Sierra Nevada Technical and Technological Training Center

En Colombia la poca accesibilidad a la educación superior genera una brecha de desigualdad entre sus habitantes. Esta situación es común en el departamento de Magdalena, donde el 74% de la población joven no cuenta con la posibilidad de continuar con sus estudios. El Centro de Formación Técnica y Tecnóloga Sierra Nevada, se ubica a las afueras del municipio de El Banco al sur de dicho departamento. Este proyecto atiende específicamente a dos problemáticas identificadas, como lo son la poca cobertura en zonas apartadas a la capital del departamento y la interrupción del ciclo formativo por la falta de recursos para desplazarse a las instituciones. En este Centro, se provee un espacio para que aproximadamente 1.500 jóvenes de El Banco y municipios cercanos accedan a una educación técnica y tecnóloga, y de esta manera se creen perfiles que se adapten a las necesidades de la región. El diseño del proyecto se desarrolla en un área de 2,82 Ha en cercanías a la vía que comunica a El Banco con Chimichagua. Este incluye, estudios de suelo, hidrológicos, hidráulicos, hidrosanitarios, ambientales y estructurales para el edificio principal, de pavimento rígido para los estacionamientos y de pavimento flexible para la vía interna y externa del Centro. Cuenta con 2 edificios secundarios, cada uno de 350 m2 y 3 niveles para el desarrollo de clases, conferencias, zona de enfermería y gimnasio. Adicionalmente cuenta con una biblioteca, cafetería, cancha de futbol y una cancha múltiple. Una limitación identificada fue la falta de información de estudios de suelo en la zona, por lo que se recurrió al SECOP para la utilización de información de zonas aledañas y de esta manera obtener la estratigrafía y proceder con el diseño de la cimentación. Cabe mencionar, que la ejecución de este proyecto permite proyectar un aumento del dinamismo económico en la zona y como resultado un mejoramiento en la calidad de vida de los habitantes de la región.In Colombia, the lack of accessibility to higher education generates an unequal gap between its inhabitants. This situation is typical in the department of Magdalena, where 74% of the young population are unable to continue their studies. The Sierra Nevada Technical and Technological Training Center is located on the outskirts of the town of El Banco, in the southern part of the department of Magdalena. This project specifically addressed two problems identified, such as the lack of coverage in areas far from the capital of the department and the interruption of the educational program due to the lack of resources to travel to the institutions. This center provides a space for approximately 1,500 students from El Banco and nearby municipalities to access technical and technological education, thus creating profiles that adapt to the needs of the region. The project design is developed in an area of 2.82 hectares near the road that connects the towns of El Banco and Chimichagua. This includes soil, hydrological, hydraulic, hydro sanitary, environmental, and structural studies for the main building, rigid pavement for the parking lots and flexible pavement for the internal and external roads of the Center. It has 2 secondary buildings, each of 350 m2 and 3 levels for the development of classes, conferences, nursery area and fitness center. Additionally, it has a library, a cafeteria, a soccer field, and a multi-purpose court. One limitation identified was the lack of information on soil studies in the area, for which reason SECOP was requested to use information from nearby areas to obtain the stratigraphy and proceed with the design of the foundations. It is important to mention that the execution of this project is expected to increase the economic dynamism of the area and, as a result, improve the quality of life of the region's residents

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora