OUR STORY
In a corner of the Colombian Andes, nestled in Supatá, Cundinamarca, the story of the Las Marías Natural Reserve was born, inspired by the strength and vision of two daughters, María Fernanda and María Paula. Guided by the ancestral knowledge of our parents and grandparents, who were farmers and taught us the value and love for nature, we transformed this land into an inspiring project for conservation and environmental restoration.
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Originally, the land was 100% used for cattle ranching by a farmer and father of 18 children, Don Emigdio, who worked this land for a long time. After some time, one of his sons, the father of the two Marías, decided to purchase the property. Driven by his love for nature, he began planting trees alongside his family, creating new forests and restoring the ecosystem that once thrived here—giving back to the land what had been taken from it for so long.
1998
After 24 years of dedication and effort focused on creating areas of restoration and mitigation, we decided to take a further step by becoming certified as a Natural Reserve of the Civil Society (NRCS). Following the process approved by Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and National Natural Parks, we officially received our resolution in December 2022, solidifying our commitment to protecting this land.
Today, we steward 11 hectares of land, encompassing a buffer and conservation zone for Colombia's only endemic pine species, the Romerón Pine, alongside a variety of native flora. The restored forest has become an ideal habitat for a rich diversity of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles, all part of the vibrant ecosystem of the Colombian Andes.
An ecosystem we are eager to share, offering a magical experience where each visitor takes home a deeper understanding and love for the environment, recognizing the vital role we all play in its protection and preservation.
Las Marías Natural Reserve: a small piece of earth where life has flourished once more, and nature has reclaimed its voice.
1998
The Reserve
Characteristics
The Las Marías Natural Reserve is located in the Las Lajas area, in the municipality of Supatá, in the department of Cundinamarca, northwest of Bogotá. It is situated in a privileged region, on the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera. This area represents a valuable fragment of the Andean ecosystem, one of the most threatened in Colombia due to the advance of the agricultural frontier.
It is located at an altitude of between 1,840 and 1,920 meters above sea level, within the Andean forest ecosystem. According to Holdridge's life zone classification, it corresponds to a Very Humid Premontane Forest (bmh-PM) . This type of forest is distinguished by the presence of open patches, with trees that reach average heights of 15 meters, although some specimens exceed 20 meters. * During the course of the year, the temperature generally varies from 12 ° C to 23 ° C, with short and comfortable summers and short, cool and wet winters, with humidity predominating in this ecosystem.
This structural diversity allows it to host a wide variety of flora and fauna species, forming a unique ecological mosaic in the heart of the Andes.
*César Murillo Bohórquez, Biologist (Management Plan, NRCS Las Marías 2023)
fauna
Photo collaboration: Alejandro López
flora
