A total of 17 representatives of 11 Awajún and Wampis indigenous organizations from the provinces of Bagua and Condorcanqui participated in the workshop to socialize the Forestry Zoning of the Amazon region, a space that allowed them to report on the progress of the process and designate their representatives to the Technical Committee. From Santa Maria [...]
From Santa María de Nieva, key concepts of forest zoning, its stages, the progress of the process in the region and the benefits it can generate for native communities were shared. A space for dialogue and listening was also created to exchange opinions, resolve queries and reflect on the importance of this process for the sustainable management of the territory.
What is Forest Zoning and why is it important?
Forest zoning is a mandatory, technical and participatory process that allows the delimitation of forest lands according to their uses, potential and limitations, under an integral vision of the territory.
This process is carried out in compliance with the Forestry and Wildlife Law, the respective regulations and the Methodological Guide for Forest Zoning approved by SERFOR. In the Amazonas region, its implementation has been declared of regional interest by Regional Ordinance No. 394-2017 GRA/CR, and is led by the Regional Government of Amazonas, through the Regional Environmental Authority and the Executive Directorate of Forest and Wildlife Management.
In this way, it organizes the territory, provides key information for decision making, promotes the sustainable use of resources and contributes to preventing land use conflicts. It is also a fundamental step in forest management and territorial planning at the regional level.
Participation of indigenous peoples in the Technical Committee
One of the central points of the workshop was the presentation of the roles and functions of the Amazon Forest Zoning Technical Committee. This section of the workshop highlighted the importance of having representatives of the indigenous peoples in this space, in order to guarantee a legitimate, participatory process in accordance with the territorial reality of the native communities.
On behalf of the Awajún people, Joel Tiwi Jempe was appointed as full member and Wilmer Shawit Chuin as alternate representative, while for the Wampis people, Mateo Impi Victor was elected as full member and Geronimo Petsain Yakum as alternate representative.
Representatives of the Awajún and Wampis peoples appointed to the Technical Committee for Forestry Zoning in the Amazon region. Photo: Profonanpe
Working together for the sustainable management of the territory
The Forest Zoning process in the Amazonas region is led by the Regional Government of Amazonas, with the support of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JIU) Project, which provides technical assistance to strengthen institutional capacities and promote a participatory and informed process.
This support will continue in the next stage of the process, which includes the phase of socialization and reflection of the proposal of Module I of Forest Zoning in the seven provinces of the Amazon region, thus consolidating an articulated and decentralized work throughout the regional territory.
About the Joint Statement of Intent (JIU), its Financial Mechanism and the JIU Project
The Joint Declaration of Intent (JIU) is a voluntary cooperation agreement signed in 2014 by the governments of Peru, Norway and Germany, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. In the addendum signed for the period 2021-2025, the United Kingdom joined the agreement.
The ICD has a Financial Mechanism, administered by Profonananpe, which manages the resources for the implementation of its phases. Within this framework, the ICD Project is currently being executed, which contributes to the implementation of the Updated Plan 2021-2025. It is led by the Ministry of Environment and executed by Profonanpe, with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) through the Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), and the participation as implementing partners of the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, through SERFOR; Sernanp; the Ministry of Culture; the regional governments of San Martin, Huanuco, Ucayali, Loreto, Amazonas and Madre de Dios; and the indigenous organizations AIDESEP, CONAP and ANECAP. Learn more here.
