Selva de Urundel
Selva de Urundel REDD + project aims to protect an area of 46,947.80 hectares of forest in the Southern Yungas region in northern Argentina.
Urundel, Provincia de Salta, Argentina
VCS – Verified Carbon Standard
CCBS – Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards
3739
What drives us is community engagement. What guides us is science.
The Southern Yungas face rapid deforestation (+1% per year) due to unsustainable agriculture, illegal logging, fires and poaching.
The protection of 46,987.80 hectares of land within the Yungas ecoregion a key wildlife corridor.
Fire prevention, security patrols, reforestation, sustainable land use, and community education to stop forest loss
Reducing deforestation and wildfires, providing education and employment programs for the local community, and cataloguing existing biodiversity.
Stopping deforestation
Preventing illegal logging
Controlling wildfires
Selva de Urundel REDD+ project is dedicated to protecting 46,947.80 hectares of pristine forest in Argentina’s Southern Yungas region, a place where nature’s richness reaches its peak.
Covering less than 2% of Argentina’s landmass, the Yungas hosts up to 50% of the country’s biodiversity, a vital haven for flora and fauna.
These mountain forests also provide invaluable ecosystem services: from capturing and storing rainwater to regulating entire water basins. Yet today, this vital region faces a critical threat. Deforestation is advancing at an alarming rate of over 1% per year, driven by the relentless expansion of agriculture, illegal logging, and increasingly frequent wildfires.
Now part of the UNESCO Yungas Biosphere Reserve, the project area plays a key role in fostering harmony between local communities and their natural environment, securing the well-being of both current and future generations through sustainable economic, social, and ecological development.
Selva de Urundel also marks the first step towards creating a vital biological corridor between the Calilegua and Baritu National Parks. This corridor is essential to ensure the survival of iconic and endangered species such as the jaguar, puma, tapir, giant anteater, and countless birds, reptiles, and amphibians that call this forest home.
The Southern Yungas face increasing pressure from deforestation, fires, illegal logging, agriculture and poaching. These threats endanger biodiversity, disrupt ecosystems and accelerate climate change, making conservation efforts essential.
Hectares of forest protected
ton / year of CO2 emissions avoided
Fire detection system have been installed to enable early intervention.
Firefighters have been trained, equipped, and assigned specific roles to respond quickly to any outbreaks.
Local communities actively participate in fire prevention and control programs through workshops and training sessions.
Conservation zones are clearly marked and actively patrolled.
Patrol teams and checkpoints protect conservation areas against illegal activities.
Surveillance is ongoing through a network of strategically placed camera traps, allowing for constant monitoring of illegal activities.
Strong partnerships with local authorities ensure legal support and swift action against poaching, illegal logging, and unauthorized land use.
Educational initiatives raise awareness of ecosystem services, empowering people to become stewards of their environment.
Incentive programs encourage local communities to protect and maintain forested areas as valuable assets for their future.
Orchads and sustainable farming practices are actively promoted to reduce pressure on forest resources and create resilience.
Camera traps installed to monitor vulnerable species like jaguars, tapirs, and pumas.
Hunting and logging bans enforced to secure habitat integrity.
Forest conservation ensures territory for wide-ranging species and helps form a biological corridor between native zones.
Certified CCB Gold for Exceptional Biodiversity Benefits, protecting critical fauna and flora in the Yungas ecoregion.
Waste separation and composting programs reduce open burning in rural areas.
New bins, awareness campaigns, and local cooperatives improve community health.
Circular economy efforts empower women in recycling and waste recovery work.
The project will contribute to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals outlined in Agenda 2030.
09/06/2025
Selva de Urundel @ National Geographic
