In the montane forests of Huamantanga and Chorro Blanco, in the province of Jaén, local communities are working toward a common goal: to conserve one of Cajamarca’s most valuable and fragile ecosystems.
As part of this commitment, since 2021 the Regional Government of Cajamarca has been leading the process to establish the Huamantanga and Chorro Blanco Mountain Forests Regional Conservation Area (RCA), with technical support from Nature and Culture International (NCI) and funding from the Andes Amazon Fund.
The great momentum of Conserva Aves
During the last quarter of 2025, the Conserva Aves Initiative—led in Peru by PROFONANPE and ECOAN—joined this effort, giving new momentum to the process that seeks to protect the last forests of Jaén. As a result, a committee was formed to promote the proposal, made up of local authorities, community representatives, and technical partners working together to ensure the protection of more than 14,000 hectares of montane forests, ecosystems that are essential for environmental balance and biodiversity conservation.
Following a democratic election, the District Municipality of Colasay was chosen to chair the steering committee. Marielena Cruz Huancas, Manager of Municipal Services and Environmental Management, took office on behalf of the local government, backed by a majority vote from the stakeholders involved.
Engineer Maria Elena Cruz Huancas, Manager of Municipal Services and Environmental Management of Colasay, chairs the Steering Committee of the Huamantanga and Chorro Blanco Mountain Forests RCA. © Alberto Genaro
Participation and local knowledge
As part of the process to strengthen the establishment of the Huamantanga and Chorro Blanco Mountain Forests RCA, the team from Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional and the Regional Government of Cajamarca held coordination meetings to validate the progress of the proposal and gather observations.
In addition, six informational workshops were held on the fourth stage of the RCA assessment by SERNANP in the district municipalities of Jaén, San José del Alto, and Huabal, as well as in the towns of La Higuera (Colasay), San Luis de Nuevo Retiro (Huabal), and Puerta del Edén (San José del Alto).
At each workshop, local communities shared their knowledge about the forest, the resources it offers, and the species that inhabit it. A notable fact was the participation of women, who accounted for 37.5% of the total attendees, demonstrating the active and growing role of women in biodiversity conservation and local environmental management.
End of the decentralized workshop with the local population of the village of “La Higuera” in the district of Colasay, one of the areas closest to the future Huamantanga and Chorro Blanco RCA. © Alberto Genaro
Community science to care for the forest
Over the last three months, work has been underway on the Community Bird Monitoring Plan, a participatory tool that will enable local communities to identify and record changes in the populations of key species. This plan combines scientific knowledge with local observation and community capacity building, thus enabling informed decision-making on natural resource management.
Monitoring will focus on three representative bird species: the Peruvian tororoi (Grallaricula peruviana), the bearded guan (Penelope barbata), and the blue-breasted or seven-colored toucan (Andigena nigrirostris). These birds are natural indicators of the ecosystem: their presence or absence provides valuable signals about its conservation status.
A global alliance for conservation
The Conserva Aves project is an initiative led by American Bird Conservancy (ABC), National Audubon Society (Audubon), BirdLife International, Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Environmental Funds Network (RedLAC). In Peru, its national partners are Profonanpe and ECOAN, with funding from the Canadian government.
Its goal is to create and strengthen protected areas managed by local communities and subnational governments, ensuring the conservation of essential habitats for birds and other endangered species, while promoting opportunities for sustainable development.
With the commitment of its communities, the support of national and international institutions, and the leadership of the Regional Government of Cajamarca, the Huamantanga and Chorro Blanco montane forest hopes to be officially protected this year.
