Strengthen indigenous conservation capacity in perus yura, inuya, and sepahua watersheds in order to protect threatened ecosystems, endangered species and habitats, and the way of life of the…

Strengthen indigenous conservation capacity in perus yura, inuya, and sepahua watersheds in order to protect threatened ecosystems, endangered species and habitats, and the way of life of the settled and isolated indigenous tribes who live there. These rivers provide access to the 10-million-hectare purs manu landscape, which contains some of the most remote and least disturbed forests in the entire amazon basin. However, all three watersheds are critically threatened by road construction, illegal logging, and land trafficking facilitated by the logger-narco mafia that has aggressively moved into these remote lowland forests over the past few years. We will work with perus parks service, sernanp, indigenous federations and associations, and individual communities on measures that will promote more effective community vigilance, improved protected area management, species conservation, sustainable resource use, and adaptation to climate change. Objectives and activities include: (1) strengthen the vigilance capacity of eight strategically-located communities by providing equipment, conducting regular patrols, and introducing the smart monitoring technology (2) improve the management effectiveness of the yura communal conservation concession through vigilance and administration training, and patrols to identify populations of rare and endangered species (3) implement new management plans for four community lakes focused on providing sustainable income and food production while protecting the endangered arapaima fish (arapaima gigas) and (4) work with two indigenous conservation associations to promote long-term conservation of vulnerable species and habitats through reforestation of palm trees with economic potential, protection of endangered migratory catfish, and developing strategies for climate change adaptation and resilience. This project builds on progress made over the past 18 months with support from USFWS and other donors. Our focus will be emergency measures identified in collaboration with protected area managers and indigenous leaders to prevent continued deforestation and habitat degradation while promoting long-term conservation of one of the most remarkable wilderness areas left on earth.