Andean Trails is helping to tackle the problem head on.
We’ve paid for the provision of 3,500 native polylepis trees to replant in the high Valleys of the Peruvian Andes. Local organisers and volunteers head, each year, to the local mountain range to plant locally grown polylepis saplings.
This brings great benefits to the community. The project is run locally by ECOAN (Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos), all money stays in the local economy and valleys are reforested.
There are 19 species of Polylepis native to the Peruvian Andes. They are found at altitude between 1800 and 5100 m. The mountains have suffered deforestation for firewood and industry, leaving seriously depleted ecosystems. This woodland is vital for biodiversity, carbon sink and to highland ecosystems for water regulation and soil conservation.
In 2018, ECOAN (Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos) and GFC (Global Forest Generation) came together to found Acción Andina. Together they have facilitated over 20 separate projects in the high Andes. This has involved over 25,000 local people in reforesting over 5,000 hectares with Andean woodlands and protecting over 11,250 hectares of existing forest.
Over 200 local communities in the high Andes of the Cusco area have benefited. Economic prospects have improved as a result of activities such as: reforestation, forest preservation, establishment of micro-businesses, access to healthcare, installation of water collection systems, adoption of clean-burning clay stoves, use of solar panels, and formalisation of land titles.
In 2023, Acción Andina was awarded the prestigious Earthshot Prize. This award, initiated by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, recognises their efforts in addressing the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
In Peru, deforestation of the Andes and the Amazon and the loss of most of the major glaciers pose a risk of a serious shortage of water.
By working to reforest areas, Andean Trails and ECOAN hope to be able to be part of a sustainable tourism movement.
Hopefully, this will show that tourism in Peru can be run in as sustainable a way possible to ensure the amazing places we travel through can be enjoyed for many generations to come.
As important is that the local communities genuinely get to benefit from our travelling through their backyards.
Please contact us if you would like more information about how to get involved.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Get in Touch
+44 (0)131 378 5593
+44 (0)131 554 6025
info@andeantrails.co.uk
M. Boerman, Galapagos Land-based tour, May 2024 We loved the wildlife - learning about Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands during the planning of this trip did not prepare me for really being able to see so much diversity in the ecosystems. All the locals we interacted with were very welcoming and friendly. The food was fabulous and hotels were beautifully located and well maintained. We chose Andean Trails because I Googled “eco travel to Galapagos Islands” and Andean Trails came up as one with the best reviews. Kat, I know I have said thank you but really THANK YOU, your attention to details and fine tuning of our trip were wonderful! You were a pleasure to work with for so many years and you gave us the best vacation we could have asked for. Like most of our tour guides they can't guarantee what we will see or experience but I think we checked off all our boxes with this vacation. >> Galapagos Land Based Tour 2024
Sue Ormiston, Peru Highlights, Inca Trail, and Amazon, May 2024 The holiday was fantastic overall. Thanks for all your help. We've had a great time! There were two highlights: the first was finishing the Inca Trail and seeing Machu Picchu. And the second was the trip to Tambopata Research Centre in the Amazon Rainforest. Food everywhere was very good. Guides everywhere were excellent, especially the guide at Colca Canyon. (Elar), Elvis at Lake Titicaca, the Inca Trail (Felipe) and at Tambopata (Boris). Overall organisation was excellent. Everything worked smoothly, like clockwork! Andean Trails was recommended to us by a friend. The places we chose to visit because they all sounded amazing and they were!
Sue Ormiston » Peru Highlights Holiday
