13:39 | London (U.K.), Jan. 16.
The world's most iconic travel guide Lonely Planet highlights Peru's public and private efforts to minimize the carbon footprint left by visitors to the region and restore the forests of the Andean highlands in Cusco.
The environmental project —created and managed by the
National Service for Protected Natural Areas (Sernanp), REI Adventures, Mountain Lodges of Peru, and its NGO Yanapana Peru— is being developed in a sustainable way and with the articulation of diverse actors from the civil society, mainly the population residing in the zones where reforestation will take place.
It should be noted the forest recovery process is carried out with native plant species such as queñua, chachacomo, and tasta (in the Andean area), as well as alder, pacaymono, chalanque, and incense, among others (in the Amazonian area).
According to a press release about the initiative, Mountain Lodges of Peru and Yanapana Peru will look to create a sustainable source of income for the community by establishing a greenhouse in Huacahuasi to supply seedlings for more reforestation campaigns.
The plan is to extend the initiative to the Lares area, creating a wide network of similar efforts.
"We are very proud and excited to have broken ground on this project, especially as concerns are growing for the Andean highlands in relation to climate change, recent fires and erosion," Mountain Lodges of Peru co-founder and manager Enrique Umbert Olazabal said in the press release.
"Our commitment to the protection of this sacred land is a priority and we are confident that the 'One Million Trees for
Machu Picchu' initiative will make a huge impact," Olazabal added.
The campaign was launched on January 9 at Puente Ruinas Municipal Camping sector.
It was led by the President of the Republic Martin Vizcarra who was accompanied by the Minister of Environment Fabiola Muñoz.
Machu Picchu
The Inca citadel's charm always enchants not only Peruvians but also foreign visitors, and is well deserving of its accolade as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
(END) LZD/MAO/MTS/MVB
Published: 1/16/2020