under colombian law, illegal deforestation carries 00:00:01,467 --> 2147483051:36:45,448 a sentence of up to 2147483051:36:45,448 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 12 years in prison. but in remote places, this fallen giant will make the loggers $300. lidia is one of the pioneers of ecotourism. colombia today is a post—conflict the law is hard to enforce. 00:00:02,438 --> 2147483051:36:45,935 illegal loggers are still 2147483051:36:45,935 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 at work in these forests. these valleys are populated she set up a butterfly sanctuary nation, but it faces a new battle brazil has now recorded the second to protect its natural resources. to try and entice tourists into the region. the biodiversity contained in these highest number of deaths forests could prove to be its most precious commodity of all. from covid—19 of any country. president jair bolsonaro has it is a natural destination consistently downplayed the severity for tourism but there is no of the crisis. by miners and loggers. some densely populated cities have infrastructure for it at all. begun lifting restrictions, even though many brazilians fear the loggers say they the worst of the epidemic have bills to pay. is yet to come. they've chosen their target — it's going to take years, isn't it, and by then, in the town of 0tanche, the forest will be almost gone? an 80—year—old rosewood tree. 00:00:30,610 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 chainsaw revs members of the community have been there are growing fears in several countries of a possible second wave of covid—19 infections. beijing has shut down six wholesale food markets after new cases invited to a workshop were reported for a second day running. india, which opened up this week, are you optimistic or pessimistic? has seen record daily are you going to win this fight increases in cases. organised by the authorities. britain's central bank says it's ready to take action to help the country's economy to recover, they hope ecotourism after official figures showed that will be the silver bullet, to save colombia's natural heritage? output shrank by a providing an income for the record 20% in april. the effect of the anti—virus lockdown is already far bigger than that of the 2008 community while saving the forest. the botanists from kew hello. have been invited to there are some big make their case. for future generations and the environment, thunderstorms in the forecast global financial crisis. time is running out. for this weekend but it is not going to the need for a solution is urgent. be raining everywhere all the time. in fact, there will be some

scotland's first minister nicola sunny spells. in any sunshine, it will feel quite sturgeon has insisted that a programme to test care workers warm and pretty humid for coronavirus is accelerating. but some thundery downpours so far, just over a third i'm back on the horse on another are likely, all driven have been tested — by an area of low pressure. field trip with the botanists. you can see this swirl of cloud that's despite a promise on the satellite picture. this time, on more even ground. 0ur area of low pressure has been spinning around across the bay of biscay. it's been throwing lumps of cloud and rain in our last month that all care home staff would get a weekly test. oh, my god. direction, a process which continues it's like... on through saturday. our scotland editor this is incredible. we can follow the different the fact that there is such lumps of wet weather. sarah smith reports. a good turnout here, this area of rain moving better than expected, across northeast england through the morning shows there is a lot of interest and then up into scotland. in alternatives i think it's going to stay to cutting down the forest. quite grey and murky but the question is, for some of these northern is it going to give people enough and eastern coasts. all of all the wild, remote places i've northern ireland should sarah smith reports. staff working and every care of a livelihood, and been to in the world, brighten up a little home all staff working and every care home in scotland are supposed to be bit with some sunshine, but some showers. that's a big question. i think this is got to be right up and then down across england tested for coronavirus every week. a the colonel has turned up. there near the top and as a disabled and wales, we will see some sitting next to him is edemildo, sunny spells developing, big promise. the big problem is that person, as somebody who can't walk, but some very heavy downpours and thunderstorms who has to use of wheelchair, breaking out here. nearly four weeks after that who's been a logger all his life. 00:01:39,483 --> 2147483051:37:34,457 now, though, he is looking 2147483051:37:34,457 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 for new opportunities. a more persistent area of wet it's amazingly liberating that weather likely to push commitment was made, only around one here amongst all this flora towards the southwest third of staff have been tested even and fauna, there are these beautiful of england as we head butterflies and rare plants, through the afternoon. once. at this home in galloway they it's this amazing biodiversity. and then you can see these scattered downpours and thunderstorms across parts of the midlands, wales have had no confirmed cases but they and up into northwest the scientists from kew remain england particularly. but it will be warm have had no confirmed cases but they have also been unable to get hold of hopeful of finding hidden treasures temperatures there for before it's too late. liverpool, for the test. it would have been an example, 23 degrees. the odd shower for northern ireland and some outbreaks official for us to have of rain continuing across some parts of scotland, the test. it would have been an officialfor us to have been the test. it would have been an official for us to have been tested although i think northwest earlier, it would have put us a bit scotland will see a decent more at ease. we are further down amount of sunshine. northeast scotland holding onto some of that coastal cloud, mist and murk. the line now, having been closed so, as we go into saturday

there are things i've since march, it is quite scary never seen before. night, we continue to push our thinking that if somebody comes back i have no idea what various lumps of wet weather genus it belongs to. northwards and westwards with a positive test, that will have the thing about plants, across the british isles. they can be rare and special. there will be some clear spells, equally, some fog a huge impact on the home. across they all look the same but it's patches, i think it's likely when you go back and start comparing to stay very murky for some them with others you found out of those eastern coasts of scotland and england. but a very mild night. the whole of galloway, only four how important they are. temperatures as we start sunday staff were tested in the first half morning between 11—14 degrees. mauricio, do you think you can then for sunday, well, really, it is more of the same. of this month. 47% of people who persuade people to stop cutting down a lot of the cloud for these eastern and northern parts. elsewhere, some spells the forest soon enough of sunshine, yes, but have died of covid—19 have been in a scattering of showers, ca re have died of covid—19 have been in before the forest is gone? they will be quite hit care homes, more than those who have and miss, but where they do died in hospital. it is staff who that's very hard to say. prop up, they could well be heavy with some hail pose the greatest risk for bringing that's our hope and that's our mission. and thunder thrown the virus into homes, that is why that's why we are here. in for good measure. i believe that we can make a change. and it's another warm day they want to test them all every as well with temperatures week but it is a target they have we just have to do our best widely 21—24 degrees. a little bit cooler though to protect the best where we keep the cloud yet to meet. the charity that runs of this biodiversity. close to some of those north sea coasts. this home say they have only been now, our area of low pressure able to get 5% of their scottish will still be with us staff tested compared to 90% of as we head into monday, but it does weaken. it becomes quite flabby. not many white lines their homes in england.” on the chart, you'll notice. staff tested compared to 90% of their homes in england. i welcome not many isobars, so not much their homes in england. i welcome the commitment to weekly testing of a wind, but any showers because that is a commitment that hasn't happened in england, but the that do crop up will be heavy and slow moving. and it stays unsettled, showery and rather humid reality has to catch up with the throughout next week. government position. the first minister will not set a date for jennifer is a local botanist. when the government might reach the testing goal. ways the commitment to

she's exploring new areas testing goal. ways the commitment to test all care home staff not being of her country for the first time. met even though it is over three how optimistic or pessimistic weeks since it was first made and are you that you and others like you, who care about nature, when will that promise be fulfilled. who care about biodiversity, it does take time to put in place a that you can save this forest? programme of testing that number of people in place, and health boards have been doing that. the health secretary and i have given, ifeel, it's great that you're optimistic but the reality is, 00:03:22,188 --> 2147483051:38:25,810 the area of forest is getting 2147483051:38:25,810 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 smaller every year. a direct indication of the last week oi’ a direct indication of the last week or $0 a direct indication of the last week or so that we think that progress should be exhilarating and that is why the health secretary has made that very clear to health boards and the other side of that is that we have made clear to health boards that the scottish government is there if they need additional resources and support. the scottish government is working on a deal to cover sick pay for any care home workers who do test positive and have to isolate. figures for staff testing will now be published every week, intensifying pressure to increase the tests. i will be back at the top of the hour. this is bbc news with now on bbc news, our world. the latest headlines in the forests of colombia, for viewers in the uk and around the world.

i'm lewis vaughan jones. nature is under attack. virus deaths surge in brazil, since the civil war ended in 2016, deforestation has skyrocketed. it now has the second highest toll in the world. i'm frank gardner and i am heading into what remains fears of a second wave of infections start to rise, of the virgin tropical rainforest. as cases increase in china and india. a second night of protests i traded in my wheelchair in lebanon as anger over for a packhorse the country's and am tested to my limits. economy boils over. an easy life for the army's i think this is too dangerous. horses, why they won't be i don't think i can do this. on parade for queen elizabeth's official birthday on saturday. i am joining a crack team of scientists from the royal botanic gardens, kew. they are on a mission to discover and save unique plant species before they vanish forever. i am going to bear witness on the frontline of rainforest conservation.

this is where the journey begins — not in colombia, but in the royal botanic gardens, kew, london. kew is the world leader in developing plant science. the botanists are preparing for their mission to discover new species. and it is from here that this expedition will be launched. i have come here to see the expedition leader, doctor mauricio de bernardos. he works in a library for lab specimens. this is where we identify new plants.

we believe we have more than 200,000 different species here. you are a botanist and a biologist. and a scientist and an explorer in some sense. what are you expecting to get from this mission? the most remote areas are the best preserved and this is going to be our most important expedition. we're going to try to get into the heart of this area. we do not know what we expect to find. what is at stake with this whole trip that we're doing? why is this so important? we are in a race against time to protect this biodiversity from disappearing. we have rapid deforestation. we see how we are losing this forest very quickly and ourjob is to get an understanding about the diversity of these resources as well as their importance.

in 2016, the colombian government signed a peace deal with the farc rebels. for more than half a century, civil war actually slowed the pace of deforestation. but now remote tracts of land have opened up. farmers, loggers, and miners are scrambling for resources. colombia is now reportedly losing 3,000 square kilometres of forest every year. we are travelling to an area famous for its emerald mines, western boyaca. this is a bittersweet journey for me. this could be the last time that i could see this forest. if i come back in ten years, this forest could be gone. colombia is still an eden.

it's the second most biodiverse country in the world, after brazil. i may be the bbc‘s security correspondent, but my passion is for nature. you know, just look around you. there's incredible scenery. it is such a privilege to be here. i love being surrounded by the sounds and smells of nature. nature has always been something of an antidote to myjob as a security correspondent. in 2004, i was shot and partly paralysed while on the job. i won't deny, i have a certain trepidation about the trip itself because everybody else is walking. i will need to do this on horseback or i will not make it.

the team assemble at the edge of the rainforest in las quinchas. it's going to be a beautiful day. yes, it is going to be a beautiful day. this is the first time this area will be explored by scientists. for so many years, conflict and criminality made this area inaccessible to outsiders. if you see a snake, everybody please freeze, don't move. we are going to carry radios at all times. you, actually, frank, you'll have a radio. so this is going to be your radio. i'm going to be quite busy trying to control the horse. well, yes, maybe we can put this on the horse so you can have something that you can... the horse can do the radio.

there is a bit of a risk here. my legs are like honeycomb, the bones. i cannot afford to fall off and break things. at the beginning of the track is a steep descent. the botanists hope to find new species deep inside the forest. but i am unable to hold on with my legs. guys, i don't think i can do this. i'm going to fall off. i think this is just too dangerous. i mean, it breaks my heart, ijust... i think you will have to carry on without me. but the local guides come up with an idea. well done. 0k.

i am so thrilled that despite my injuries, thanks to the endurance and kindness of these guys, i am able to see this amazing scenery. primary forests are the most bio—diverse terrestrial ecosystems anywhere on the planet. forests are not only vital in mitigating climate change, the botanists hope to find plants with untold potential. they get to work collecting specimens. we don't know what it is. it could be a philodendron. beautiful.

one of the local guides believes that he has chanced on something extraordinary. this, we actually don't know exactly what it is. it could be something new. we are the first botanists collecting in this area. so basically every single collection is a new report for science in this area. the scientists will take the cuttings to the laboratory for further examination, in kew. beyond the fact that it is

scientifically interesting, what does it mean to find new species like this in a remote forest? in a country like this, unusually biodiverse, we still do not know how many species are out there. we are estimating in colombia we have about 30,000 species, but still probably 6,000 new species to be discovered. so you think that there are new species out here in these forests that could actually vanish before they are even discovered? yes, absolutely. and we still don't know the uses of many species. some of the species could have the properties to cure important diseases for humans. and so as biologists, as botanists, we need to understand as much as possible as quick as possible of this amazing biodiversity. this is like a supermarket, or a pharmacy, and we don't know it, we don't appreciate the forest. 0ur quality of life relies on the preservation of these environments.

in the fight to save the forests, the colombian government has extended its protection to millions of acres of land. the army launched 0peracion artemisa in 2019 to combat illegal logging. colonel hermida has a thousand troops deployed in the area. what effect has this had on deforestation here?

but this can't really apply to the whole of colombia because deforestation is continuing throughout the country. even here, they are still doing it. this region, colonel, seems very secure, very peaceful but of course in the past, it wasn't like that. do you worry that if they don't find proper alternatives for people 00:15:44,918 --> 2147483051:44:37,174 to make a living, that this region 2147483051:44:37,174 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 will go back to conflict?