Transport sector has planted more than one million trees in Colombia

The Ministry of Environment announced on March 17, that the transport sector, through the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI), the National Institute of Roads (Invías) and Civil Aeronautics, has planted 1,735,086 native trees through the 180 Million Trees program in 2022, an initiative of the National Government led by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.

According to the environmental portfolio, transport in Colombia is highly committed to the protection of ecosystems, since among its objectives is the construction of sustainable transport infrastructure, which contributes to the recovery and rehabilitation of soils through the planting of native trees, water management and the floors. These joint efforts have allowed their contribution to be significant for affected and degraded ecosystems.

“In the last three and a half years, entities in the transport sector have allocated 106,517 million pesos on this environmental recovery program. This is a sign of the commitment we have from all government entities to care for the environment. We will continue to work with facts and as a team to leave a more and better connected country, without neglecting sustainability for future generations,” said Transport Minister Angela María Orozco.

The contribution by ANI comes from the environmental compensation plan for the Fourth Generation (4G) projects, which includes 29 projects for the intervention of more than 7000 kilometers.

For its part, Invías is contributing to the restoration and protection of ecosystems, while developing the Green Schools program, whose purpose is to train and raise awareness among the educational community of the importance of protecting forests and the environment, and improving the landscape by planting trees in the environment of rural schools close to the road corridors run by the institute.

The Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics has planted trees at El Dorado International Airport, as a mechanism for abatement of operational noise, and also in Tolú (Sucre), in line with the entity's commitment to the environment and agreements with authorities.

Among the native species reported on the Counter of Trees platform are: abarco, cajeto canalete, caracolí, cedar, ceiba tolúa, niguito and naidí palm, among others. These vegetation cover recovery processes have been handed over to the Regional Autonomous Corporations (CAR) for their corresponding maintenance and administration.

“We are achieving this great goal with the determined support of different sectors and communities. It is very beneficial that the transport sector, through its affiliated entities, is participating in this, through which the country's road infrastructure can also contribute to the goal of planting 180 million trees. It is as a team that we are achieving it,” said Carlos Eduardo Correa, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development.

The goal has had a wide participation of the country's productive sector, which to date has planted 16,708,320 trees, out of the 116,712,277 reported from different regions of the country.

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