Protection zone in a forest concession
Wilderness International Peru is the official guardian of the protected zone of a fort concession
Since September 2022, Wilderness International Peru has been the official guardian of the protection zone of the forest concession of the company Maderera Lazo SRL (contract no. 17-TAM/C-J-AD-01-04). The protection of this area is of great importance because it borders our other protected areas and is also located in the buffer zone of the Tambopata National Reserve. However, this is not a protected area in our possession that is refinanced with donations.
We believe that concessions such as these must be respected and protected from indiscriminate encroachment and illegal land trade. This is because these are areas that the state has legally ceded to the private sector for various economic purposes. Furthermore, these are areas of the Amazon rainforest that are not only important for the conservation of endangered species, but also provide a range of environmental services to Peruvian citizens and all people of the world, including the mitigation of climate change that is currently negatively impacting so many people.
What is the protection zone of a forest concession?
In Peru, concessions are awarded for selective logging. However, every forestry concession must also include a protection zone that may not be logged. This has a particularly high value for the preservation of biodiversity and the health of the ecosystem.
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Acute threat from illegal logging and land trade
A few months ago, we discovered that the protected area of the concession in question had been invaded by the "Valle Verde" and "Los Angeles" associations. Part of the forest area had been cut down, temporary shelters had been erected and food had been planted. In combination with forged papers, the aim was to obtain ownership of the land from the government in order to be able to sell it on.
We are therefore now supporting the owner (Maderera Lazo SRL) in stopping the illegal logging and preventing further damage. In the course of this, we have repeatedly explained to the intruders that the land they are occupying and clear-cutting does not belong to them and that they have no right to use it.
We have informed the members of the associations of the protected status of the area through information posters, and our forest guardian have verbally and peacefully informed those involved of the illegality of their activities as soon as the invasion was detected. WIPERU provided the invaders with written and duly signed official notices about the area. They were asked to leave the area peacefully.
Violent clashes
As they did not comply with these requests, we lodged official complaints against them. However, they did not comply with repeated requests to leave the area and remained in the area despite the lack of a legal basis. They also have weapons and use violence: Although our Forest Guardians are marked with vests bearing the name and logo of our institution, they were attacked during their tours and suffered injuries that had to be treated in hospital. One of the shelters of the forest guardians was burned down.
Public prosecutor's office and police take action
That's why we went to court to file the corresponding lawsuits. And we applied for the necessary bans to protect the forests of the Lazo concession. As a result, the police, with the approval of the public prosecutor's office, carried out operations and destroyed the structures that had been erected and the plants that had been grown, which the invaders are now calling "abuse".
WI Peru: local, non-profit organization for environmental protection
We would like to emphasize that WIPERU is not a profit-oriented company, but an association for the protection of the environment. We are on friendly terms with many local farmers who practice sustainable agriculture, and together we carry out agroforestry projects that make it possible to secure a livelihood without destroying nature on a large scale.
We reject any behavior that harms the environment under the guise of healthy agriculture, especially in areas we are charged with protecting.
We also reject demonstrations against our institution or our cooperation partners that aim to legitimize illegal activities in this or any other concession in Madre de Dios.
For further information, please use the following contact details:
Dr. Christopher Kirkby
Chairman of the Management Board
Wilderness International Peru - WIPERU
Pasaje Las Crisnejas Lot 11
Puerto Maldonado
Madre de Dios
E-Mail: chris.kirkby@wilderness-international.org
Whatsapp: +51 993915158
Jorge Pantigoso Lobón
Lawyer for WIPERU
Legal address: Jr. Gonzales Prada 1056
Puerto Maldonado
Madre de Dios