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.