Mine clearance and the environment: HI is committed to preserving biodiversity in Colombia

Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet. Its many different regions are home to a huge variety of fauna and flora in 1,552 protected nature reserves covering more than 23% of the country. To help safeguard these rich resources, Humanity & Inclusion is adapting its mine clearance operations to take greater account of environmental issues.

Explosive devices contaminate the ground, damage biodiversity

Mines are a threat to all forms of life: people, wildlife, domestic animals and livestock alike. Whenever there is an accident, all the surrounding biodiversity is affected by the shock wave and shrapnel. Over time, the chemicals found in some explosive devices can leave traces of toxic contamination in the soil, water and vegetation.

This pollution can sometimes be found in the nature reserves. To protect these areas, HI works with the environmental authorities and follows Colombian environmental standards in its humanitarian mine clearance activities. Despite these measures, however, some areas of dense vegetation must also be cleared during mine clearance operations. This is why, once these areas are safe, HI helps people and biodiversity return.

Trees – guardians of the ecosystem

Trees are the true champions of biodiversity. Climate regulators and protectors of water resources, trees also help fight erosion and accelerate the restoration of ecosystems. This is why HI has implemented various reforestation initiatives in several parts of Cauca in southwest Colombia.

“The people who live here would prefer us to plant timber so that they can cut it as soon as it’s grown. This is why we are raising their awareness about the advantages of choosing forest species that are native to the region and not intended for timber production, such as fruit trees. These help rebuild the ecosystem, and their fruit will feed the community and wildlife for many years to come. For HI, it’s not just about planting trees and then leaving. We also need to work with communities and authorities so that they support the project in the long term,” explains Miguel Pacheco, HI’s environmental specialist in Colombia.

This is particularly the case in Santander de Quilichao, where HI gave 100 trees to the local community after completing its mine clearance operations. The trees are indigenous species – such as igua, nacedero and guadua – and play a key role in restoring the local ecosystem. Since the beginning of 2023, HI has delivered 150 trees to the communities of Cajibío and Santander de Quilichao.

Reducing HI's footprint

HI takes numerous actions to help protect the environment in Colombia. With regard to temporary camps for mine clearance teams, for example, HI prefers to use an existing building that can be converted into a base camp. When this is not possible, particularly in some national parks, HI sets up a camp that, in addition to tents, has showers and toilets that can be completely dismantled. In these cases, HI uses recycled plastic lumber rather than concrete to leave little trace behind.

In these camps, HI follows strict waste management measures: organic matter is given to the community for composting and household or hazardous waste is taken to the nearest town for processing. HI is also exploring the possibility of using new means of producing energy, such as hydroelectric turbines or solar panels.

Working with local stakeholders

HI organizes workshops with local communities and environmental associations to raise awareness about how ecosystems work and how important they are. Through these workshops, HI and local stakeholders identify new economic initiatives that are environmentally friendly. HI has helped build four greenhouses for the communities living in the Cañón de las Hermosas in Chaparral. One of these greenhouses will be devoted to growing local forest species that will be replanted to consolidate the soil and fight erosion.

“It's very clear that climate change is affecting our work. For instance, floods or heavy rain threaten the safety of our teams in the field and force us to suspend our mine-clearing operations. The climate crisis affects us all, so it’s essential that we are aware of our environmental impact and the risks we face while trying to reduce them by taking appropriate measures,” Miguel concludes.