The way of the mountain - Nastassia Kantorowicz Torres

Did you know Colombia’s land is being protected by ordinary citizens? "Conservation start-ups: citizens protecting land and life in Colombia" tells the story of how over 40 years landowners have chosen to conserve their land instead of developing economic activities such as growing crops and fight against illegal activities. Their initiative led to the creation of a conservation regulation where landowners can decide to become a nature reserve. It is a solution for land and biodiversity conservation in a country where the government lacks the muscle to protect its land and ecosystems. The aim of the story is to highlight the efforts and actions of these extraordinary citizens, and to inspire other landowners to follow their example.

The following images are but a glimpse into one of the "Conservation start-ups", El Zoque, a high andean forest limiting the paramo in Guasca, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Its close proximity to Bogota makes it easily accessible, allowing schools to take day trips and learn about the environment first-hand, and scientists to visit for research. El Zoque is a community based reserve, working with local guides whose passion is conservation. They are able to to make a living doing what they love most, hiking the mountain and sharing their knowledge with visitors, whilst conserving their beloved Andean forest.

Please note this is a work in progress. The project will be completed if my application to the Level I grant is accepted. Otherwise, I do not have the financial muscle to continue telling the story on "Conservation start-ups: citizens protecting land and life in Colombia".

The way of the mountain - Portrait of a frailejon, an endemic species to the paramo...

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Portrait of a frailejon, an endemic species to the paramo and Andean forest essential for the regulation of water flows. Guasca, Colombia - April 5, 2022.

The way of the mountain - Mardoqueo Sanchez, Nature Reserve of the Civil Society...

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Mardoqueo Sanchez, Nature Reserve of the Civil Society (RNSC in Spansh) El Zoque guide. Although he only completed a primary formal education, he is extremely knowledgeable on conservation and land restoration as he has walked these mountains his entire life. Guasca, Colombia - March 2, 2022.

The way of the mountain - Group of school children hiking up the river in the El...

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Group of school children hiking up the river in the El Zoque Reserve. for some, this was the first time they hiked in the Andean High Forest. To respect UNICEF's ethical guidelines on photographing children, their identity is protected. Guasca, Colombia - April 5, 2022.

The way of the mountain - Close-up of clean water from the river in the Nature...

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Close-up of clean water from the river in the Nature Reserve El Zoque. Guasca, Colombia - April 5, 2022.

The way of the mountain - Middle school students hiking up the river in the RNSC El...

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Middle school students hiking up the river in the RNSC El Zoque. To respect UNICEF's ethical guidelines on photographing children, their identity is protected. Guasca, Colombia - April 5, 2022.

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Mardoqueo Sanchew, El Zoque guide, pointing to the mountains where the hike continues. Guasca, Colombia - March 2, 2022.

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Close-up of endemic fauna, a lychee, found in the High Andean Forest in the RNSC El Zoque. Guasca, Colombia - March 2, 2022.

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A group of middle school students visiting RNSC El Zoque in Guasca, Colombia. April 5, 2022.

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Close-up of an endemic orchid found in the High Andean Forest ecosystem. Colombia has over 4000 different species of orchids. Guasca, Colombia - March 2, 2022.

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Diana Marcela is a local guide of the RNSC El Zoque. She is 24 years old and upon graduation from university, she discovered her vocation was conservation and works as a guide in nature reserves of the civil society in Guasca. April 5, 2022.

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Close-up of an endemic plant found in the RNSC El Zoque and in the region. Guasca, Colombia - March 2, 2022.

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Santiago Sanchez, son of Mardoqueo Sanchez and also a guide in the RNSC El Zoque. He aspires to apply as a nature reserve of the civil society and conserve his land, maintaining it with ecotourism, joining a broader network of trails to El Zoque and other RNSC. Guasca, Colombia - April 5, 2022.

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Detail of a cousin species to el frailejon, both endemic to the Andean High Forest and Paramo. Guasca, Colombia - March 2, 2022.

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Mauricio Restrepo, he is the founder the RNSC El Zoque. Guasca, Colombia - April 5, 2022.

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View of an area of the 22 he that are denominated as a RNSC El Zoque. Guasca, Colombia - April 5, 2022.

In the Southern Alps, on the border between France and Italy, locals say the way of the mountain has to be respected: no one is left out in the cold to die. “The way of the mountain” depicts how locals on both sides of the border have organized themselves to prevent the death of a migrant. The border lies on a ski station, reaching an altitude of approximately 2000 meters high. The mountain route is a perilous journey: temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius at night, low-visibility and risks of falling over a cliff or dying from hypothermia are high.
Regardless of the risks, the French and Italian governments exceed pressure on the locals to stop providing support for migrants hiking the mountain into France. The French and Italian police also use violence and fear tactics to dissuade migrants from crossing.
Nevertheless, Italians and French work together to protect migrants from being left outside to die on the mountain. From providing warm winter clothes on the Italian border, to opening an emergency welcome center in Briançon, citizens have mobilized to fill in the hole the European governments have left.
In order to protect participant’s identity, date, location and any other information that may identify a person is omitted.

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View of the golf club that lies on the Italian side of the border. Northern Italy - December 2018.

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Two volunteers patrol the French mountains looking for lost and/or injured migrants. People risk death, or mutilation due to extreme hypothermia, if left outside in the freezing temperatures. Hautes Alpes, France - December 2018.

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Homeless asylum-seekers are trying on winter shoes and appropriate winter gear donated by locals. When asked, many migrants replied they where going to try to hike into France in the coming days.Northern Italy - December 2018.

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Somewhere in the mountain between France and Italy. December 2018.

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Françoise* massages an unaccompanied minor's foot to induce blood circulation and prevent hypothermia. Two boys and one adult where rescued on the French mountain after they had walked for at least 10 hours under freezing temperatures. Briançon, France. December 2018.

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The man is hugging one of the accompanied minors he had hiked with from Italy into France. They had not seen each other since they had been rescued. The boys said that at one point they found themselves on a steep slope and thanks to the man, they did not fall. Briançon, France. December, 2018.

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One of the shared bedrooms in the emergency center in Briançon. France - January 2019.

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Nigel* and Jacques* are cutting wood for the communal house, Chez Marcel. 15m squared of wood was bought by an ngo and donated to the house where asylum-seekers live. Briançon, France. December 2018.

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Nicolas*, from Cameroon, is taking a hike in the mountains of Briançon. He also trains daily at the gym, as he believes that "physical strength brings moral strength". December, 2018.

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Nicolas* jumps to grab an apple from a tree. He, like many other asylum-seekers, is in a long asylum process that can take up to 3 years. During that time he cannot legally work. Briançon, France - December 2018.

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The judge (L) had just condemned the 3+4 group for supposedly helping migrants cross the border into Italy during an anti- far-right march. She walked out into the street while one of the condemned, Benoit, was giving a speech to supporters. Gap - France. December 13, 2018.

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Seb* and Andrew* have claimed asylum in France and live in Briançon. Seb* is studying to be a chef and Andrew* is enrolled in intense French courses to then continue law studies. They were one of the first group of refugees to arrive in buses from Calais and Paris in 2015-2016 to Briançon. In 2017 they organized a hunger-strike and a march to Gap to demand that their rights and asylum-process be respected. France - December 2018.

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Montgenèvre is a ski resort in France, altitude ranging between 1860m to 2450m, bordering Italy. It is also the route migrants take into France. There have been deaths in the border due to police chasing migrants, others have frozen to death as they were not rescued on time. France - December 2018.

NASTASSIA KANTOROWICZ TORRES

Nastassia Kantorowicz Torres

Nastassia Kantorowicz Torres is a non-fiction mixed media artist focused on water, gender, social and humanitarian related stories.