Need for Conservation Planning in Postconflict Colombia
Publisher: Conservation Biology
Author(s): Pablo Jose Negret, James Allan, Alexander Braczkowski, Martine Maron, and James E.M. Watson
Date: 2017
Topics: Land, Renewable Resources
Countries: Colombia
More than 80% of recent major armed conflicts have taken place in biodiversity hotspots, including the Tropical Andes which is home to the world's highest concentrations of bird, mammal, and amphibian species and over 10% of all vascular plant species (Mittermeier et al. 2004; Hanson et al. 2009). Armed conflicts not only seriously impact social and political systems but also have large effects on biodiversity from the time preparations for conflict start through the period of social reorganization (Machlis & Hanson 2008) (hereafter postconflict period). Tropical forests are particularly vulnerable during the postconflict period, when areas made inaccessible during hostilities become open to development (McNeely 2003).
Colombia, one of the most biologically rich countries on Earth (Franco & Ruiz 2014), is emerging from 50 years of internal armed conflict (Brodzinsky 2016). A final version of a peace agreement between the oldest and strongest illegally armed group in Colombia, FARC‐EP, and the Colombian government was signed on 12 November 2016 (Colombian National Government & FARC‐EP 2016).