The National Army continues to sow hope with the help of the people of former miners in Puerto Guzm谩n, Putumayo.
The San Pedro de Guadalupe village in the municipality of Puerto Guzm谩n department of Putumayo, was the environment that marked a new life for 12 families, who dedicate to rudimentary mining. More than five years ago a project was born in these lands that sought to turn the economy of this community; it was thus that soldiers of the Infantry Battalion No. 25 arrived to support the Association of Ex-Miners of Tradition with Environmental Awareness and the recovery of 20 hectares, which corresponds to approximately 50,000 trees, which had been hit mainly by the exploitation of gold; plants of Amazonian specimens mainly A莽a铆 and pineapple were planted there.
This is how again, after two years, the soldiers of the National Army meet with the former mining families of this municipality to give continuity to the project, with the planting of 3,000 new specimens of fruit trees, which will strengthen the productive project and boost the regional economy, for a sustainable environment.
With this project led by the Association of Former Miners of the municipality, the owners of the lands and the soldiers of the National Army, who have been pioneers in the recovery of this place and with the support of some institutions such as Naturamazonas, who donate the seeds, today two images can be seen, in the first of them, hope grows next to the small trees they have sown, forming a forest that beautifies the riverbank and that leads to the proliferation of specimens of flora and fauna; and the other image, is a desolate landscape full of deep holes in the land, where all the vegetation died because of mining exploitation; a sight that saddens but in turn is the engine that drives this great team of men and women to continue working.
Despite being faced with such a magnitude of environmental damage and the inclement sun, the soldiers and families continue to give back to the earth what was once taken from it. They know that their work will give fruits in a few years and will be reflected in an economic, social, cultural and environmental impact for this region, which, throughout history has been hit by pollution due to the exploitation of natural resources.
It is noteworthy that since 2020 to date the soldiers hand in hand with the people have planted more than a million trees in the department of Putumayo. These operations are part of Operation Artemisa, which directs its main effort to promote the conservation of the environment, natural resources, water sources and biodiversity.
Source: Press, National Army of Colombia
