The Chocó-Darién Conservation Corridor was the first conservation project in the world to be awarded carbon credits for protecting community-owned forests. Activities are managed by COCOMASUR, a vibrant association of Afro-Colombian families that received land title to the area in 2005. The project protects 13,465 hectares (33,275 acres) of tropical rainforest in the Darién region of northwest Colombia, one of the most biologically diverse regions on the planet.
So far, the project has created over 40 full and part-time jobs in the community, ranging from managerial positions to specially-trained staff. For most of these community members, it's their first time ever receiving wages and benefits through formal employment. Women play a special role in the management of the project, occupying most of the top administrative positions. In 2014, COCOMASUR was recognized by El Colombiano newspaper as one of seventeen exemplary individuals and organizations making a difference in the country.
