In Colombia, a significant proportion of the socio-environmental conflicts originate from the absence of participation of local residents in the decision processes on the use, access and exploitation of the natural resources that allow their ways of life. One of the triggers of socio-environmental conflicts is the environmental license, an environmental instrument that does not contemplate the articulation between projects and communities. This lack of articulation affects the effectiveness of compensation measures, since companies are unable to ensure the implementation and permanence of the associated measures. However, it is proposed that they can become the mechanism that opens the door to local participation, while allowing the fulfillment of the compensation objective, through the inclusion of the figure of Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECM). This article highlights the potential of the OECM as a new way to compensate within the framework of the colombian compensation manual for the biotic component, contributing to the effectiveness of compensations, while promoting participation, the inclusion of socioeconomic values and environmental governance. For this purpose, technical, social and legal criteria are proposed based on the analysis of available secondary information, so that they are taken into account by the regulator, environmental authorities and license applicants. All of the above, in order to seek mechanisms that help reduce socio-environmental conflict in the country.