The indigenous communities living near the Andes in South America were united by the desire to restore the forests high in the mountains. Home to many unique animal species, it has suffered massive losses as a result of human activity. The indigenous people decided to protect the local ecosystem by planting hundreds of thousands of trees there every year.
The Andes, located in South America, are the longest mountain ranges in the world. It has reached the viewing distance of nine thousand kilometers. The vast area is home to many unique species of animals, including spectacled bears, cougars and the Andean condor. The slopes of the mountains more than five thousand meters above the sea level are covered with polylepis plants, which are the only plants that grow in such conditions. These include trees that play an important role in the regional ecosystem. The water they retain from clouds and melting glaciers is slowly released through the spongy moss, thus feeding mountain streams and eventually the springs of the Amazon River.
Unfortunately, this unique world is mercilessly losing the fight against human activity. As the American station CNN notes, as a result of the destruction of the forest and construction, only 500 thousand hectares of land remained, which is about 1-10 percent of the original area. Thus, the forest lost its natural barrier against flooding and soil erosion and threatened the safety of people living in the foothills of the Andes.
However, in recent years there have been initiatives to restore the damaged ecosystem. One of them was developed by Constantino Aucca Chutas, a Peruvian biologist whose grandparents were farmers from the indigenous Quechua community.
– As a child, I grew up near the rivers, I was fascinated by the creatures and the beauty of this nature. “I thought it would be nice if we could pass this on to future generations,” he told CNN.
Aucca Chutas is the co-founder of the Accion Andina project, which aims to restore mountain forests and protect the local communities that depend on them. Although initially the activities took place only in Peru, now the initiative has spread to Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Colombia. Within it, more than one million hectares of Andean forest should be restored by 2045.
“United for one tree”
The co-author of the initiative explained to CNN that concern for the environment has deep roots in the nature of the Incas. The indigenous tribes believe in the concept of “Ainy and Minka”, which involves working for the common good.
– We were united for the first time in the Andes during the Inca Empire. For the second time, we united in the struggle for independence. This is the third time we have united. United for one tree – said Aucca Chutas.
An arboricultural festival is held every year in the valleys near the city of Cusco, Peru. After traditional ceremonies that include music and dance, the participants in traditional clothes begin their journey deep into the mountains. They carry young plants of the Polylepis tree with them. In previous years, up to 100,000 beech trees were planted in one day.
In this process, the knowledge of the Incas is invaluable, because Polylepis trees vary according to the region and altitude. In return, Aksion Andina provides assistance to communities, such as providing medical care and installing solar panels to help provide electricity to villages.
– My dream was to plant millions of trees, and I am not going to do it alone, – emphasized the biologist.
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An example for others
The activity of Aksion Andina was highly appreciated internationally. This year, the joint initiative of Aukka Chutasa won the “Land Prize” in the category of “nature protection and restoration”, awarded by Prince William. Two years ago, the Peruvian biologist was hailed by the United Nations as a “Champion of the Earth.”
“This community recovery is an example of how people can come together for nature, create jobs and boost conservation efforts around the world,” Elizabeth Mrema, deputy executive director of UN Environment, told CNN.
Main image source: Shutterstock
