Cerrejón contributes to formation of biological corridor in the Colombian Caribbean

Cerrejón, in the spirit of contributing to the protection and care of the environment and strengthening the recovery of strategic ecosystems, such as tropical dry forest, has joined the partnership for Caribbean Biodiversity and Development, which brings together public and private Colombian organizations, by donating more than 25,000 hectares that will be used to form a biological corridor in the Colombian Caribbean.

Biological corridors play a key role in the connectivity of ecosystems, landscapes, and habitats. The corridors can be natural or modified, and in both the continuity of biological processes is guaranteed, which allows the conservation and dispersion of flora and fauna, thus playing a key role in contributing to the fight against climate change.

This alliance is made up of the Natural National Parks of Colombia, the Alexander Von Humboldt Institute, the Conexión BioCaribe program developed by the United Nation’s FAO, and the USAID Natural Wealth Program, among others.

During the next ten years, Cerrejón will work to strengthen the environmental connection between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía del Perijá through the planting of trees and establishment of conservation agreements with the communities living in this area. We hope the establishment of this corridor will facilitate transit and conservation of key species, such as the jaguar, serving as a bridge between areas of ecological importance from North to South America.

These actions, done through programs to rehabilitate land that has been affected by mining and for environmental compensation, will provide protection for degraded and endangered ecosystems, such as tropical dry forest, as well as for threatened species.

“Cerrejón, as a company, is an example and stands out for its effort at solidarity, focused on managing connectivity in fragmented areas in order to achieve the country’s goals and the sustainability of its territory”, Carlos Castaño, Director of the Herencia Ambiental Caribe (Caribbean Environmental Heritage) Foundation

“I’m impressed by the amount of information the tropical dry forest laboratory produces … the size of this plot allows the hypotheses to be substantiated immediately. I’m impressed with the effort being made and with the company’s contribution to the creation of knowledge”, Germán Corzo, Researcher from the Humboldt Institute.