The U wa territory is nestled in the Sierra Nevada de Cocuy Mountains in northeastern Colombia. The area is an extremely ecologically sensitive bosque nuboso, or cloudforest. It is located at the source of the Orinoco river basin and is home to many underground reservoirs and lakes. Any pollution put in the water at this high elevation will be carried through the entire region until it empties into the ocean. The area is home to many endangered species, such as anaconda snakes, jaguars, spectacled bears, and toucans that the U wa have helped to preserve over the years.
Oil spills are unavoidable and speak death for many aquatic animals and plants.
This forces the U wa and other key actors in the fight to readjust their strategies and goals. There are three target groups involved in the U wa struggle. Several different U.S. environmental and indigenous rights activists groups have been active in fighting for the U wa. Rainforest Action Network, based in San Francisco, works with many environmental injustice cases that indigenous people in Latin America face. They have a full time staff dedicated to the U wa cause.