Colombia needs $40 million for forest repair
Colombia needs $40 million for forest repair
16 January 2010
published by colombiareports.com
Colombia — The undoing of damage caused by recent wildfires will cost Colombia some US$40 million, the country’s deputy Environment Minister said.
In an interview published in newspaper El Tiempo on Saturday, Claudia Mora said that in the first two weeks of 2010 almost 6,000 hectares of forest was destroyed by fire, affecting more than 115 municipalities.
The most severely hit by the fires are the Cundinamarca and Boyaca departments, the official said.
The US$40 million will be needed for replanting forests and re-establishing the areas’ water supply.
Suthorities blame the forest fires on extreme drought caused by weather phenomenon El Niño that is causing extremely dry weather throughout Colombia.
