Nearly five million acres of desecrated Colombian forest could be recovered in 10 years’ time if peace talks prove successful, said a leading environmental organization.
Environmental group “Think Green” revealed that approximately 15 million acres of Colombian forest have been destroyed during the 48 year armed conflict due mainly to illegal mining and drug trafficking, as well as other major activities that are attributed to guerrilla groups, reported Caracol Radio Wednesday.
Daniel Quintero, founder of the organization, believes that the two parties should discuss the preservation and recovery of these forests when they meet for talks in Cuba.
“Colombia is the seventh country in the world in biodiversity and we can not lose this heritage on behalf of the illegal activities of armed groups, this should be on the table for critical dialogues in Cuba,” said Quintero.
If peace talks between the Colombian government and the country’s largest rebel group FARC prove successful then five million acres could be recovered in a decade.
The environmental organization has allegedly proposed that the demobilized guerrillas be contracted by the government as rangers for the forests so that after the peace process they be engaged in a job with a good salary to care for the lands that they are already familiar with.
