Támesis coffee plantations (19143)
Colombia, South America

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1b, B1

Year of last assessment: 2023

National site name: Cafetales de Támesis

Central coordinates: Latitude: 5.7712, Longitude: -75.7198

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 1100 to 2000

Area of KBA (km²): 2.25466

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The Tamesis Coffee Plantations are located on the eastern slope of the Western Cordillera of Colombia in the municipality of Antioquia. They are part of a system of shady coffee plantations located in the villages of La Oculta and La Virgen in the municipality of Támesis. These trails are located on a horseshoe-shaped mountain formation, which in its upper part has a very steep rocky area with fragments of natural vegetation. Going down the slope, between 1,300 and 1,800 m, the coffee plantation zone is located (Botero et al. 2002). The habitat is mainly coffee crops with shade (50%), where Walnut (Cordia alliodora) and Guamo (Inga edulis) predominate. Additionally, there are large individuals of Rubber (Ficus sp.) and Coussapoa duquei, which attract a wide variety of birds. In the undergrowth stands out the great variety of platanillos (Heliconia spp). In addition, within the area there are pastures for livestock (20%) and wooded areas with steep slopes (20%).

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the KBA thresholds of the Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis), a species Vulnerable to extinction, meeting criteria A1 and B1 for KBA.

Additional biodiversity: In this KBA, 279 species of birds have been recorded (https://ebird.org/region/BIRDLIFE_19143?yr=all&m=&rank=hc), highlighting the presence of the Turquoise Dacnis (Dacnis hartlaubi-VU) (Botero and Verhelst 2001), of which 29 individuals were recorded during a study (Botero et al. al. 2002): https://www.neotropicalbirdclub.org/articles/15/C15-TUDA.pdf and the presence of multiple flocks of Scarlet-fronted Parakeet (Psittacara wagleri-NT) that are frequently observed (Munera, E. personal observation)

Manageability of the site: The management of the KBA is exercised by the owners of the properties included in the KBA, it is private property. This KBA is made up of coffee farms that are mostly small, several of these farms are Natural Reserves, such as the La Cumbre de la Virgen and La Virgen de Oro farms. These farms or reserves agreed to have coffee plantations under shade and implement conservation actions such as caring for the forest and water sources. Thanks to these agreements, the La Virgen de Oro special coffee project is obtained https://visionsuroeste.com/proyecto/la-virgen-de-oro/.

Delineation rationale: The limits of this KBA are given by the coffee farms of the La Oculta and La Virgen villages in the municipality of Támesis. These villages include more than 10 farms and/or reserves of Civil Society assigned to RESNATUR.

Habitats

Land use: The main land use in this KBA is agriculture, mainly for shade-grown coffee cultivation. However, in recent years avocado cultivation has begun.

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	84.34	Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane
Artificial - Aquatic	0.8	Plantations
Wetlands(Inland)	0.35	Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks
Artificial - Terrestrial	95

Threats

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads		Ongoing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Work & other activities		Ongoing

Additional information