The Dos Aguas Foundation works to protect and restore Colombia’s critically threatened tropical dry forest. Its emerging community-led initiative aims to reconnect fragmented forest between La Cumbre and the Sanguaré Reserve by engaging local landowners, farmers, scientists and conservation partners.
The initiative needed more than an ecological vision. It required a story capable of communicating why the corridor matters, a community-engagement approach that could bring local stakeholders into its development, and a funding proposition that could attract the resources and partnerships required to move it forward.
Storytelling
We developed La Cumbre, a documentary following local conservationists, scientists, and landowners as they explore what it would take to reconnect the forest. By grounding the wider ecological challenge in local voices and lived experience, the film translates habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss and restoration into a story that different audiences can understand and connect with.
Rather than functioning only as an awareness piece, the documentary is being developed as a strategic asset that can support community conversations, funder engagement and the broader narrative around the corridor.
Community Engagement
Establishing the corridor will depend on the participation of the people who live in and manage the surrounding landscape. We have begun engaging local landowners, farmers, conservation leaders, and scientists to understand their perspectives, identify potential routes, and explore how ecological restoration can align with community priorities.
The film and accompanying facilitated conversations are intended to create spaces where participants can discuss the future of the landscape, understand different interests, and help shape the initiative. The approach also brings together local knowledge with scientific support from partners including the University of Sucre and WildMon.
Fundraising Strategy
We have worked to shape the initiative into a clearer conservation and funding proposition—connecting habitat restoration, biodiversity monitoring, and community participation within a practical vision for the corridor. This has included defining the project’s initial phases, clarifying partner roles, and identifying the resources required to begin the work.
Building from that foundation, we are identifying aligned funders, developing grant proposals, and creating opportunities for philanthropic and technical partnerships. The narrative and community-engagement work provide the evidence, local perspective, and shared vision needed to make a stronger case for support.
The Team
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Dania Bianuni
Co-Founder, Dos Aguas Foundation
Dania is the Co-founder of the Dos Aguas Lodge and Dos Aguas Foundation. Based in Rincón del Mar, Colombia, she creates and manages programs for the welfare of the region's community and wildlife.
Margarita Caly
Tropical Dry Forest Conservationist
Margarita is a life-long conservationist from Sucre, Colombia focused on the protection of the tropical dry forest. She has dedicated more than 20 years to understanding this ecosystem, educating others on it, and reforesting it.
Daniele Bertolotti
Conservationist, Sustainable Tourism Expert
Daniele is a conservationist and the Co-founder of Dos Aguas Lodge in Rincón del Mar, Colombia.
Leonardo Solorzano
Conservationist, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer
Leo actively works in the restoration of the tropical dry forest. He is the person in charge of the protected area, La Cumbre.