Colombia

With 2.5 million square kilometers of largely intact tropical rainforest and savannah, 10-15% of the world’s fresh water reserves and an extremely rich and highly endemic biodiversity, the Guiana Shield ranks among the most important ecological regions in the world. This report highlights the Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) of the Guiana Shield.

Colombia’s policy on its indigenous people includes recognizing their rights relating to political and administrative autonomy, land tenure, education and health. This progressive policy has been implemented through the establishment of indigenous reserves called resuguaros, which recognizes the role of traditional indigenous management mechanisms for the conservation of the environment.

Esta obra incluye 19 capítulos (de 32 autores de varios países) divididos en dos secciones: 1. Aspectos generales y 2. El Caribe y los países del continente americano. La obra trata los bosques nublados de las Antillas, México, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panamá, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia y Argentina.

Little attention is given to the state of nature and natural resources in situations of armed conflict. Because of the human disaster involved, three is often a reluctance to focus on the environmental consequences. Nevertheless, there is no reason to assume that nothing can de done to conserve natural resources and biodiversity.