Polish research station in the middle of a tropical jungle? The collection for the ambitious project

Scientists affiliated with the Biodiversity Research Institute want to buy up about 30 hectares of rainforest in southern Colombia. They intend to establish a nature reserve there, and in it one of the few Polish research stations in the world. On the Internet there is a collection for the project.

The area for the planned reserve with the station is near the border with Ecuador, about 30 kilometersow from the borders of the original Amazonian Forest. The area of the reserve is to cover 30 hectaresoin the rainforest located on the eastern side of the Andow. It is an area of gorzysty, a very roDiverse in terms of flora and fauna. In its area there are more speciesoIn trees than in the whole of Poland.

The planned research station is to serve a scientific function and is planned to support theoIn accordance with the provisions of the Protocol on the Protection of the Environment to the Antarctic Treaty (since 1998). The station building is also to house an Education Center, whichore is to promote conservation awareness in the broadest sense.

– It is hoped that the planned research station will quickly increase knowledge of the local wildlife, which will also help protect it – said Dr. Radomir Jaskuła of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology, who was involved in the projectoin and Hydrobiology at the University of Łodzkiego. Oprocz of the research station itself, the buildings will also be a tourist center. – It is also hoped that residents will have some financial benefit from this – added Jaskuła.

Scientists want to raise 200 thousand zlotys for the purchase of land. Zbiorka continues on the Internet on crowdfunding portals. Mentionoc project can be portal pomagam.drop.en.

The initiators of the project were Dr. Marta Kolanowska and Professor Dariusz Szlachetko from the University of Gdansk. In 2017, they established the Foundation Institute for Research on Bior Biorodiversity. Oprocz Kolanowska and Szlachetka involved Jaskuła in the project, as well as researchers from the Czech Republic, France or the US. The activities of the scientificoThe local community also looks on with a favorable eye.

Just how interesting the area is in terms of nature is evidenced by the fact that Colombia alone has so far discovered as much as 10 percent of the. of all known species in the worldoin plants. – This is followed, of course, by mnosion of speciesoPoland now has two scientific research stations, including in particularolarity insectoin, but also a birdow, amphibianow, reptileow and mammalow. This rainforest area is inhabited by m.in. by Andean bears and even a jaguar. For good mnoa hundred things are still there to be studied, so we expect that there will be a lot of interesting discoveries – Jaskola explained in an interview with PAP.

The land for the reserve and the station is to be acquired from a private person. Researchers seek sponsorow whichoThey would help equip the station and finance its existence.

This is the first such Polish initiative in this region of the world. Poland currently has two scientific research stations. One is located on Spitsbergen – the Polish Hornsund Polar Station im. Stanislaw Siedlecki, and the other is the Polish Antarctic Station im. Henryka Arctowskiego located on the Island of Krola George about 120 kilometersoin from the coast of Antarctica.

Source:oSource: PAP, TVN24 , fot. Bior Research Instituteohe diversity of