00:00:07:01
Where the Andean Mountains meet the Amazon
rainforest
Ecosystems also meet, creating a biodiversity
which is unprecedented on Earth.
00:00:20:46
Is it this way?
00:00:23:15
We are heading into the Colombian rainforest
together with biologist Francisco Castro
Who has dedicated his life
to mapping the biological treasures of the
Amazon
before they are lost for ever.
00:00:39:11
From the airplane
we see very large areas
where there is industrial cultivation
for example oil palm.
Wide pastures for livestock.
Oil wells.
It is clear that deforestation has increased
compared to last year.
00:01:11:45
Below us the FARC guerrillas used to rule.
Following the historic peace agreement
large parts of Colombia that used to be
unavailable war zones
suddenly lie wide open.
00:01:24:45
But this story begins in a biology lab
in the Colombian capital of Bogotá.
With a frog.
00:01:40:11
I have worked with Colombian frogs
since the late 60's.
I managed to
get kidnapped twice in a year!
00:01:56:30
When John Lynch first came to Colombia
the Marxist-Leninist FARC guerrillas had
just started their struggle for armed
revolution.
In the coming decades
Colombia was thrown deeply into
a bloody conflict between the state, guerrilla
groups and paramilitaries.
00:02:15:19
This is a an Atelopus farci.
00:02:20:17
Or in English: the FARC Frog.
Discovered by John Lynch in the mid 1980's.
00:02:26:45
Many of the forests
in the Andean region were preserved
because the peasants and ranchers
did not dare to visit their property
because of the Farc guerrilla.
Because the frog
was camouflage-colored and lived in the woods
I decided to
to name it after the Farc guerrilla.
00:02:55:10
Of course, there were some scandal here.
"How can he baptize a frog
after the guerrilla ?!"
But politicians never read the scientific-
articles where I explain why.
00:03:13:24
Today, the Farc guerrillas are gone.
The peace agreement is signed
The Farc conducts politics from the cities
while in the areas where they were hiding
our biologist Francisco is now
studying plants.
00:03:29:36
Heliconia episcopalis. Zygia latifolia.
Mouriri myrtilloides. Clavija ornata.
Trichanthera gigantea.
Protium glabrescens.
00:03:58:48
That is a very famous bird.
It's sound is featured in many movies
which takes place in the rainforest.
Sometimes it's not the Amazon rainforest,
but they put on that sound anyway.
00:04:16:12
Turn it over, thank you.
Oh, there's a flower that's blossoming!
-That one?
-Yes, it's absolutely amazing. I'm so happy.
It's a species I have not seen before.
Yet another rare plant to the collection!
00:04:48:46
I was born in the rainforest.
I grew up in this environment.
Most biologists come from the cities.
Of 365 days I would believe
that I spend about 250
out in the forest.
00:05:10:25
A plastic bag, thank you.
Now it has become possible
to visit more remote areas
and discover and record many species.
In areas where there were previously in
conflict.
But on the other hand, it's sad
to see how deforestation increases.
00:05:55:26
The sun of peace is finally shining
on the sky of Colombia.
May its light shine all over the world!
Thank you so much!
00:06:11:06
The President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos
Received the Nobel Peace Prize
in December 2016
for the historic peace agreement
But there is also another
side of the coin.
A back side if you like...
00:06:27:08
Friends in the mining and oil industry
let's all build a country together
which is increasingly developed and peaceful.
Let us continue to work together
to make the mining and energy sector in
Colombia
competitive, qualitative
and successful. Thank you very much.
00:07:04:29
There is no doubt a conflict between
economic development and environmental
protection
especially because of our
concept of economic development.
Economic development in Latin America
has been heavily dependent on natural
resources.
00:07:23:05
These are hydrocarbon deposits in Colombia.
A map of available areas.
It's almost like the map says
that the country is one major oil, gas and
coal finding!
For the mining industry, all these red
dots, that resemble a skin disease,
are already granted concessions.
00:07:50:05
Bogota - a giant city of bricks
high up in the Andes.
Here in the heart of political and economic
power
decisions are made
Far away in time and space
from the people and ecosystems affected
Sociologist Diana Rodriguez works here
she is an expert on environmental law
studying the relationship between war, peace
and nature.
00:08:13:26
We assumed that the conflict destroyed.
The pictures of blown oil pipelines
and huge oil spill were very shocking.
Farc caused extensive environmental damage.
But surprisingly, one can say
that the Civil War had a protective
impact on natural resources and the
environment.
Farc had rules for forest felling.
In some places it was forbidden.
They regulated water consumption
with informal laws.
They pointed out some areas
where you could not do agriculture.
00:08:55:21
But the conflict also led inadvertently
to preserve the environment.
There were areas in Colombia where
for many years no companies came.
There were no roads and tourism didn't
arrive because of the civil war.
So the environment was protected
both intentionally and unintentionally.
The Amazon is a clear example. If you
compare Colombia with Peru and Brazil
we see that the Amazon in Colombia
until recently was better preserved
than in neighboring countries. But at the same
time
as the conflict ends, the frontiers are
extended.
00:09:43:25
Francisco and the other biologists
Are running out of time.
Pressure is mounting on previously untouched
areas.
According to Colombian environmental
organizations
the deforestation has increased by 44 percent
since the ceasefire between the government and
the FARC
took effect.
00:10:03:31
Peace for man
means war on nature.
00:10:23:12
The destruction goes much faster
than scientific research.
00:10:39:27
How would a sustainable development look like?
00:10:43:14
The day we understand
that the forest gives us assets
the forest becomes important and will stay.
There are endless possibilities.
Fruits and seeds containing
all nutrients, proteins and fats.
medicinal plants
which can cure many diseases.
We could have a very high living-
standard without falling a single tree.
00:11:25:23
I would not like to research
in any other country
because here I have all I need.
00:11:44:02
If the war had continued, it is possible
that the deforestation
would not have increased so fast.
That does not mean I'm defending war.
But we speak as scientists and people
who mourn the loss of biodiversity.
00:12:16:46
So how did it go for the little Farc frog?
00:12:21:32
It took over 20 years before I
could return to have a look at the forest.
The forest was still there
but when the Farc guerrilla left the area
the farmers returned
and the frogs disappeared.