2012 ANNUAL REPORT
MISSION
Proyecto Tití’s mission is to conserve Colombia’s most critically endangered primate, the cotton-top tamarin, through scientific studies, community education and development programs, and protecting tropical forest habitats.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Anne Savage, President Gustavo Bell Lemus Reinaldo Niebles La Torre Roberto Arazo Ospino, Fiscal ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Rosamira Guillen, Executive Director Luis Soto, Head of Research Programs Johanna Vega, Head of Education Programs Mónica Pinillos, Administrative and Accounting Coordinator Carolina Chinchilla, Marketing Coordinator Juan Carlos Barrios, Community Programs Coordinator Katherine Torregroza, Education Assistant Ramón Montes, Education Assistant Leysthen Díaz, Education Assistant Félix Medina, Field Assistant Germán Emeris, Field Assistant
CONTENTS Executive Director’s Report Project Facts Field Research Community Development Environmental Education Forest Protection Operations Public Relations Fiscal Report Acknowledgements
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT Year 2012 started with very good news for Proyecto Tití, as we learned about the decision of Atlántico’s environmental authority (CRA) to designate the forests of Haciendas Río Dulce and La Gloria as a protected area, under the category of Regional Natural Park, in support of our conservation efforts to protect Cotton-top Tamarins and their natural habitat in Atlántico and Bolívar. We now wait for the final decision of Bolívar’s environmental authority (CARDIQUE) to also designate the forest of Hacienda El Ceibal, Proyecto Tití’s long-term filed research site, as a protected area. Later in 2012, we were appointed by Colombia’s Ministry of the Environment to lead the design of a National Conservation Program for Cotton-top Tamarins, which is currently in the process of being formally adopted by our national government to begin implementation, with joint participation of environmental authorities, academic institutions and other environmental NGO’s. A nationwide shared vision for the conservation of this endemic primate is imperative at the moment, considering the preliminary results of the second census of wild populations of cotton-top tamarins within their historical distribution in Colombia, conducted by Proyecto Tití in 2012, which illustrates a significant decline in both habitat and individuals, compared to the results of the 2006-2007 census. In the meantime, our team continued to grow with the hiring of a new Education Assistant to expand the reach of our conservation education programs,
and also a Marketing Coordinator to increase our opportunities for marketing our community products, resulting from sustainable income generating programs for rural communities living close to Cotton-top Tamarin forests. We were very proud to learn that the artisans who make these community products (eco-mochilas and plush toys) were granted the 2012 Equator Prize given by the United Nations Development Programme, in recognition for their efforts to support sustainable development solutions for both, people and nature. We were also very honoured to host very special visitors in 2012, such as actress and producer Isabella Rossellini and some of the members of Conservation International’s Board of Directors, among others. These visits helped us raise awareness nationwide, and provided us with the orppotunity to speak directly to our Nation’s President about the urgent need to guarantee a long-term future for Cotton-top Tamarins. We are hopeful and optimistic that all of these accomplishments will provide further opportunities for us to move forward on our institutional mission.
ROSAMIRA GUILLEN
Executive Director
PROJECT FACTS Geographical Area of Study: Departments of Atlántico and northern Bolívar Focus Areas: Field Research, Conservation Education, Sustainable Development Projects for Local Communities, Forest Protection Field Research: Hacienda “El Ceibal” (Santa Catalina, Bolívar) Conservation Education and Community Development Projects: Municipalities of Luruaco (Atlántico) and Santa Catalina (Bolívar) Shaded area illustrates the historical distribution of Cotton-top tamarins in Colombia. Red circle illustrates Proyecto Tití’s work area.
Orange areas illustrate forests of El Ceibal (Santa Catalina, Bolívar) and Regional Natural Park Los Rosales (Luruaco, Atlántico), Proyecto Tití’s conservation focus areas.
2012 Annual Budget: $300.000 USD (Aprox.) Sources of Funding: Donations from international governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as partnership agreements with governmental organizations in Colombia.