La Loma – November 28, 2022
Drummond Ltd., a mining company committed to sustainability-oriented environmental management, joined the commemoration of 60 years of the Marine Biology Program at Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, highlighting its contributions to ocean science in Colombia.
Around 50% of Colombia’s surface area is oceanic, a percentage that shows the importance and scope of our maritime areas. Since its creation 60 years ago, the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University Marine Biology program has made an academic contribution to the conservation and maintenance of that huge percentage of the national territory by sharing knowledge.
“The Marine Biology program has made a great contribution to research. Its scientific input has been extensive at the national and international level. It, together with other colleges, has brought up a group of highly qualified human talent that provides support for knowledge of our seas,” explained Andres Franco Herrera, marine biologist and assistant academic dean of the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University.
Its contributions have also helped develop the mining sector in Colombia. In the year 2013, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Santa Marta campus, participated in an investigation into the environmental effects of a coal spill during an accident with one of the company’s barges.
The investigation concluded that, “one month after this emergency, the conditions in the impacted area did not show any disturbance compared to the water and living organisms in adjacent areas. This means that the marine environment, because it is so dynamic, quickly assimilated the impact, returning the area to its original conditions.” These results gave the community a peace of mind.
Drummond also highlighted that the program has been essential for the development of a variety of fields of knowledge with a view toward the conservation, use and responsible management of natural resources. Not only has it been a hub for training professionals to work toward the growth of biodiversity in the seas, rivers, and coasts, but it has also supported the sustainable development of the productive sector, especially in the area of fisheries and marine aquaculture.
“We congratulate Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano for its academic contribution to the conservation and protection of the seas, and the study of species, plants, organisms and all the living beings in them, during these 60 years,” said Amilcar Valencia, Environmental Manager at Drummond.