“One of the primordial conditions for survival among all the living creatures in the Amazon is inter-dependency. As our ancestral people learned and transmited, the key to health and welfare is found in attaining the reciprocal relationships on all levels, whereby the mutual environmental and social benefits are allowed to develop in a sustainable manner”.
The Fundacion Amazonica por la Reciprocidad - FAR (English translation - "Foundation for Amazonian Reciprocity") is a non profit organization based in Madre De Dios, located in the south-east Amazon of Perú, established in early 2008 by a group of Peruvian profesionals that, since1995 have worked for the earth, water, culture and sustainable development of the Peruvian Amazon. This team of environmentalists have joined their experiences, thereby strengthening the ability to facilitate the welfare between society and the environment.
¿Where do we act? (Escenario)
The Amazonian rainforest of South America is considered the lungs of the Earth because of its oxygen contribution to life; it is the most important fresh water source of the South American continent, containing the greatest biological diversity of the planet. The forest of Madre De Dios, the Amazonian region in Southeastern Peru, still holds the potential to maintain its biodiversity and cultural potentials.
Since the foundation in 1902 of the regional capital, Puerto Maldonado, the immigrant population has largely involved itself in extractive activities of the regions resources supplying the demands of the western economies. This has devastated great tracts of Amazonian rainforest into degraded land by deforestation and contaminating the rivers with the residuals of gold mining (mercury) and hydrocarbon exploration.
The effects of this environmental damage also affects the Amazonian Indigenous populations, causing a social rupture in the cultural traditions that brings their people to devastate their own natural resources in exchange for ridiculously low prices to supply international markets for wood, taking them into a ‘circle of poverty’ that is very difficult to revert.
For these reasons, our projects are directed to the conservation of biodiversity; to cultural rescue and restoration; to promoting sustainable development - all representing great challenges for the people who are committed to a healthy Amazon.
It is important to be conscious of this degrading environmetal and cultural situation, as it is only from this reality, from which we working as FAR, can develope the projects in coordination with our alliances. Together we can contribute to the solution of this regional emergency, in search of solutions for the environmental and human well-being in the Amazon; and by implication -worldwide.
Philosophy of work
- FAR promotes, through its programs and projects, interactive/integral mechanisms able to reach the task of conserving the biological and cultural diversity of the Amazon. FAR expands this capability to reach the goals by interrelating its strategic alliances and the actors of the field.
- When summarizing the independent experiences of its team (directors and alliances), FAR focuses its energy, resources and total dedication, to find and develop real solutions for the environmental and cultural crisis of the Peruvian Amazon.
- Understanding the difficulties to involve the local people in sustainable management of their natural resources, when presenting them medium and long term resource management and conservation alternatives as viable way to improve their live standars (in a social context of extreme poverty and in front of an increasing corporative pressure over the natural resources), we present programs and projects with a solid social context understanding and an updating scientific base, able to contribute significally to change the attitude of land use into a rentable/sustainable one, whose goal consists in gaining the mutual benefits (reciprocity) between the society and its environment in a real way.
- FAR’s commitment with the Amazon is reflected in our actions, executed with environmental and social basis, improved with updated science advances, and developed by the interaction of our strategic alliances (foraign and local actors).
- We measure our progresses by summarizing the products/results of our activities. We believe in the ability to improve these initial advances into Amazonian development models, by reaching the selve sustainability.
- Since the beginning of FAR as a Foundation, its board directors working team found real alternatives to protect the fragil habitats of important "key species" in the Amazon; to save endangered species from extinction; to conservate the water cuality, and the cultural values, by focusing in protecting great extensions of Amazonian territories, assuring its sustainable management and the welfare of the local people involved in the process. In the following lines we present some successful advances in the protection of the biodiversity that FAR and its strategic alliances a able to make real:
- FAR is the responsable institution for the Peruvian government to be in charge of the sustainable management of the ‘Shihuahuaco (Iron Wood tree) Conservation Concession', an area of 500 hectares designated to protect Mauritia Palm swaps and Shihuahuaco forests.
- FAR is responsable, same wise, to be in charge of the sustainable management of the 'Harpy Eagle Reforestation Concession', an area of 1700 hectares with pristine forests and of Brazilian Nut, Ceiba and Shihuahuaco Trees.
- FAR, in alliance with 'Madre Selva Consultores', works to summarize 4 Reforestation Concessions in Las Piedras River into similar management projects, to be able to conserve a total area of 10000 hectares of pristine Amazonian rainforests.
- FAR is assesing/assembling (asesorando) an amazing association of 50 Brazil Nut productors (50000 hectares, producing 250000 kilos of nuts a year) that because of not finding rentability in their activity (the local prizes for the nut are misserable, as well as their live standars), their reality press them even to log their trees and alloud gold miners to contaminate with mercury (attempting with those wildlife sanctuaries), or finding fair trade markets to increase their rentabilities until they become self sustainable to develop their own industries.
- For each working area we have designed projects able to aloud the sustainable development and the local people's welfare when being involved in the process. We suggest you to read the programs and projects in the next pages.
- We believe that in order to obtain permanent changes in the relation society - environment, the inhabitants of the forest should find real benefits (economic and welfare) when being directly involved in the management and management of the biodiversity.
- FAR is integrated by people who live in the Amazon and worked in many different regional activities, as a requirement to understand how to design real alternatives for sustainable development among the Peruvian Amazon realities. From here, we interact in good relationships with the civil society of the city and the field, with local governments and institutions.
Our vision and mission:
Even when it is difficult to revert the Amazonian problematic, the Madre De Dios’ forest present still possibilities to be rescued from the imminent danger of loosing its natural potentials. Madre De Dios is able to become a fountain of biological and cultural diversity for the humanity.
In order to heal the problem since its beginning, FAR and its alliances should be able to promote in the local population the development of ecologically viable economic activities, as alternatives for sustainable land use.
The motor of this vision is that it does exist more people in the field interested in practicing alternative land uses to the traditional one (agriculture of foreign crops that involve forest fires and deforestation), whenever these activities have access to commercial markets (Fair trade markets in preference). This group of people constitute, in our understanding, the strongest colum/pilar to realize this change towards the true sustainable development in the Amazon.
FAR makes a call to all the people, institutions and organizations that work for environmental education, culture, conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development, to interrelate our efforts in order to facilitate wining the tasks to these aims.
FAR’s mission is to contribute to the conservation of the biodiversity, the cultural revalorization and the sustainable development in the Peruvian Amazon, until real changes bring back the environmental health and the social welfare. We believe that uniting our believes into a solid vision of reciprocity among the Amazonian inhabitants, then we would have an important key to share with the hole world, for the benefit of our children's children.
I order to make this 'dream' come true, FAR has designed integral programs and projects able to contribute to this cause, that need to be financed for its development. All the projects of FAR are planned to obtain the self-sustainability as one of their goals.
FAR is a Foundation created and directed by Peruvian professionals who live in Madre De Dios region and work since 1995 in the conservation of fauna and flora species and their habitats; FAR and its alliances are responsible for the management of large private ecological reserves (concessions). We encourage reforestation and agro-forestry activities in the region; we are precursors of environmental interpretation, fish farming, scientific research for conservation, the rescue of endangered species. We contribute to the cultural valuation in the Amazon through concrete actions such as environmental education in native communities, schools, universities and foreign visitors.
Antonio Fernandini-Guerrero
President of FAR, Antonio’s love for the Amazon and its people was originated in his early efforts to safe the endangered Harpy eagle, mythical creature that guided Antonio trough native and agriculture communities in the Peruvian Rainforest since 1995. At that time Antonio initiated his learning with Amazonian master plants, that teach him to see with a greater clarity the environmental and social solutions to achieve universal welfare.As retribution to the Harpy eagles and its forest, Antonio created the first private conservation reserve, a 500 ha piece of almost undisturbed rainforest land, dedicated to protect the eagle’s main habitats as the Mauritia palm and high lands forests. In the same way Antonio have managed to establish 1700 hectares of protected land (a Reforestation concession) to be enriched with Iron Wood, Ceiba and Brasilian Nut trees, main trees used by the Harpy eagles to nest.
Since 2004, Antonio is building inside its community “The Amazon Eagle Centre-Sowewankeri”, which is a place to promote the conservation and sustainable management of the Amazon Rainforest through developing viable economic projects as the “communal sustainable development” with the communities along the inter oceanic highway. Besides these projects, Antonio works in the revalorisation of ancestral Amazonian cultures supporting the Madre de Dios Native Federation (FENAMAD).
Augusto Mulanovich
Besides studying biology, Augusto has a Forest Engineer degree from the National Agrarian University in Lima and an MSc degree in Forest and Nature Conservation from Wageningen University in the Netherlands thanks to the grand given by the Russell E. Train-WWF Scholarship.
Pierina Carranza-Ramos
Licence in tourism and acquainted with the tourism circuits in Andes and Peruvian Coast, Pierina arrived to the Madre de Dios Jungle following her love for nature and adventure sports. Starting as rafting and hiking guide in the Inka land of Cusco, she became Amazon field guide specialising in birdwatching and river navigating security.
Since she became a mother, Pierina has stared promoting the indigenous women capacities for the creation of ethnic fashion clothes. “Etnika” Pierinas clouding and art shop, works together with local indigenous woman in clouding confection. Also, the store supports local handicraft artist by promoting its creations.
Giancarlo Barbieri-Noce
Fishing Engineer, since 2001 Gicancalo is dedicated to the research and conservation of water resources of the Peruvian Amazon.
He’s actual work is to monitor and register the water quality in rivers, streams and lakes of the Madre de Dios Region and to determine its level of contamination. Complementary, Giancarlo is working in creating projects to mitigate the negative effects of contamination and recover water systems. Its projects involve generating social and environmental welfare for the local populations by creating commercial fish farms to provide cheap and good quality protein to the local poor.
Carlos left its research of the Peruvian marine resources and its voto the Antarctica to migrate to Madre de Dios Jungle to work on natural resources conservation, environmental education, reforestation and agro-forestry. With an academic degree in Biology, Carlos is actually working with productive alternatives to the traditional agriculture (timber and burn the land) with is realized in the zone, Carlos is also promoting reforestation programs of species in danger like cedar and mahogany in association with economic crops.Cecilia Morón
Cecilia is an professional in animal and farming production; she worked as a manager in programs for the good uses of the land, like the organic production of vegetables, the reproduction of blue egg producer hems, environment education with small farm animals for the local people. Also she worked for ecotouristic companies of the area and now she is promoting the local uses of tropical fruits.
Yude “Jimmi” Valera
Jimmi is born in Madre De Dios, he knows about the forest, its rivers and people. He is a ranger working in the brazil nut collection, he has many useful skills like boat motorist, chef, forest guide, forest paramedic, assistant of investigation and documentary projects at Tambopata river. He was field director of the Amazon eagles conservation project since 1998. Following his father’s legacy, Jimmi made himself a master of constructions, he made the buildings at the Amazon eagle centre ‘Sowewankeri’ and other constructions for lodges in Tambopata and Manu. In order to achieve the proposed goals in each working area, FAR invites any person or institution interested in the Amazon conservation to participate actively in our team, by joining your sponsoring efforts with our projects to develop them and be able to help solving environmental problems like deforestation, forest fires, pollution of water resources, loss of biodiversity and genetic potential of the Amazon. The Programs and Projects designed by FAR, constitute strategies and actions that work in a complementary way to achieve the goals and common objectives. However, these projects require financial support from active partners who agree to work for these challenges to humanity.
Next, we introduce you to the FAR projects, which have been structured into five groups. You can be part of the FAR working team as a 'promoter member' in any of them. We invite you to participate.
If you need more information please contact us at faramazonia@gmail.com
I. BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION PROJECTS
These are programs and projects whose purposes are to preserve the endangered Amazonian species and recover their wild populations, using protection, sustainable management and conservation strategies. These projects have been generated by FAR and developed coordinately through the active participation of our alliances and promoters around the world.
@ AMAZON EAGLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM (Alliance FAR ↔ Amazon Eagle Centre 'Sowewankeri')
This program was created to save the Amazonian endangered eagle populations in 1994. Through all this years it grew into a conservation program with four projects to develop:
1- Eagle keeper Project (Proyecto 'Cuidante de águilas'): directed to save eagles in rural communities and Brazil nut concessions.2- ‘Amazon eagles rescue Center' Project: directed to create a management area to rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce wounded eagles into their natural habitats.
3- 'Guidelines for the conservation of eagles in Permanent Production Forests of Peru' Project: This project is intended to protect eagles and their nest sites in large areas of Peruvian jungle, designed by the government to logging (2 million hectares just in Madre De Dios).
4- 'Amazon Eagles and the Last Dreamers’ Filming project: directed to valorize ancestral knowledge about Amazonian eagles.
@ TARICAYA TURTLE CONSERVATION PROJECT
(Alliance FAR ↔ PARET PERU and FENAMAD).
Directed to rescue and rehabilitee the Taricaya turtle populations, endangered by over-exploitation and gold mining activities in rivers, with the native people participation (Children in the community Schools) to reintroduce gained little turtles into their habitats.
@ AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION PROGRAM (FAR projects)
The water is the most important natural resource in the World; the Amazon basin is the most important fountain of fresh water. Nevertheless the rivers are receiving great impacts through gold-mining activities, forestry, agriculture, animal farming and intensive fishing when working without environmental care, which is the common way to develop those activities in Madre De Dios.
FAR designed 3 projects directed to reduce the water impacts.
1- River edge reforestation Project:
2- Communal Fish Farming Project:
3- Water-bodies quality Monitoring Project:
II. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROMOTING PROJECTS
These are programs and projects that involve the sustainable management and conservation of large areas of Amazon forest, whose main purposes are to promote sustainable development and environmental welfare in the Peruvian Amazon. The goal of FAR, in collaboration with its alliances/promoters, is to achieve sustainable management and conservation in 100 000 hectares (247 000 acres) of Amazon Rainforests in the first 5 years of work, since 2009. Likewise, these projects promote social welfare and encourage environmental identity in the local populations involved in the process.
@ ‘ENVIRONMENTAL COMPENSATION FUNDS FOR FOREST CONSERVATION TO COMMUNAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT' PROGRAM
It is a framework program designed to manage large extensions of Amazonian Rainforest, by the interaction of environmental sponsors and local development initiatives
@ 'IRON WOOD TREE (SHIHUAHUACO) CONSERVATION CONCESSION'
(FAR ↔ Amazon Eagle Center ‘Sowewankeri’)
It is an endangered 500 hectares Forest, with Maurithia Palm Swamps and Iron Wood trees, that protect the closest wildlife to the Capital of Biodiversity in Peru, Puerto Maldonado. If you are interested in helping FAR being able to save this amazing wildlife refuge, please contact us.
@ ‘HARPY EAGLE REFORESTATION CONCESSION’ PROJECT
Directed to manage 1700 hectares of pristine Amazonian Rainforest in the Las Piedras river, that is endangered by ilegal timber activity. Don't loose the opportunity to help us saving one of the last virgin forests in South America, while you are contributing with the development of very interesting conservation (amazonian eagles reintroduction), reforestation and helth projects.
@ 'BRAZIL NUT CONCESSIONS IN THE PARIAMANU AND LAS PIEDRAS RIVERS'
(Alliance FAR ↔ Brazil Nut Collector Association of Pariamanu and Las Piedras)
This project is directed to create in the Brazil nut forests an alternative to timber and gold-mining activities, by making their Nut collection activity more productive, focused to reach Fair Trade Markets.
@ ‘HOUSES OF KNOWLEDGEMENT’ PROJECT
FAR promoting the Alliance of all the institutions in Madre De Dios, to teach and train the local how to generate sustainable economical activities as alternatives to deforestation and forest fires along the roads borders.
III. CULTURAL RESCUE AND VALUE PROJECTS
These projects are directed to rescue and value the ancestral knowledge among the indigenous cultures in the Madre De Dios region. The projects are also focused into encouraging the Amazonian identity among the local people.
@ RECIPROCITY PROJECT (FAR)
FAR and some alliances found some properties in the Pueblo Viejo (Old Town) in the Puerto Maldonado city (the capital of Madre De Dios region). The main purpose of being close to each other is to build an Environmental Interpretation Center (Butterfly house, Fish aquarium, exotic plant gardens, etc.) to promote the values of the Amazon, to promote sustainable development activities and also environmental education to schools, colleges and universities.
@ ‘INTERCULTURAL MEETING WEEK IN MADRE DE DIOS’ Project.
(FAR Alliance ↔ FENAMAD, AMAZONIAN UNIVERSITY OF MADRE DE DIOS).
@ ‘THE AMAZONIAN FARMACY OF DON IGNACIO DURI’
Draft publication project: We want to encourage the Ayahuasca Master Don Ignacio to transmit all his knowledge of the Amazonian medicine plants by writing a book about his live experiences.
IV. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROJECTS
These are projects directed to promote the environmental education among the local people in Schools, city, universities and institutions, to enforce the Amazonian identity and reduce the social impacts to environment.
@ PET HEALTH Project
(Alliance FAR ↔ Saving Dogs Association)
This Project is directed to heal pets in the city, to promote animal care among the local people. We understand this is the best way to concern them about wild animals and their habitats.
@ REFORESTATION OF THE ‘CAPITAL OF BIODIVERSITY (Puerto Maldonado city)’
(FAR ↔ Community Alliance of Pueblo Viejo)
@ ‘BUTERFLY HOUSE AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION CENTER’ project. (FAR project)
V. OPERATIONAL PROJECTS
@ FAR OPERATION BASIS Project:
FAR is a new Foundation created with the personal efforts of its founders. Till now we’ve been able to buy a property at the community of Pueblo Viejo (the first town/city of the region, 1902), a strategic place to build the operational base of FAR in the Peruvian Amazon.
Nevertheless, we don’t have funds to construct the offices required to direct our operations. That is why we need the financial assistance that you can give to this cause pleasantly.
For your generous financial support, FAR would recognize you as a promoter of the office construction project, with a certificate and information about its development.
For more information about the construction work and its budget, please contact us directly to faramazonia@gmail.com.
@ FAR FIELD STATION Project: Thanks to Lorenzo Delpani's donation of the 50 hectaries farm in the Loboyoc Comunity, FAR is located in an excelent place nearby the interoceanic road that comes from Brasil, to promote since this Field Station, the sustainable development among the community neighborgs as economic-ecological alternatives to deforestation and forest fires. This property is located between the Sowewankeri Amazon Eagle (www.sowewankeri.com), The Native Community of Puerto Arturo and the Iron Wood (Shihuahuaco) Conservation Concesion. FAR invites you to be part of this chalenge to create a development model along the forest roads in the peruvian Amazon, by developing:- The ecological integral Farm project- Nursery trees project- Fish farming project
If you have interest to collaborate with FAR and its cause, please, do not hesitate to contact us to the following email address faramazonia@gmail.com .We will provide you more information about FAR, its projects, and also how to add your efforts with ours to realize our goals.
Your donations will provide the "seed money" needed to bring the projects into reality. You can make your generous contribution in FAR´s bank account, or by emailing to faramazonia@gmail.com to share more options. We are working to facilitate the donations by performing the operations on-line.
Our donors and supporters will be recognized by FAR in a very meaningful way that supports the project and vision they represent.
With your help and together, we can achieve biodiversity conservation, cultural revaluation and sustainable development in the Peruvian Amazon.
Contact us for more information to: faramazonia@gmail.com