Cloudy with a chance ofsustainability
ITTO Fellowshipdevelops training
program onutilization andmanagement ofcloud forests in Peru
By Constantino
Aucca Chutas
Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos
caucca@ecoanperu.org
Mr Constantino Aucca Chutas(Peru) received his fellowship in2007 to carry out a lecture/demonstration tour to raise
conservation awareness and train
community people on the use andmanagement of cloud forests in
the Abra Patricia - Alto Nieva
Private Conservation Area in Peru.

Cloud forest: Abra Patricia forest area and surroundings. Photo: W. PalominoT

he Abra Patricia forest region of Peru and its
surrounding areas have remained almost intact fora very long time. There is, however, a void ofscientific information about this region, which is also a very
important watershed of the Mayo and Nieva river valleys.
The Marginal Forest Highway (Carretera Marginal de laSelva) was designed and built during the 1960s. This accessroad was built with the aim of increasing the migration ofsettlers into the pristine forests of the Amazon Region (aspart of the Social and Economic Development Planpromoted by the then President of the Republic, Mr
Fernando Belaúnde Terry, in 19681, ZEE, 2008). To alleviate
their extreme poverty, these new settlers became involved in
logging and shifting agricultural and cattle-raising activities,causing a huge impact in many of these pristine forests(INRENA, 2008). The Alto Mayo Protection Forest (Bosquede Protección de Alto Mayo – BPAM) was established in
1987 over an area of 182 000 ha. Today, there are more than
5400 people illegally settled within the BPAM, endangering
the stability of the management and conservation of thisarea (INRENA, 2008). The Abra Patricia and Alto Nieva
areas are located in the buffer zone of the BPAM (INRENA,2008).

Throughout the Andes, watershed areas as well as forestsand vegetation cover have been degraded, thus affecting
their stability. Deforestation and unsound human activities
have disturbed the natural balance leading to impacts onwater sources such as glaciers, landslides, floods, droughts,etc. The vegetation cover that drains water to various
tributaries flowing into the Pacific and Atlantic basins isbeing increasingly altered, which jeopardizes the existenceof the great Amazon valleys and endangers all the life forms
found in this area.

Against this background, the aim of the study fundedthrough an ITTO fellowship was to analyze the problem ofillegal forest utilization in the area through the exchange of
information and opinions in “multi-participatoryworkshops” that would help provide a real picture of thedifferent implications of proposed management changes on

Climate change, El Niño and other phenomena can lead tomajor natural disasters that represent a large economic loss
for families and governments. Only through extensive
reforestation programs, preferably with native species, andenvironmental education campaigns will it be possible toprevent and mitigate these problems and stop them fromincreasingly affecting our daily lives. Afforestation andreforestation activities can greatly contribute to generateresources for local communities, who will benefit from theimplementation of strategies to alleviate poverty, an everpresent problem in these areas.

1

Forest conservation and rehabilitation through theimplementation of conservation strategies with local

Study objective

8

stakeholders. These multi-participatory workshops
represent a tool that can not only provide the quantitativevalues required to implement the necessary measures, butcan also provide access to the communities and provide
them with the technical information required to gainawareness and work jointly in the efforts to avoid thedeforestation of the area and its consequences. This tool canalso provide information on the needs and expectations ofthese communities.

www.congreso.gob.pe/museo/mensajes/Mensaje-1968-1.pdf

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Sliding away: In the Amazon and Upper Andean regions, landslides and flash floods are now more frequent because the naturalvegetation cover has been severely disturbed by human interventions. Photos: C. Aucca

community involvement is the key to finding a strategic
partner to ensure the future protection of the environment
based on the benefits derived from these actions by the local
population.
The general objective of the study was to facilitate a change
in attitude with a view to decreasing the indiscriminate
logging of forest resources through the implementation ofsound and sustainable practices by the local communities.

Study area
The study area was located in the districts of: Florida
Pomacochas, Yambrasbamba, Shipasbamba, Jazan, SanCarlos and Chisquilla, in the Province of Bongará, AmazonRegion. According to the 2008 NatureServe classification,
the study sites are part of the Andean Moist Forests and,more specifically, belong to the following ecological systems:

CES409.050 Montane rainforest of the Yungas region andCES409-110 Montane rainforest of the Northern Andesregion.

Methodology
The proposed approach was based on participatory
methodologies, so it was decided to implement workshops
where the participants actively contributed to the process ofdeveloping a diagnosis and description of existing problems
through a questionnaire approach. The questionnaire on
preferred forest management objective(s) was distributed tonine communities (adults and primary/secondary schoolstudents) in the study area. A manual for community forest
management and reforestation was developed anddistributed at the workshops to help in analyzing/refining
questionnaire responses. In some cases, in order tocomplement this process, experience-sharing field trips

Integrated management preferredFigure 1

Community responses to questionnaire on preferred forest management objective(s).

302520151050San Lorenzo

Agua Dulce

Pomacochas

Nuevo Gualulo

La UnionOso Perdido

Carrera

DoradoEl Chido

Pastureland management and agroforestry program, soil conservation, cattle-raising, fruit and forest tree nurseries, shade-grown coffee, wind barriers
Forest management and protection, reforestation and its benefits
Conservation of endemic species, flora and fauna, environment
Spatuletail hummingbird, birds, migratory birds
ECOAN activities, dissemination and interest
Overall /no detailed breakdown

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9Planting out: Community reforestation programs in the Pomacochas area, Amazonas. Photo: W. Palomino

were organized for both community leaders and students,
which resulted in a motivational experience for survey
participants. These different processes were based on similar
experiences such as those implemented in Maule, Chile(2008). The results of the questionnaire on preferredmanagement objective are shown in Figure 1 on the previouspage.

Conclusions
Based on the large number of manuals that were handed
out, the total number of participants at the workshops (morethan 2000) was higher than the number of survey responses
that were received for analysis (1208). This could be due tothe fact that there is still a certain level of mistrust among
adults and a greater level of information and cooperation
among children (who were more likely to attend theworkshops).
Adults showed a great interest in the rehabilitation ofhabitats through the implementation of agro-sylvo-pastoralor agroforestry programs, as these will directly benefit thecommunities, together with the technological upgrading ofagricultural activities and reforestation programs. Clearly,
the adult population is more concerned with solving theireconomic problems than environmental problems. There isa general awareness about the negative processes affecting
forests and the environment and the need to curb those
processes, but more information is required throughongoing multi-participatory workshops and watershedmanagement and conservation campaigns, as soil and water
resources are vital elements for these communities.

10

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Forest and biodiversity management and conservation areissues of great importance and impact and should becomplemented with actions such as the establishment ofcommunity forest and fruit tree nurseries. It is necessary toprovide information to the communities so as to make themaware of the need to care for their forests, which should be
supported through long-term programs to help strengthen
their weak economies.
Primary school children are more motivated byemblematic topics and beautiful sights; for example, thespatuletail hummingbird tends to attract a great deal ofinterest since it is emblematic of this region, while moregeneral deforestation and reforestation issues usually draw
a lower level of attention. It is clear that socioeconomic
issues are not a priority for children, although cultural
aspects attract a great deal of interest. Thus, it was concluded
that environmental education should be more extensive at
the primary school level. The conservation issue can beaddressed by avoiding slash-and-burn practices in mountainand forest areas and preventing their pollution based on theslogan: “Let’s keep our forests clean”, and all of this should becomplemented with reforestation activities. In this respect,
there is great optimism among children of their ability tosafeguard the environment implementing solutions whererequired.
Secondary school students are more interested in a higher
level of training and motivation. The spatuletailhummingbird is also their emblematic bird and needs to beprotected through reforestation programs to safeguard its

habitat and avoid practices that can cause damage to theenvironment and forests. Their slogan is “Let´s stop slashingand burning our forests” to promote the protection of forest
areas and prevent their pollution, and this process should behelped through the implementation of reforestation
programs.

INRENA. 2008. Plan Maestro del Bosque de Protección Alto Mayo 2008
– 2013. Lima. 272 pp.
INRENA (National Institute for Natural Resources). 2000. Guía
explicativa del mapa forestal. Lima, Peru.
INRENA (National Institute for Natural Resources). 1995. Guía
explicativa del mapa forestal. Lima, Peru.

Recommendations

Informe Talleres Comunales. Proceso de Actualización ERD Maule2008 – 2020. Así quiero al Maule, puro ñeque, puro corazón. 41 pp.

Regular workshops should be implemented in the future tobreach the information gap and at the same time continue
the analysis and training of these communities. The realityof the students and their responses indicate that they arevery receptive to new information and cultural awareness.

Josse, C., G. Navarro, P. Comer, R. Evans, D. Faber-Langendoen, M.
Fellows, G. Kittel, S. Menard, M. Pyne, M. Reid, K. Schulz, K. Snow, andJ. Teague. 2003. Ecological Systems of Latin America and the Caribbean:
A Working Classification of Terrestrial Systems. NatureServe, Arlington,
VA. Available on line in: http://www.natureserve.org/getData/
LACecologyData.jsp.

The three groups surveyed have shown great motivation in
the area of reforestation, particularly among the heads ofcommunity families (“Comuneros”). The implementation ofthese strategies is of utmost urgency. This is why the issue ofhabitat rehabilitation has been met with great acceptanceand hope and should be incorporated into the different
conservation projects implemented in the Peruvian cloudforests.

Josse,C., G. Navarro, F. Encarnación, A. Tovar, P. Comer, W. Ferreira, F.
Rodríguez, J. Saito, J. Sanjurjo, J. Dyson, E. Rubin de Celis, R. Zarate, J.
Chang, M. Ahuite, C. Vargas, F. Paredes, W. Castro, J. Maco and F.
Arreátegui. 2007. Mapa de Sistemas Ecológicos de la Cuenca Amazónicadel Perú y Bolivia. Memoria Técnica. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia,USA.

References

Mittermeier, R.A., N. Myers and C. G. Mittermeier. 2000. Hotspots:
Earth`s Biologically Richest and most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions.
Conservation International, Washington, DC, USA.
ONERN. 1976. Mapa Ecológico del Perú. Oficina Nacional de Evaluaciónde Recursos Naturales (ONERN), Lima, Peru.

Beck, S. G., P. A. Hernandez, P. M. Jørgensen, L. Paniagua, M. E. Timanaand B. E. Young. 2007. Plantas Vasculares. pp. 18-34. In: B. E. Young(editor), Distribución de las especies endémicas en la vertiente orientalde los Andes en Perú y Bolivia. NatureServe. Arlington, Virginia, USA.
INEI. 2005. Resultados del censo de población y vivienda 2005.

Fellowships awarded
Twenty fellowships were awarded in Autumn 2010. Awardees were:Ms. Bernal Toro, Francia Helena (Colombia); Mr. Borokini, Temitope Israel (Nigeria); Ms. Espiritu Tellow, Estela Marjorie (Peru); Ms.
Forbu, Ntogang Innocentia (Cameroon); Mr. George, Ratu Vuki (Fiji); Mr. Jiofack Tafokou, René Bernadin (Cameroon); Ms. Lamichhane,Sabina (Nepal); Ms. Low, Shook Ling (Malaysia); Mr. Martana, Kadim (Indonesia); Mr. Migolet, Pierre (Gabon); Dr. Mounguengui,Wenceslas Steeve (Gabon); Ms. Nyarko-Duah, Nana Yaa (Ghana); Ms. Padakale, Essotebemime (Togo); Dr. Quattara, Adama (Côted’Ivoire); Mr. Roopsind , Anand Ramotar (Guyana); Ms. Ruiz Osorio, Eugenia Catalina (Colombia); Mr. Shrestha, Pratap Sundar (Nepal);Dr. Singh, Sanjay (India); Mr. Tekpetey, Stephen Lartey (Ghana); Mr. Vargas Oro, Carlos Juan (Panama);
Twenty-five fellowships were awarded in Spring 2011. Awardees were:
Mr. Adefolu, Solomon Olatunji Adefolu (Nigeria); Mr. Ali, Salissou (Togo); Ms. Andeme Ondo, Hortense (Gabon); Ms. Barbosa Herrera,Adriana Paola (Colombia); Mr. Bhatt, Bharat Prashad (Nepal); Mr. Chaudhary, Dinesh Prasad (Nepal); Mr. Chhem, Leang Song (Cambodia);Ms. Ferreira, Mônica Sousa (Brazil); Ms. Gyabaah, Grace (Ghana); Dr. Kouadio, Kouassi (Côte d’Ivoire); Ms. Loayza Cabezas, Sophia
Cristina (Ecuador); Dr. López Castañeda, Arelia Jacive (Mexico); Mr. Mavah, Germain Aimé (Congo, Rep.); Ms. Mbosso Mafomekiet
Fouedjo, Philomène Charlie (Cameroon); Dr. Mohamed, Azmy (Malaysia); Ms. Mokake, Seraphine Ebenye (Cameroon); Mr. Nalvarte
Armas, Jaime Guillermo (Peru); Mr. Paul, Geo Basil (India); Mr. Pereki, Hodabalo (Togo); Mr. Piñon, Albert Arvisu (Philippines); Mr.
Rivera Martin, Luis Eduardo (Colombia); Ms. Sari, Ritta Kartika (Indonesia); Ms. Thwe, Thwe Win (Myanmar); Mr. Tupac Espiritu, HenryAldo (Peru); Mr. Wallace, Robert Flomo (Liberia)

Fellowship applications
The next deadline for applications: 9 March 2012. Proposed activities should begin no sooner than 15 July 2012.
Further details and application forms (in English, French or Spanish) are available at www.itto.int or from Dr. Chisato Aoki, Fellowship Program, ITTO;
Fax 81 45 223 1111; fellowship@itto.int (see page 2 for ITTO’s postal address).

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