01/04/2005– The Peruvian
government today announced the creation of
one of the largest combined protected areas
and indigenous territories in the world.
WWF, which has been involved in the establishment
of the 2.7 million-hectare Alto Purús
area – nearly the size of Belgium – in the
Amazonian forest, says it is a significant
move in improving protection of indigenous
people.
The global conservation organization stresses
that representatives of the nine indigenous
groups who live there supported the designation
and demarcation of the Alto Purús Reserved
Zone.
The new protected area is also home to rare
animals such as the jaguar, harpy eagle, scarlet
macaw, giant river otter and black spider
monkey.
Furthermore, it is one of the last refuges
for large populations of the highly-valued
big-leafed mahogany.
The Alto Purús Reserved Zone combines
a traditional national park, a communal reserve
for indigenous communities, and a territorial
reserve which will increase protection of
the land rights of the Mashco-Piro, an indigenous
group which has chosen to avoid all contact
with the outside world in order to safeguard
its centuries-old culture.
Indigenous groups living in voluntary isolation
are especially vulnerable to outside pressures,
as well as to diseases for which they have
little resistance.
Alto Purús covers vast expanses of
lowland tropical moist forests, unique flooded
savannas dotted with palm trees, and extensive
bamboo-dominated forests.
While it is relatively undisturbed, development
pressures from cattle ranching, commercial
agriculture, illegal logging, and infrastructure
building are increasing.
WWF believes that the government's decision
to create a special commission which will
oversee the drafting of regulations to respect
and protect the way of life of indigenous
people living in voluntary isolation in the
Peruvian Amazon is a major step in the right
direction.
"We are very happy about the establishment
of the park, communal reserve and special
commission because it will help our communities
better manage their territories according
to the traditions of our ancestors,"
said Fredy Lopez Tranbeca, Chief of the 180-inhabitant
Gasta Bala community in Purús.
With financial and technical support from
WWF, Peru is also reforming its forest concession
bidding processes – all in the Peruvian Amazon.
This has resulted in the allocation of 7.3
million hectares of permanent production forests
– about the size of Ireland – to forest concessionaires
for sustainable management.
It is part of the Peruvian government's efforts
to modernize the country's forest sector by
replacing a socially and economically unsustainable
system of small contracts plagued by illegal
harvesting and corruption with a system of
large forest concessions managed according
to responsible forest management and operations
plans.
WWF also welcomes the creation – by the government
– of a multisector commission against illegal
logging, and hopes it will mitigate the negative
environmental, social and economic impacts
associated with this illicit industry.
"The Peruvian government's commitment
is a critical advance for the conservation
of the country’s biological and cultural diversity,"
said Dr Claude Martin, Director General of
WWF International. "It clearly recognizes
the need for synergy between conservation
and the rights of indigenous people."
In recognition of the Peruvian government’s
leadership in protecting the country’s rich
biological and cultural diversity, WWF today
presented President Alejandro Toledo a "Gift
to the Earth" award, the global conservation
organization’s highest mark of distinction.
NOTES:
1. WWF's "Gift to the Earth" award
is symbolic certificate signed by Dr Claude
Martin. It publicly recognizes an important
conservation achievement by a government,
a company or an individual, and can also serve
as an example, helping encourage similar actions
by others elsewhere. To date, more than 90
"Gifts to the Earth" have been granted
since 1996.
2. The nine indigenous groups who live in
or around the Alto Purús Reserved Zone
are the Cashinahuas, Amahuacas, Sharanahuas,
Chaninahuas, Mastinahuas, Yine, Ashaninkas,
Culinas, and the Mashco-Piro group, the only
one to live in voluntary isolation within
the National Park and the territorial reserve.
The total indigenous population living in
the Province of Purús is estimated
at 2,829 inhabitants. This does not include
the Mashco-Piro. Due to their decision to
maintain isolation, their population number
is not known. Nonetheless, experts estimate
that they may be 200 individuals.
