DEFORESTATION IN COLOMBIA: AGENTS, CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

The deforestation in Colombia is an issue that has generated a great impact on the environment and biodiversity recurring basis. In recent years, the country has lost 1.3 million hectares of forests, ranking it tenth in global deforestation.

Recent studies have determined that approximately half of the forest ecosystems in the country are in danger or in a critical state of deforestation. 665 plant species are threatened with extinction, and in terms of animal species, 41 are critically endangered, 112 threatened and 131 vulnerable.

Deforestation. Source: pixabay.com

Deforestation in Colombia is caused by the increase in agricultural borders, specifically extensive cattle ranching and illegal crops, as well as by population growth or internal migration, illegal logging, forest fires, and mining activity and its infrastructure.

The loss of forest ecosystems and forests affects the supply and availability of water for human consumption and industry. In the current scenario of growing demand for water resources, deforestation constitutes a serious threat of shortages in the main population centers.

Institutional reports indicate that the greatest deforestation problem occurs in the Amazon region (65.5%), followed by the Andes Mountains (17.0%), the Caribbean region (7.10%), the Pacific coast (6.10%) and the Orinoquia (4.50%).

Deforestation promotes negative impacts, such as increased natural risks -floods or landslides-, erosion and sedimentation of water accounts.

Deforestation agents

The agents identified as causing deforestation are numerous in this country. These favor the expansion of agricultural frontiers - legal and illegal -, colonization, illegal mining, timber extraction and forest fires.

Illegal logging. Source: medea_material In this regard, the verification and analysis of the agents of forest transformation are a fundamental piece for modeling and planning reforestation programs. In Colombia, several agents of transformation have been identified: farmers and ranchers, mining companies and armed groups.

Farmers

They are the peasants, settlers and small farmers, medium and large-scale producers established in rural areas.

Ranchers

It includes extensive livestock for productive purposes up to local productions that try to guarantee land tenure.

Mining companies

Agents engaged in mining exploitation legally and illegally. These have a great impact both in the exploitation area and in the construction of access roads.

Armed groups

The presence of armed groups intervenes in the processes of transformation of forest ecosystems. Their presence encourages the establishment of illegal crops, uncontrolled deforestation and the abandonment of land due to internal migration.

Causes of deforestation

The deforestation process is directly related to the transformation of land cover, being the result of direct or underlying actions on forest ecosystems.

The expansion of agricultural frontiers, indiscriminate logging, forest fires and the concession of forests in grasslands contribute to deforestation; as well as new settlements, road construction, illegal mining, obtaining firewood or charcoal, and illicit crops.

Indiscriminate burning. Source: Christian Pirkl

Direct causes

They are related to human activities that affect the environment:

• Expansion of agricultural borders and livestock exploitation.
• Mining -legal and illegal- and construction of access roads.
• Illegal logging.
• Increase in drug trafficking and illicit crops.

Underlying causes

They refer to the social factors that influence the direct causes of deforestation:

• Peasant settlements or internal migrations.
• Labor market -availability of labor in the field-.
• Deterioration of rural communication routes.
• Application of agricultural and livestock technologies.
• Agricultural policies on land tenure and distribution.
• Lack of fiscal policies in rural areas.
• Growth of armed conflicts, presence of the guerrillas and paramilitary groups.
• Policies on the environment and the protection of forest ecosystems.
• Variation of agricultural production indices in international markets.

Consequences

In Colombia, an average of 20 hectares of primary forests are currently lost every hour. Mainly in the departments of Antioquia, Caquetá, Chocó, Guaviare, Meta and Norte de Santander.

These rates of reduction of forest resources represent the highest rate in recent years.

Ground slides. Source: feinteriano The loss of forest spaces and forests influences the benefits that these natural spaces provide. Forests are the regular source of water and contribute to the maintenance of the climatic conditions of each region.

Forests act as a storage medium for water resources. Its preservation contributes to the protection against landslides and floods in areas where edaphoclimatic conditions are susceptible.

The deterioration of forests has a decisive influence on the loss of biodiversity and the deterioration of ecosystems, creating a problem for local people who benefit from natural services that are the source of well-being and local economy.

In recent years, lowland forests have substantially deforested, with a net reduction of 15%, generating as a consequence climatic, socio-economic and political disturbances that affect the quality of life of its inhabitants.

Solutions

The search for the necessary mechanisms to face the problem of deforestation constitutes a challenge to the governmental institutions and Colombian society. Managing forests and reducing the impact of deforestation requires an efficient regulatory framework at the institutional level.

Currently there is a regulation that through efficient use would allow solving the problem in the short term. These guidelines include mechanisms for conservation, use of forest resources and institutional strengthening.

Conservation mechanisms

It is vital to implement geographic information systems -GIS- that make it possible to identify vulnerable areas. In this way, it is possible to carry out periodic monitoring, apply recovery programs and evaluate efforts.

Forest in the Ubaté area, Colombia. Source: KarlitoX The use of deforestation risk models is a mechanism that helps to identify geographic and economic variables in risk areas. In this way, it is possible to organize the national territory and focus the conservation and reforestation programs.

Use of forest resources

It is necessary to apply a system of sustainable exploitation of forest resources reducing illegal logging of forests, being necessary to enforce the land use plans, extraction and commercialization methods, promoting forest plantations.

Institutional strengthening

The coordination and integration of government entities in charge of forestry in the country is necessary, as well as the application and execution of public policies, regulations and standards that promote comprehensive forest exploitation.

References

1. Escobar, Elsa M. (2018) The serious deforestation in Colombia affects us all and is the great challenge. Recovered at: natura.org
2. Comprehensive Strategies to Control Deforestation and Forest Management in Colombia (2017) Ministry of the Environment of Colombia MINAMBIENTE. 37 pp.
3. García Romero, Helena. (2014). Deforestation in Colombia: Challenges and perspectives. FEDESARROLLO. 28 pp.
4. González, JJ, Etter, AA, Sarmiento, AH, Orrego, SA, Ramírez, C., Cabrera, E., Vargas, D., Galindo, G., García, MC, Ordoñez, MF (2011) Trend analysis and spatial patterns of deforestation in Colombia. Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies-IDEAM. Bogotá DC, Colombia. 64 pp.
5. Environmental problems in Colombia (2019) Wikipedia, The free encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
6. Rodríguez Salguero, Marcela (2018) Territory of Life Forests. Comprehensive Strategy to Control Deforestation and Forest Management. Government of Colombia. Minambiente. IDEAM - UN - REDD - GIZ - FCPF - ACTION FUND - WORLD BANK. 174 pp.