Landscape patterns for emerging mountainside ecotourism. Case study of Monterrey and Lejanias-Mesetas

Characterized by rich natural resources, pristine and unspoiled landscapes, Colombia has never fully developed its eco-tourism potential mainly due to a complex interrelation of factors, such as geographic and eco-systemic complexity, a deficit in infrastructure, state oversight, social-economic issues, and, to a large extent, its five-decade armed conflict. Progress and development have mainly been focused on the Caribbean coast and its main ports and some specific spots in the mountains, where the main capital and other important cities are located, but the plains (llanos) and the jungles, particularly remote regions, have been marginalized and prioritized less, having little or non-existent infrastructure. The primary focus of the study is the Piedemonte llanero of the eastern mountain ranges, located in the Orinoquia region. The framework of this research will discuss the theoretical approach for ecotourism and the different elements used for the definition of landscape patterns: the corridor, and those to be applied in terms of policies to the areas of study. This paper, in particular, aims to examine the landscape component in relation to the environmental factor of the areas in focus which are Monterey, Casanare and Lejanias, Meta. After some visits, recognizing these as attractive study cases, and a detailed planimetric study, the importance of the landscape in relation to the existing series of spatial patterns of Piedmonte llanero, where ecotourism could become an opportunity for the local communities along the jungle’s marginal road, a transnational connection, is recognized. The first case to be studied is the whole hydrological complex of the Algarroba waterfalls in Monterey and the Guejar River in Lejanias, Mesetas, describing, characterizing and comparing two nodes of interest along the route. After this research, a conclusion is drawn to compare and highlight the role of the different landscape patterns and the possibility to use other tools in the planification of the territory.