More than 300 animals have been rescued in the surroundings of the BOGOTÁ – GIRARDOT ROAD

The Concession in charge of the modernization of the BOGOTÁ – GIRARDOT ROAD and VINCI Highways have started a program to protect and rescue the fauna that inhabits the surroundings of the road within the framework of the construction process that is being carried out. It is a team of biologists and forestry engineers who identify, catch and relocate wild birds, mammals and amphibians to make sure they survive in their natural environment.

Thanks to this work, 313 individuals, including 21 birds, 262 herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) and 30 mammals have been rescued. It is worth noting that the area of influence of the project is characterized for having strategic ecosystems such as the Sumapaz paramo, which, with more than 300 thousand hectares, is the largest paramo system in the world, and the dry tropical forest, an ecosystem which is scarce in the planet, located among Flandes, Girardot, Ricaurte, Nilo, Carmen de Apicalá, and other municipalities, with a unique biodiversity of animals and plants.

Concretely, the team has protected woodpeckers, blue-gray tanagers, snakes, tropical kingbirds, possums, bats, deer, among other species. The rescued individuals are given to the regional autonomous corporations of Cundinamarca – CAR- or Tolima – CORTOLIMA -, for the environmental authorities to carry out the process of assessment, rehabilitation, adaptation and reintegration into the natural habitat for their release .

According to Laurent Cavrois, General Manager of the Concession and CEO of VINCI Highways Latin America, “the Concession Works under a management model called Positive Mobility, which has been developed by our principal shareholder around the world. It is a long-term commitment with Colombia that is seen in concrete actions aimed at promoting the region’s prosperity, its safety, the protection of its ecosystems and innovation. In this context, we have provided a strong team to perform various actions aimed at protecting and preserving the fauna that inhabit the project’s surrounding areas”.

In the same line of conservation, the Concession has arranged the reforestation of areas that Will represent 330 thousand new trees for the region by the end of 2029, in strategic spots for the production of water and for extending the forest areas in the surrounding ecosystems, and to generate connectivity among the existing vegetation patches. In fact, since the beginning of the Works, we have planted around 50 thousand trees in strategic areas with a high environmental significance in the municipalities surrounding the road corridor.

The Concession will continue to carry out these activities in coordination with the environmental authorities and local, departmental and national administrations of the area of influence until the completion of the works, expected for 2026.

VINCI’s Environment Day 2023

To show its commitment to environmental sustainability, the Concession also celebrated on September 22, VINCI’s Environment Day 2023, where various special guests hiked along an ecological trail to learn about the characteristics and functions of plant species such as orchids, epiphyte species of vital importance to maintain the natural balance of forests. They also had an experiential approach to species such as butterflies and bees, which are pollinizing agents; fundamental to ensure the production of food in the region.

“Ultimately, the Concession’s purpose is for the Bogotá – Girardot corridor to be, not only more fluent and safer, but also the most sustainable in Colombia by providing all the necessary conditions for communities, users and workers to carry out their activities in harmony with the ecosystems around us”, said Cavrois.