3. Polylepis Forest Corridor Project in Southern Conchucos
The Polylepsis Forest Corridor Project began in early 2005 and will be completed in 2008. Antamina’s Environmental Department and The Mountain Institute are sponsoring this project, with the managerial support of Asociación Ancash and Conservation International (CI). The other partners in this project are ECOAN and de la Puente Kahat Attorneys.
A Preliminary Evaluation has been completed to determine the project’s acceptance by local communities and establish the ecological importance of the areas in terms of biodiversity.
The project represents an international model in environmental and corporate social responsibility for the national and international mining sector, specifically as regards biodiversity conservation as a component of sustainable development.
The short-term objective of the project is to restore and preserve Polylepis forests to develop a corridor to link forests in Conchucos valley, between Huascaran National Park and Huayhuash Reserve in the department of Ancash. We believe that around 200,000 hectares will benefit from the project. Of this area, 50,000 hectares will be directly included in the project. The long-term objective of the project is to develop the necessary skills among participating communities so that they may continue restoring and managing their forests in order for the corridor to continue growing, while economic benefits are derived for the communities, such as new employment opportunities, development of greenhouses, and access to firewood in secondary forests engaged in sustainable development. The main objective of the project is to achieve sustainability through training and long-term commitment.
