In the heart of the Columbian Amazon, Chela Umire is part of a group of local indigenous
people who are taking on the task of surveying the forest with the goal of preserving it for
future generations.
Umire lives in La Chorrera, a town in an Indigenous Reserve in the heart of the Colombian
Amazon. Agriculture, hunting, and fishing are the way of life here. But Umire heads into the
forest for another reason: to fulfil her role on a taskforce of local Indigenous people who are
mapping their traditional territory and cataloguing the wealth of resources the forest
provides.
This work combines traditional knowledge with modern conservation practice. The aim is to
strengthen community decision-making and create an environmental management plan for
the future. Umire believes that the way to preserve the forest is to get to know it and the
value it offers the community, retaining a community pride and connection to the land.
