WELCOME TO el bosque y la niebla FOUNDATION

We reconcile urban and rural communities with cloud forest to contribute to climate change mitigation, planetary health, land protection, and promote sustainable cities and communities (Sustainable Development Goals).

El Bosque y La Niebla (The Mist and the Forest Foundation) contributes to protecting and restoring the cloud forest ecosystem at the Private Nature Preserve La Ilusión (OEMC)  and Potrero Grande, both located in the Eastern mountain range of Colombia, to 52 km from Bogotá.

Since 2007, the Nature Preserve has left a positive impact on the region.  It has been a role model of private land stewardship, participating in social fabric processes, and raising awareness about the vital link between human beings and the cloud forest. La Ilusión was the first Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure (OECM) recognized and reported by Colombia to the UNEP-WCMC Database in 2021. Visit Protected Planet link

The OECM La Ilusión, has implemented reconversion and restoration processes in 45 hectares of critical degraded areas formerly used for livestock and monoculture, such as potato cropping. The conservation and expansion of the original remnant of cloud forest have been critical practices for increasing water supply for the region, raising levels of biodiversity, and providing healthy natural spaces for the communities that surround the OECM.

So far, we have identified 450 species of vascular native flora (six species of them listed as near extinction), 130 bird species, 40 orchid species such as Oncidium gloriosum (END) , and 21 species of mammals. 

Throughout our trail camera program, we have evidenced the presence of puma (Puma concolor), ocelot  (Leopardus tigrinus),  categorized as VULNERABLE by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, among other mammals like the two toed sloth (Choloepus hofmanni),  and the endemic Brown Hairy Dwarf Porcupine (Coendou vestitus), which are wonderful indicators of the good health of the cloud forest. Their presence reveals the urgency of expanding their habitat and raising awareness for their conservation with other landowners.

La Ilusión is associated with the Colombian Network of Nature Reserves  (Resnatur), which has promoted for more than 30 years, conservation and sustainable production practices in private lands in Colombia.

Every year, hundreds of rural kids visit La Ilusión Nature Preserve to learn and experience Shinrin-yoku, or Relational Forest Bathing (TM). This practice has helped them to relate to the forest in a different way, to improve or regulate their stress levels, attention, creativity, and reinforce bonds and learn values such as compassion.

The OECM La Ilusión was founded in 2007, and El Bosque y la Niebla Foundation was born in 2019 to protect the natural, agricultural and cultural heritage of the cloud forest of the unprotected areas of the western ecological structure of the Bogotá region, to the West of the Plateau. We have established an alliance with different actors interested and involved in our mission: Alianza Fiduciaria (private financial sector), Universidad Nacional,  Philipps University Marburg, Universidad Distrital, Resnatur, Maloka, municipal governments, other national and international NGOs,  land owners in the region, and private donors. 

To reconcile society and nature through:

1. Strengthening ecosystem connectivity in the region

2. Strengthening  social fabric 

3. Socio-environmental knowledge generation

4. To provide mental and physical health to different target groups and vulnerable populations, throughout Relational Forest Therapy TM.

Contact information:

direccion@fundacionelbosqueylaniebla.org

Instagram and facebook: @shinrinyoku.colombia - @elbosqueylaniebla

More info: El Bosque y La Niebla Foundation and Mass Media covering

You can support our programs by donating, proceedings will help to:

• The operation of our nursery of native species.
• Give the opportunity to kids from rural areas enhance their creativity and attention enjoying free sessions of Relational Forest Therapy TM. 
• Your donation will also support researches in natural and  social sciences to produce knowledge about Cloud Forest.

If you are interested in donating please contact us. We will be glad of answering your questions.