Impacts of the armed conflict on conservation and new territories and their relationship with the post-conflict period.

Abstract

Colombia is considered one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world, which is why it is necessary to characterize its ecosystems and their current state in order to establish their importance and the level of conservation they require. The armed conflict in Colombia is a factor that greatly influences biodiversity conservation aspects, because the presence of illegal armed groups does not allow access to certain areas of the country where much of the biodiversity is found. Likewise, the activities carried out by armed groups in these areas represent a great challenge for conservation, since among the main activities is deforestation, mostly to make way for illicit crops. As a result, it is difficult to identify the potential losses of biodiversity generated by these activities. Recently, the peace agreement signed between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has allowed the cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of these groups in areas of scientific importance, which would facilitate research processes and the identification of potential new territories for conservation.