One of the locations I am very interested to learn more about during my visit to Peru this summer with Gunnar Englblom and Kolibri Expeditions is the Amarakaeiri Communal Reserve. Located in the department of Madre de Dios between Manu National Park, Tambopata National Reserve, and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, Amarakaeri Communal Reserve was established as recently as 2002 and covers over 400,000 hectares of subtropical humid forest, subtropical rainforest, and cloud forest.
As might be expected, the reserve is reported to contain high level of biological diversity; “reported” that is as far too little research has been done in this area to catalog fully all the many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and plantlife it has the potential to contain. However as is often the case with such biodiversity jewels such as Amarakaeri, it also contains potential sources of revenue for extractive industries such as gold mining and logging – hence there is some tension between the indigenous people to which the reserve is home and those seeking to capitalize on its extractable resources.
Indeed, according to Parks Watch, due to the lack of a strong organizational structure in Amarakaeri , the area is vulnerable not only to the extractive industries but to unregulated tourism as well. While there is considerable work being done among the local population to establish an economy based on eco-tourism (as opposed to logging or gold mining), given the unknown effect of greatly increased visitation upon the flora and fauna, even this “green” industry carries potential risks.
As I have not yet even been to Peru, much less near Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, I highly recommend visiting Gunnar’s blog for much more about it.
