The Laboratory of the second semester of 2017 of the master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Processes focuses on the Negro river basin and in particular on the territorial strip associated with the central axis of the Negro and Pantanillo rivers between the urban area of ​​the El Retiro municipalities and from Rionegro. The East of Antioquia has been viewed for several years as “the second floor of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area” due to the strong pressure generated by the expansion processes of the metropolis towards this territory.

The Negro and Pantanillo rivers are very important sources of water for the municipalities of Rionegro, El Retiro and the entire region. They constitute a hidden treasure threatened by the increasing privatization of their margins, the high rates of suburbanization and deforestation, and the conflicts of use with mining. A challenge for administrations and stakeholders interested in the sustainable development of the territory.