Author: Sernanp
After an arduous participatory process involving the State, local authorities and civil society, Illescas is now categorized as a National Reserve, the first in the Piura region, managed by the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sernanp), an agency under the Ministry of the Environment.
With its formalization, the Minister of the Environment, Rubén Ramírez, announced on November 14 during his visit to the Virrilá Estuary Environmental Conservation Area (ECA), located in the province of Sechura, where he confirmed the categorization of Illescas for this year.
The categorization of Illescas, made official by Supreme Decree N° 038-2021-MINAM, marks an important milestone in Peru because it will allow the conservation of a representative sample of the Sechura desert and the biodiversity present in this part of the country; in addition, it will promote the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of the country, mainly the local populations, in an area that was established 11 years ago as a Reserved Zone.
The Illescas National Reserve is home to emblematic and marvelous places such as Illescas Hill, the dry savannah-like forest and the plains without vegetation. It is the only place on the coast where the Andean condor, an endangered species, breeds; it is also a refuge and protection zone for the pajonal cat, a wild feline that is in a near-threatened situation. It is also the habitat of endemic species (unique to this area) such as the Illescas gecko and the Illescas rufous-collared sparrow.
Illescas is home to the northernmost coastal hills in Peru, and is home to the southernmost relict of mangroves in Peru, the latter of which was only discovered in 2015.
In its 36,550.70 hectares there are about 120 species of birds, 11 mammals, 13 reptiles and 67 species of flora. Among the variety of flora species are the sapote and the carob tree, while the fauna includes mammals such as bats, coastal foxes and sea lions; reptiles such as snakes and lizards; and birds such as the hawk, Humboldt penguin and flamingos.
With the category of National Reserve, the sustainable use of flora and fauna resources is permitted, as well as the development of environmentally responsible productive activities, including tourism. In this protected natural area there are remains of human settlements from different pre-Hispanic periods, such as the temple dedicated to fishing gods and a temple called Piedras Blancas.
Participatory and transparent process
The categorization of Illescas as a National Reserve has been a participatory, inclusive and transparent process. During the informative stage, 39 meetings were held to present the proposal to the different stakeholders, including public entities (national, regional and local), private entities and the local population neighboring the protected natural area.
As part of this process, a multisectoral working group was formed, the “Illescas Reserved Zone Categorization Commission”, made up of representatives from Sernanp, the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, the Peruvian Navy, the Regional Government of Piura, the Provincial Municipality of Sechura, the San Martín de Sechura farming community, and neighboring towns. This process was also supported by strategic allies such as the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA), Andes Amazon Fund, KfW’s PAN III project (led by Sernanp and administered by Profonanpe) and UNDP’s Coastal Fisheries Initiatives (CFI) – Latin America project.
