(103-1) Caring for biodiversity is a priority for GeoPark. We understand that a joint effort is needed to ensure that we all work to avoid, mitigate or eliminate any impact that puts the planet’s biodiversity at risk.
Our contribution has focused on research and prevention programs with national and international experts that aim to preserve the natural heritage of the different territories we operate in.
(103-2) From the outset of our projects we therefore identify areas of environmental importance and high biodiversity value, and apply prevention criteria that guide our activities during the projects’ execution and operation stages while constantly caring for and protecting nature. In addition, we carry out and promote ecosystem restoration and conservation programs that have shown positive impacts on animals and plants and biodiversity in general.
We seek to coordinate all our areas of operations and implement a prevention and mitigation approach, fulfil compensation measures, meet legal obligations and develop biodiversity research and conservation projects, as well as deliver voluntary projects that we plan as a Company.
GeoPark works under its Commitment to Nature, People and Neighbors that defines a concept of loving our planet and life in all its forms. The commitment declares the importance of protecting biodiversity and GeoPark’s pledge not to disrupt the balance of nature in the areas we operate in.
(304-1) SASB: EM-EP-160a.3. IPIECA: ENV-4 Our assets that are adjacent to or within special environmental management areas and have biodiversity importance are the following:
In Colombia, our Llanos 34 block covers 4,738 hectares of the 33,253-hectare La Mata de La Urama Integrated Natural Resource Management District in Casanare. This type of environmentally important area has a management district with zones dedicated exclusively to environmental restoration, preservation and conservation. It also defines areas as compatible with industrial development, where part of our block is located.
Our Fell block in Chile is in San Gregorio, Magallanes region, covering 148,800 hectares and bordering the 5,030-hectare Pali Aike National Park to the north. GeoPark operations lie adjacent to the Park and does not carry out any activity inside it.
The Isla Norte block in Primavera, Magallanes region covers 395,000 hectares and borders the 58,946-hectare RAMSAR Bahía Lomas wetland to the north. GeoPark operations lie adjacent to the RAMSAR protected area and does not carry out any activity in it.
In our operations in Colombia, Argentina and Chile we identified 25 species that are on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and on other national conservation lists. Of these, one species is critically endangered, two are endangered, 14 are vulnerable, five are near threatened and three are of least concern.
See the Environment Appendix for an IUCN list of species in danger of extinction.
(304-4) SASB: EM-EP-160a.3. Species on the IUCN Red List and national conservation lists whose habitats are in areas affected by operations
Country | In critical danger | In danger | Vulnerable | Almost threatened | Least concern | Total |
 Colombia | 1 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
 Argentina | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
 Chile | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Total | 1 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 25 |
In coordination with the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) we took part in the Biodiversidad y Desarrollo por el Putumayo biodiversity and development initiative.
Participating in the initiative is a way of fulfilling GeoPark’s Nature and Neighbors higher purpose, “To be our communities’ neighbor of choice and the operator that most respects the natural wealth of the environment.”
With the acquisition of Amerisur’s assets at the beginning of 2020, we were able to continue the important challenge facing both the public and private sectors of strengthening partnerships and synergies that contribute to the protection and care of biodiversity in the Colombian Amazon in alignment with regional priorities and the conservation of Andean-Amazonian foothills.
Some of the main benefits of participating in this ANDI-led initiative are the following:
(103-3) The main biodiversity management initiatives we implemented in 2020 include the following.
