ACA Supports Conservation and Cultural Heritage at the Indigenous Amarakaeri Reserve

February 21, 2016

At nearly 1 million acres, the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve protects not only vast expanses of tropical forest in one of the most biodiverse regions of the world, but also the cultural heritage and traditional ecological knowledge of the Matsiguenka, Yine and Harakbut indigenous groups who for centuries have called this forest their home.  With support from ACA and its partners, these indigenous groups, living in 10 communities across the region, are working to ensure responsible management of the reserve for years to come.

With ACA’s support, the Shintuya indigenous community is one of 10 communities having an active role in the management and decision-making for their ancestral lands through the process of updating the master plan for the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve.

The communities are in a process with Peru’s National Park Service and other partners to update the reserve’s master plan, the document that guides the management of its natural resources. As part of the planning process, the communities are presenting a cultural map of sacred sites and ancestral landmarks, developed through a previous 10-year effort, with the goal of incorporating them into the master plan of the reserve. Through this process, the community members have an active voice in the management and decision-making for their ancestral lands.

The master plan process is part of a three year project funded by USAID to build capacity of indigenous leaders and communities in conflict resolution and effective reserve management.

To find out more about our work with communities and conservation corridors, visit our website at: www.amazonconservation.org