Colombia’s environment minister on Thursday said to be concerned over plans to build lodges in a national park on the country’s Caribbean coast.
Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development Juan Gabriel Uribe expressed his concerns about projects set to take place in Tayrona National Park in the department of Magdalena by stating that “I am not going to allow logging, or [allow anything to] affect the existing [natural] wealth there, so my obligation is to conserve and protect the Tayrona Park ecosystems,” reported radio station La W.
According to the minister the park is “almost unique” and thus requires special attention from a Colombian environmental licensing authority that previously permitted the building of 12 “ecocabins” in the park, one such plan that Uribe expressed concerns over.
The minister drew his claim from a recent court ruling that states an environmental permit may be modified, suspended or even canceled by a competent environmental authority, when it may cause damage not authorized under the license initially.
“The concept of National Parks should be linked to licensing that the ANLA gave for the purpose of ensuring the protection of that area,” reiterated Uribe, referring to Colombia’s National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA) who are an environmental agency charged with reviewing ecotourism plans in Tayrona and other Colombian natural havens.