This expedition was designed to solidify the foundations of our partnership with the local community. Together with the community council boards, our team initially held an informational meeting in the local community on the ins and outs of REDD+.
The main goal here was helping the locals understand the mechanisms in a REDD+ project, clarifying the link between deforestation and the voluntary carbon market, benefit-sharing, collective decision-making etc. . Each participant received a community booklet to take home, which detailed these complex mechanisms.
We started with information sharing for a simple reason: a REDD+ project only works when people can make informed decisions. Before maps, monitoring, or agreements, we need a shared understanding of what REDD+ is, what it is not, and what participating actually implies. Taking time to explain the mechanisms, roles, and expectations early on helps prevent confusion later, builds trust, and creates a foundation for collaboration that can last for years.
In a second instance, some of the community members that showed the strongest interest were invited to Villavicencio to start discussing some first foundations of the project. There were meetings spread over 2 days, a lot of people were taking pictures and videos to discuss with their friends and family back in the project zone.
One of the first questions we hear is: “How much money will a family receive for participating in the REDD+ project?” It is a fair question, and the honest answer in the early stages is that there is not a fixed number yet. The right figure cannot come from a guess. It emerges through a process where technical planning, local knowledge, and financial realities come together. How much families ultimately receive depends on the efficiency of project activities, the real changes achieved on the ground, and the project’s ability to reduce or avoid CO₂ emissions. Just as importantly, it depends on how trust and collaboration grow between the project developer and local communities. When that collaboration is strong, benefits go beyond direct payments and can include better welfare, long-term jobs, stronger land stewardship, and a legacy for the next generation.
After answering some more questions the discussions came to an end and some of the local community members signed the first agreements to protect the forest.
