The Founders' Council is delighted to present the seventh annual Parker/Gentry Award to an outstanding team of Peruvian conservationists in recognition of their leadership in bringing two remarkable Peruvian treasures, Cordillera Azul and Los Amigos, into the conservation spotlight. Their tireless efforts on behalf of these two regions culminated in the protection of the last large, intact tract of lower montane forest in Peru (Parque Nacional Cordillera Azul) and the establishment of Peru's first conservation concession (Los Amigos).
CORDILLERA AZUL
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| © Robin Foster |
On May 22, 2001, Peru's President, Valentín Paniagua, signed a decree declaring a 5,225-square-mile national park, thereby protecting a pristine area of Andean rainforest that is bigger than Connecticut and extraordinarily rich in biodiversity. The new Parque Nacional Cordillera Azul - one of the largest parks in the world - is still undeveloped and largely uninhabited. Its creation is a major victory for conservation. The year before, biologists from The Field Museum partnered with Peruvian and international biologists to study the area and inventory its biodiversity. What they found was truly spectacular, including at least 28 new plant and animal species. Our team of awardees played instrumental roles in securing protection for this important park by quickly bringing it to the attention of the international conservation community, organizing and participating in the biological inventory, and deftly navigating the necessary administrative and legal requirements for protection of the region in lightning speed.
LOS AMIGOS
On July 24, 2001, President Paniagua signed another decree, this time creating the world's first conservation concession in the lower Los Amigos watershed of the densely forested Madre de Dios Department of Peru.
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| © Robin Foster |
This region is recognized as a center for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity. The conservation concession will allow for the development of a center of expertise in tropical forest management, biodiversity science and training. A contractual agreement between the government and a nongovernmental organization, a conservation concession confers management responsibility for ecosystem and biodiversity conservation to the nongovernmental institution. This new mechanism for protecting biological resources was made possible by the efforts of the awardees, particularly in the creation of a new Peruvian Forestry Law that now allows for conservation concessions.
This team's commitment and dedication to protecting Peru's remarkable ecosystems and incredible biodiversity through innovative means exemplifies the spirit and objectives of The Field Museum's Parker/Gentry Award.
About the Recipients
For more images and information about Cordillera Azul, visit the website for The Field Museum's Rapid Biological Inventories.
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