Colombia is one of the richest and key countries in terms of natural resources, fauna and flora diversity. The sustainable handling of the environment and the conservation of the biological and cultural diversity, are one of the most important at the national and international levels. This fact is even more significant due to the increase of entropic pressures on the natural surroundings that sustain the life of human communities as well. Therefore, it is essential to integrate social, cultural, political and economic components, along with a specific knowledge of the flora systems, which maintains the local fauna and other environmental elements.

The local scale conservation is fundamental to reach global sustainability. A perfect example can be found in the handling of water for local aqueducts, which permit the conservation of areas for the flora and fauna survival.

Although it does not seem to be a governmental priority at this moment, there are individuals and organizations working to prevent the damage that the industrialisation process may have produced over the years. These initiatives are committed to create international awareness and highlight the importance of their immediate support and actions to tackle the problem. It is essential to create worldwide scenarios to discuss and show the beautiful natural treasures of the region.

As part of these activities, Corporacion Fragmento, a non-profit organization, is organizing an exhibition of photographs of Colombia's wildlife and natural landscapes. The exhibition has taken place in New York in "domo gallery" and intends to go to London, Barcelona and Paris. The objective of this exhibition is to promote the efforts that has been done in the Choco region of Colombia; an area that is under constant human threat.

The exhibition showcases ten Colombian photographers who captured the constant whisper of a biological diversity, which can only be found in these remote parts of the world. The photographic exhibit heralds the floral beauty and multicoloured creatures that represent the immense natural splendour existing in Colombia.

These creatures and flora possess an exceptional natural beauty, but above all, they are a living call for preservation of native cultures and ecosystems. They show us in a dazzling and captivating manner an entirely different way of life.

Click to view Full Online Exhibition

Photographers

Saúl Ernesto Hoyos Gómez , born in Medellín. Biologist and Photographer as a second nature, lover of mule trails, travels and stories of the homeland. Presently, he is working in a wild life inventory at the Choco-Darien- Caribe area with Fragmento and formulating proposals for sustainable development that ameliorate the life quality of this region's inhabitants.

María Del Pilar Mejía Vallejo , born in Medellín, Architect, University Professor and Photographer. Photography is not a question of business or hobby but a passion in her life. She does her best in portraits, landscapes and objects. She puts these subjects aside for a while in order to show, on this occasion, homeland flowers.

Daniel Jaramillo , born in Medellín, Agronomist specialized in organic farming and community work, traveler engaged with the support for anyone interested in healthy farming. He has traveled from the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta where he is now working with the Arhuaco people: He is also working with communities of the Magdalena region and is interested in the development of food safety programs.

Alejandro Polling , born in Medellín, Social Communicator and Photographer. Alejandro's work is social photography; he looks for people, their costumes and daily life. At this time he presents the flower porters, a canoe with Caribbean hat, the Flower's Fair , orchids, landscapes, and more.

Libertus Polling Zimmermann , Photographer and Chemical Engineer, born in Freiburg (Germany), he has lived in Colombia since his childhood. Libertus, as an adopted son of Colombia testifies the wealth and beauty of his country through his photographs of fauna, landscapes and people. He is a profound lover of this part of the world that has allowed him express his soul and feel closer to these latitudes.

René Bedoya, born in Medellín, Social Communicator and Photographer. René can be found wherever there are carnivals and Flower's Fairs, looking for the best angle and a superb composition. The Tequendama waterfalls and some orchids are the sample of the René´s work in this exposition.

Juan Campo , born in Bogotá, Biologist and Photographer. He is interested in finding production alternatives for tropical woods in order to attain a sustainable and rational exploitation of our wood resources offering new production ways with larger aggregate value

Jorge Contreras , born in Cali . Biologist and Photographer of our natural wealth. His photographs of the Macarena Range , the Eastern Plains and the snowy summits show a wealth worth knowing and protecting.

Fredy Gómez, a Colombian born in Cocuy, is a nature photographer. Inspired by The Sierra Nevada of Cocuy, its peaks and lagoons. He searches for nature's reality to place it in his images.

Oscar Efraín Ortega , born in La Unión (Nariño). Biologist-entomologist. Nature, landscape and people Photographer. His photographic work is a poetry and image fusion rendering a tribute through the image to the country and to the poet of nature, Aurelio Arturo. Presently he is a professor at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín Campus, working on insect ecology and doing research on the conservation of tropical ecosystems.