Heritage Colombia (HECO) is a paradigm changing program, that through a resilient landscapes approach and a long term financial scheme, will strengthen the adaptation and mitigation to climate change of rural Colombia through the, protection and sustainably management of important ecosystems and ecosystem services, reducing deforestation and degradation in the country’s carbon-rich ecosystems. This program focuses on 9 landscapes and will deliver verifiable climate mitigation and adaptation impacts through (1) improving land use planning; (2) reducing vulnerability of local livelihoods; (3) enlarge and improve management effectiveness of national and regional protected areas critical for the provision of ecosystem services; (4) develop and implement new mechanisms to increase funding for the country’s system of protected areas (SINAP).