Cemex has donated 6,000 acres of land to Chingaza National Natural Park in central Colombia.
The land was previously an aggregates quarry which for 50 years contributed to the economic and social development of its neighboring communities. The donation of the land to the country’s park service is the final step of the quarry’s restoration plan and an opportunity for Cemex to give back to the central Colombian community, according to Cemex.
“The decision to donate this land reflects Cemex‘s commitment to contribute to biodiversity conservation through our land management program”, said Cesar Constain, President of CEMEX in Colombia. “Sustainable development is embedded in our core company strategy.”
Chingaza Park is located an hour from the capital city of Bogota and is a crucial part of the country’s ecosystem. The park provides drinking water for nearly 11 million people in central Colombia and is home to numerous rare plant and animal species.
The donation took place at a ceremony organized by Cemex inside the former quarry, which has not been operational since 1998, and was attended by Beatriz Uribe, Colombian Minister of Environment, Housing, and Land Development; Julia Miranda Londoño, director of the Colombian National Natural Park Service; and Cesar Constain, along with other environmental authorities and company executives.
“Through this donation, Cemex conveys a message of commitment with the environment and sustainable development,” says Uribe in a written statement. “The responsible and controlled use of land resources guarantees respect for nature and, in turn, community development,” “This is an example that other companies should follow.”
Cemex has a multifaceted land management strategy at a global level. As of 2009, 82 percent of Cemex active sites have quarry rehabilitation plans in place, and the company is currently on track to meet its goal of having such plans in 100 percent of its active sites by 2015.
Additionally, as part of Cemex’s biodiversity strategy, the company continues to maintain one of the five great wilderness ecosystems of the world, El Carmen, home to more than 500 animal and 500 plant species. El Carmen spreads across 500,000 acres along the border of Mexico and the United States.
