The Candungos Native Community, located in the district of Rio Santiago, province of Condorcanqui, in the Amazon region, is moving towards the recognition of the Kuaman Amutai Achu Tepaa Private Conservation Area (ACP), an initiative that seeks to protect 8842.64 hectares of Amazonian flooded forests and wetlands.
The process, accompanied by the Peruvian Association for the Conservation of Nature (APECO) with the support of the Conserva Aves Initiative, seeks to strengthen local governance, preserve biodiversity and promote land management based on ancestral knowledge and community participation.
As part of the intervention, the native community participated in workshops to define the objectives and vision of the conservation area, as well as to validate a bilingual (Spanish-Wampis) communication tool that will allow a simple understanding of the concepts of conservation areas, master plan and zoning.
“For us, the forest is a school, a pharmacy and a home. To conserve it is to ensure the life of our children.”, said apu Roberto Wisum, community leader, during one of the workshops.
Wampis women: guardians of the forest and ancestral knowledge
A key aspect of the process is the participation of the Wampis women, who lead the identification of non-timber forest resources, such as fibers, seeds and clays, for the production of traditional handicrafts that reflect the sustainable relationship between culture and nature.
During the workshops, the artisans shared knowledge about the use of huayruro and nuwe (clay) to create pieces such as necklaces and ceramics, reaffirming their role as guardians of the forest and bearers of local knowledge.
Handicrafts made by women of the Candungos NC © Glend Seitz.
“Conservation is also about keeping our customs alive and teaching young women how to work without harming nature.”said Maruja Ahuanarai, a Candungos artisan.
These activities strengthen the local economy and help consolidate the creation of an organized group of women, promoters of sustainability and conservation in their territory.
A conservation corridor for the northern Amazon
Landscape of the CN Candungos © Diego Albornoz
This future ACP seeks to consolidate a corridor that connects the communal territory with the Ichigkat Muja National Park and the Santiago Comaina Reserved Zone, ensuring the protection of key habitats for Amazonian fauna. Among the species that inhabit this area are emblematic birds such as the wankesh (Tinamus tao), kakakat (Selenidera reinwardtii), kuyo (Boring bored bored bored) and the pinchu (Harpia harpyja), symbols of the natural wealth to be preserved.
It also represents a step forward in the implementation of the protection of the Santiago River Flooded Forest Conservation Priority Site, identified in the Amazonas Regional Conservation System (SICRE).
With the Private Conservation Area (PCA) proposal, Candungos is consolidating its position as a benchmark for participatory indigenous management, demonstrating that conservation also means exercising territorial sovereignty, protecting the forest and guaranteeing the well-being of future generations. In this process, the initiative is committed to strengthening the leadership of indigenous women as part of a culturally relevant gender approach, recognizing their key role in the governance and sustainability of the territory.
Meeting with women connoisseurs of cultural artifacts © Diego Albornoz
