Forests, in addition to playing an important role in soil conservation, protecting biodiversity and preserving the water cycle, are the most powerful tool we have to prevent and mitigate the effects of climate change thanks to their ability to store carbon.
Currently, forests lose more than 3 million hectares per year, which is why at Enel - Codensa and Enel - Emgesa, during the last 20 years, the care of our forests and their habitats has been a fundamental part of our commitment to the planet.
In 2011, the Deputy Minister of Environment put the country on alert when he stated that, if no action was taken, we would deplete all of our forests and forest resources in 100 years. In 2012, in Enel - Codensa and Enel - Emgesa we took action on the matter and started with one of the most ambitious projects that seeks to protect forests as part of our treasure.
Renace Forest, a forest reserve for all
The Renace Forest, in addition to being a lung of our country, is also home to many endangered species of fauna and flora, such as the collared lizard, the false chameleon, the mountain coati and the night monkey.
This nature reserve offers an opportunity to come together as a family and work together on tree planting days, with more than 30,000 trees planted so far.
During the last few years, more than 3,500 people have visited the Renace Forest and have actively participated in our environmental education days and ecological walks, aimed at promoting awareness regarding the care of our ecosystem.
We also take measures with respect to the protection and preservation of tropical dry forests, which are very sensitive to fires and deforestation, and in Colombia, very few are protected. In view of this situation, in 2014 we started the El Quimbo Ecological Restoration Project.
The Largest ecological restoration project in the country
This project is being carried out in the Tropical Dry Forest located in the Department of Huila between the municipalities of Agrado, Paicol, Gigante, Garzón and Tesalia and with this project, we seek to identify the most effective strategies to recover the fauna and flora of the Tropical Dry Forest, which is in danger of extinction, through research and exploration, hiking, reforestation and awareness campaigns.
This year, we did an expedition to visit our forest. We managed to move more than 180 plant species to be studied in the Botanical Garden of Bogotá, with the aim of strengthening the knowledge of this ecosystem and make it part of the Botanical Garden exhibitions so that its visitors can know the species of the Tropical Dry Forest, as a continuation of the pilot plan for the ecological restoration of the forest and the rehabilitation program for habitats for fauna, carried out in 2016.
Through these compensation projects, and through environmental education, we have achieved that we as a company, and with the help of our officials and communities, work for the conservation of the natural treasures of our country.
Likewise, we continue to explore in the departments of Tolima, Cundinamarca and Huila, to contribute and promote change in favor of the preservation of our fauna and flora and thus improve our quality of life and that of future generations.
In Enel - Codensa we have been transforming lives through energy for 20 years, contributing to the preservation of the biodiversity of our country and the planet.