The land of the Zocay Monkey With Faces of Peace. Vista Hermosa, Meta, Colombia.
This project is an example of how tourism, conservation, and artistic processes can come together to create transformative impacts for both communities and the environment. Designed and implemented through the Laboratory of the Senses, it demonstrates the power of Participatory Muralism, Community Audiovisual Production, and Storytelling for Community Tourism to drive meaningful change.
Conservation Meets Tourism
The Zocay monkey (Plecturocebus ornatus), an endemic species found only in Colombia, is a treasure of the Eastern Cordillera. Sadly, habitat loss due to deforestation and illicit crop cultivation has placed this vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. Recognizing the urgent need for action, this project aimed to protect the monkey’s habitat while fostering sustainable development through ecotourism.
A Holistic Approach to Peace and Sustainability
In the wake of Colombia’s peace agreement, the local community embraced ecotourism as a pathway to reconciliation and prosperity. With support from international organizations, NGOs, and local enterprises, the "Land of the Zocay Monkey: Faces of Peace" initiative was launched. This innovative project integrates agroforestry organic cacao production with conservation efforts, promoting peace and economic opportunity.
The Sensory Center for Cacao Transformation
A key component of the project is the Sensory Center for Cacao Transformation, located on La Piel Roja Farm. This center combines education, art, and tourism, offering visitors an immersive experience that celebrates both cacao production and local heritage.
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Participatory Muralism: Communities collaborated to create murals that tell the story of their connection to the land and the Zocay monkey, turning the center into a living canvas of memory and reconciliation.
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Community Audiovisual Production: Workshops produced interpretive materials, including videos, podcasts, and photo exhibitions, showcasing the region’s biodiversity and cultural richness.
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Storytelling for Community Tourism: Through participatory science workshops, community members developed interpretive scripts and shared their stories, helping visitors connect deeply with the territory.
The center was equipped with state-of-the-art machinery to support cacao transformation, enhancing the sensory and educational experience for visitors while generating new economic opportunities for the community.
"The project allowed us to improve our cocoa production process, we have better machinery, and give added value to our experience, our farm was beautified, and we were given tools to generate a sensory tourist experience, which in turn will raise awareness about the conservation of the zocay monkey."
Aurora Martínez, Community Leader.
Results and Replicability
This project not only strengthened conservation efforts for the Zocay monkey but also empowered conflict victims by involving them in the creation of tourism experiences. By linking tourism, conservation, and artistic expression, it has generated significant economic, social, and environmental impacts.
"Land of the Zocay Monkey: Faces of Peace" serves as a replicable model for other regions seeking sustainable development solutions. It is a testament to how communities can rebuild their identities, foster peace, and protect the environment through innovative and collaborative approaches
I led this project during my time with the Colombian Association of Responsible Tourism as part of the project team. If you want more information about the methodology used, do not hesitate to contact me.
Meet the Faces of Peace
Entrepreneurial Leaders in Community Tourism:
Conserving the Zocay Monkey Through Regenative Eco-Tourism Strategies
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Manager La Piel Roja Agrotourism Farm
Aurora Martínez
Her story as a community tourism leader begins with the eradication of illicit crops. Looking for subsistence alternatives, discovering the cultivation of cocoa and the incredible biodiversity of fauna and flora that inhabits the territory. This is how the La Piel Roja Agrotourism Farm was born, focused on the cultivation, processing and marketing of chocolate, and the sighting of native species, such as the rare and endemic Zocay monkey.
Aurora dedicated part of her life to the cultivation and transformation of the coca leaf in the midst of an armed conflict, losing her husband and members of her family. her family productive project allows, in an experiential way, to involve tourists in the processes of conservation and peace, and to change the stigmas of a territory that seeks peace.
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Manager Palmarum Travel
Cesar León
Cesar is the biodiversity ambassador in Vista Hermosa Meta, as a local expert he has specialized in providing bird and primate watching experiences. Let us remember that The Land of Zocay with Faces of Peace is home to 7 different species of primates, among them: Alouatta seniculus Lagothrix lagotricha, Ateles vellerosus, Plecturocebus ornatus and Aotus brumbacki; and more than 200 species of birds (the most representative is the Harpy Eagle, which is characterized by its size and tenacity). Through Palmarum Travel, nature fans will have the opportunity to visit the hidden secrets of this territory, contributing to the implementation of sustainable production systems. This is how observing birds and primates contributes to conservation in Colombia.
After dedicating part of his life to collecting coca leaves, Cesar seeks peace for himself and his family through this project. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing his son fall in love with birds, in the middle of a peaceful territory.
Manager Innova tours
Alexander Rayo Rey
Local leader of the productive chain processes of Vista Hermosa, Meta. Its role focuses on the articulation of the different attractions and actors of the territory to create experiences that link imposing natural settings, such as the Caño Unión waterfall, Sardinatas and Laguna Madroño, local farms such as Corcobada, a 200-hectare bird paradise, and experiences of historical memory and art in the Piñalito village. For Alexander, leading community tourism processes is an activity of creating friends and collaborative work networks.
After having lived in the midst of the armed conflict in 2000, and participating in multiple territorial strengthening programs, Alexander leads his own local operator: Innovatours and the Community Organization of Vista Hermosa and Meta, where he implements community empowerment processes to generate new narratives in the territory, contributing from the local and regional level to the implementation of the peace process in Colombia. Listening to Alexander is understanding that it is possible to generate peace with nature.