The state-run Rio Magdalena Corporation (Cormagdalena) this month began efforts in northern Colombia for productive reforestation over 20,000 hectares, to be carried out over five years at a cost of five million dollars. The plan will generate one job for every six hectares will initially take place in the departments of Atlantico and Bolivar, with support from private companies interested in the “clean” production mechanisms of the international Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Initial efforts are focused on a pilot program for the commercial planting to produce large trees on 5,000 hectares.

The government says that forestry is one of the sectors with greatest growth potential both economically and socially, given Colombia's natural production of trees and strong yields of certain commercially planted tree species.