Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, Nature reserve in Madre de Dios, Peru
The Amarakaeri Communal Reserve encompasses more than 400,000 hectares of rainforest in Madre de Dios, with terrain ranging from river valleys to highland forest areas. Its diverse ecosystems include lowlands, hills, and mountains creating distinct vegetation zones throughout the protected area.
The Peruvian government officially recognized the area as a protected reserve in 2002 after Indigenous communities had advocated for its protection for 18 years. This designation became a turning point for securing ancestral lands and natural resources under community management.
Three Indigenous peoples - Harakbut, Matsiguenka, and Yine - inhabit this territory and continue their ancestral practices within designated zones. Visitors can observe how these communities are interwoven with the forest landscape they manage.
The reserve is managed jointly by ten Indigenous communities through the organization ECA Amarakaeri and the national protected areas authority SERNANP. Access to the area depends on coordination with local communities and understanding the conditions for visiting different zones.
Park rangers and Indigenous patrols employ modern digital tools such as the Mapeo application and drones to monitor the reserve. This combination of traditional knowledge and new technology allows for effective observation and documentation of activities across the protected area.
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