Colombia’s state council has declared an area of 2315 acres as part of a forest reserve in the eastern hills of Bogota, putting a stop to future construction in the zone, local media reported Tuesday.
The area of 2315 acres is now part of a larger forest reserve, according to the decision of the state council that tries to preserve the eastern hills from further settlement.
Buildings that have already been built in the area will not be removed – but the owners will have to pay special taxes as a form of environmental compensation.
This decision means no more licenses for future construction or exploitation of natural resources in eastern hills of Bogota.
This way the ministry of environment tries to set up a barrier to contain the growth of the city on its eastern boarder.
“We do not want even one more square meter [of the hills] affected by real estate interests,” the mayor of Colombia’s capital, Gustavo Petro, told local newspaper El Tiempo.
Location of the forest
Source
- Consejo de Estado frena construcciones en los cerros de Bogotá (EL Tiempo)
- Cerros Orientales de Bogotá son reserva forestal: Consejo de Estado (Caracol Radio)
- Consejo de Estado ordenó creación de reserva forestal en los cerros orientales (El Espectador)
