Purús Communal Reserve, Nature reserve in Madre de Dios and Ucayali regions, Peru

The Purús Communal Reserve is a protected area of 202,033.21 hectares in the Amazon, split between the Purús district of Ucayali Region and the Iñapari district of Tahuamanu province, Madre de Dios Region. Its forests hold mahogany and woody bamboos such as paca (Guadua weberbaueri) and marona (Guadua sarcocarpa), with over 20 forest species identified. A buffer zone of 222,423.11 hectares surrounds it.

The reserve was established by the Peruvian government in 2004 to combat illegal logging and wildlife poaching in the Amazon region. The creation responded to increasing threats facing the forest and its inhabitants.

The reserve is home to the Cashinahua people, who live in the Purús and Iñapari districts of Ucayali and Madre de Dios. The area is a communal reserve, a category that lets local communities use forest resources sustainably while protecting biodiversity. Visitors may notice the use of woody bamboos such as paca and marona, which grow alongside mahogany stands.

Access to the area is managed by the National Service of Natural Protected Areas through control posts staffed by trained indigenous park rangers. Visitors should plan ahead since the location is remote and requires special arrangements.

The reserve's forests hold mahogany stands and woody bamboos such as paca (Guadua weberbaueri) and marona (Guadua sarcocarpa), with over 20 forest species identified. Its buffer zone covers 222,423.11 hectares, wider than the reserve itself.