Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute was created by Law number 99, 1993 as one of the entities for the scientific and technical support of the Ministry of the Environment. It is a non profit organization, ruled by the norms of science and technology. It has various members including the Ministry of the Environment, Colciencias, public and private universities, local government and non governmental organizations. The Institute’s mission is the promotion, coordination and realization of research which contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in Colombia. To achieve this objective the Institute operates with six strategic programs: Biodiversity Inventory, Conservation Biology, Use and Valuation, Policies and Legislation, Communication and Information, and Training.