Operation Artemisa was created in 2019 as a joint task force between the Ministries of Environment and Defense to combat illegal deforestation inside Colombia’s National Parks. Named after a Greek Goddess who with bow and arrow was the guardian of wildlife and protector of forests, “Artemisa” set out to secure large swathes of the Orinoco and Amazon basins in the interests of national security.
With plenty of military hardware to patrol remote regions of the country, Artemisa became a pillar of the government’s 2019/2020 National Development Plan, and for the former Presidential Security Advisor Rafael Guarín, its core mission is to “guarantee the nation’s integrity by protecting the essential right to water, a clean environment and biodiversity.”
In the on-going fight to protect endangered habits, Colombia’s eco-warriors are taking the frontline to the nation’s oceans, enlisting support from the Navy to target illegal fishing and indiscriminate trawling. During a visit to Gorgona National Park on Sunday, President Iván Duque extended Artemisa’s reach to also focus on protecting coral reefs and atolls, home to 45% of world’s marine species. President Duque reiterated that the Navy maintains a permanent presence on Gorgona Island together with the National Coastguard.
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https://thecitypaperbogota.com/news/colombias-operation-artemisa-extends-frontline-to-ocean-conservation/29213