Ecoparque Los Alcázares Arenillo

The Ecoparque Los Alcázares Arenillo is an area of environmental interest considered one of the lungs of Manizales, and one of the best places for birdwatching in the country. Its goal is to protect the environment by changing the awareness of local and foreign visitors.

​To this end, it has a teaching system called permaculture, in which environmentally friendly practices are developed, such as permanent agriculture, birdwatching and nature interpretation; and environmental education workshops are given to show that it is possible to change visitors' attitudes.

​Its focus is on conserving the biodiversity that moves through the natural corridors of the Municipality, and the representative flora of the high Andean humid forest of the central range of the Colombian Andes.

​The Ecoparque has taken on the challenge of helping to restore the city's ecological capital, based on the administration and care of this small space of 34 hectares, ranging from 1900 m to 2.000 masl, but which at the same time becomes large through the number of species that can be found there: 176 birds that could increase to approximately 230 during migration season; 40 mammals; reptiles, herpetofauna and insects.

​The vegetation is characterized by trees of great importance for wildlife such as the Yarumo Negro and Blanco; Arrayán, Balso, Pino Colombiano, Camargo, Arboloco, Espadero, Manzanillo, Olivo de cera, Cafeto de monte, Siete Cueros, Guayabos, Palmas, Guaduales, Guaduilla, Chusque, Bromelias and Orquídeas, among others.

​The Ecoparque has easy-to-walk entrances and trails, which allow an ideal encounter with nature and the chance to spot the species that live there, such as the Gralaria Guatimalensis, Tangara Vitriolina, Torito Cabecirojo, Batara Carcajada, among others.

It is located in the southwest area of the city, 8 minutes from the Centro, in the lower part of the Alcázares neighborhood.