Abstract
This paper describes the development of a local environmental action plan in Olivares, one of the poorest areas in the city of Manizales. It discusses both the successes and the difficulties in developing an environmental plan in a low-income area that fully involves community organizations – especially when many projects in the past had failed. It also describes the long process whereby different stakeholders were brought together to reach consensus on priorities and whereby priority items received support from the municipal government. The paper also discusses the different stages of the plan and highlights the degree of commitment by the local government, institutions, universities, the private sector, NGOs and community associations in the development and joint management of various programmes and projects.