era ▁Occ ident al ▁and ▁Cord ill era ▁Central ▁in ▁the ▁northern ▁And es . ▁These ▁ranges ▁create ▁a ▁rain ▁shadow , ▁which ▁makes ▁the ▁C au ca ▁Valley ▁d rier ▁than ▁the ▁surrounding ▁for ests . ▁The ▁C au ca ▁Valley ▁dry ▁for ests ▁lie ▁below ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁meters ▁elev ation ; ▁the ▁higher ▁s lop es ▁are ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁distinct ▁C au ca ▁Valley ▁mont ane ▁for ests . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁these ▁for ests ▁have ▁been ▁cleared ▁for ▁agricult ure ▁over ▁the ▁years ▁making ▁it ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁crit ically ▁end anger ed ▁e cor eg ions ▁in ▁Colombia . ▁ ▁Lag una ▁de ▁Son so ▁Nature ▁Reserve ▁has ▁a ▁small ▁area ▁of ▁protected ▁forest . ▁ ▁E col ogy ▁▁ ▁The ▁e cor eg ion ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁T umb esian - And e an ▁Valle ys ▁D ry ▁For ests ▁global ▁e cor eg ion , ▁which ▁holds ▁six ▁terrest rial ▁e cor eg ions : ▁T umb es - Pi ura ▁dry ▁for ests , ▁E cuador ian ▁dry ▁for ests , ▁Pat ía ▁Valley ▁dry ▁for ests , ▁Mag dal ena ▁Valley ▁dry ▁for ests , ▁C au ca ▁Valley ▁dry ▁for ests ▁and ▁Mar añ ón ▁dry ▁for ests . ▁ ▁The ▁fa una ▁and ▁fl ora ▁of ▁the ▁global ▁e cor eg ion ▁have ▁high ▁levels ▁of ▁en dem ism . ▁ ▁Flora ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁plant ▁communities ▁are ▁open ▁wood land , ▁decid uous ▁dry ▁forest