Our impact

We believe in the power of change. Our greatest legacy is to educate future generations and promote concrete measures for the preservation of the Tequendama Fallls region.

It has been more than 25 years of work, which we have been able to translate into concrete results thanks to the support of our collaborators. With each action that we have undertaken under the project El Salto has a future (engl.: The Tequendama Falls have a future), we have sought to have a positive impact not only on the ecosystem but on the community that lives in the region and on each individual who participates in our awareness-raising activities. As of 2020, the following are the main results of our work:

140.000 m²
of cloud forest restored through the planting of native species, allowing the recovery of water sources and reintroduction of flora and fauna.

Salto is alive
Incorporation of the Tequendama Falls (Salto) in the Judgment of the Bogotá River (2014) and declaration of a minimum ecological water flow.

Cultural Heritage
We presented a project to the Ministry of Culture for the declaration of the Tequendama House Museum and its surroundings as a Site of Cultural Interest in Colombia (granted in 2019).

250+ species
of insects (120+), flora (100+) and mammals (26+) have been identified and inventoried with the support of the National University of Colombia (Universidad Nacional de Colombia).

2 books
and one booklet published. "Biography of the Tequendama Falls" and "Bochica's Castle" are the result of an exhaustive investigation that compiles the historical legacy of the waterfall and the house.

12+ families
and other members of the local community participate in our organic agriculture training programs to transform their practices and ensure the sustainable development of the region.

+20 events
and discussion panels about the cloud forest and the Tequendama Falls with the national and international community to promote engagement concerning the environmental situation of this place.

25+ press
releases about our work and impact have allowed the Tequendama Fall to regain its positive image and former prominence.

85.000+
visitors have learned from the temporary and permanent exhibitions at the Tequendama House Museum since its opening.

Alliances
with national and international partners that have provided financial and technical support to the recovery of the Tequendama Falls, its museum, and ecosystem.

+950.000
visitors have learned about the cloud forest and the Tequendama Falls through our educational programs (20.000+ live in he Bogotá river basin)

Our impact and the Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the master plan of the United Nations to achieve a sustainable future for all. In the framework of this global effort, in 2018 we joined as partners of the SDG Action Campaign, and contributed to the conducting of the global MY World2030 survey in Colombia, which sought to understand the public opinion on the challenges humanity faces today. The main impact of our work can be framed within the following SDGs:

Through reforestation and fauna reintroduction programs, we protect the native cloud forest, an essential ecosystem for the preservation of the region's water sources. Furthermore, we support and strengthen the participation of local communities and visitors in implementing sustainable practices for water management.

At Tequendama House Museum and at the El Porvenir Natural Reserve, we seek to apply sustainable tourism practices that create jobs and promote the culture and consumption of local products of the Salto de Tequendama region.

We are committed to the fight against climate change. Therefore, we seek to improve our capacity to adapt by preserving the cloud forest, which is essential for carbon sequestration and climate stabilization. We aim to raise our visitors' awareness of the importance of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Through our agroforestry programs and the implementation of silvopastoral practices, we contribute to the conservation of ecosystems and the protection of their biological diversity. We are committed to halt deforestation in the region by planting native species and to recover degraded local forests.

Fundación GEP | Vereda San Francisco. Soacha, Colombia | proyectos@casamuseotequendama.org