia’s most biodiverse territories and home to the Tropical Dry Forest, one of the country’s most threatened ecosystems, of which less than 8% of its original coverage remains. These remaining forest fragments support over 300 bird species, as well as emblematic mammals such as the jaguar, ocelot, peccaries, anteaters, and sloths, along with reptiles, amphibians, fish from the Magdalena River, and an extraordinary diversity of insects and plant life.

This ecosystem provides vital services that sustain life: water storage, carbon capture, oxygen production, fertile soils, food, medicinal resources, and critical habitat for biodiversity, in addition to spaces for recreation and well-being for local communities.

One of the most significant milestones in this region was the rediscovery of the Magdalena Tinamou (Crypturellus erythropus saltuarius), a bird believed to have been extinct in Tolima since the Botanical Expedition led by José Celestino Mutis in 1786. Thanks to the collective efforts of birdwatchers, scientists, local organizations, and community allies, this species has become a symbol of hope for the conservation of the Tropical Dry Forest.

Camera-trap monitoring has also documented key species such as the anteater and the ocelot, both essential to maintaining ecological balance. Each of these records reinforces a simple truth: protecting the forest means protecting water, climate stability, and life itself.