January 18, 2026 represented a historic turning point for the project. At a meeting held at the community's headquarters, the Andinus Association and the Huata Campesino Community signed a commitment agreement that ratifies the continuity of the ACP's creation process, with the institutional presence of the Central Sierra Forestry and Wildlife Technical Administration (ATFFS - SERFOR). This agreement formalizes the community's commitment to conservation, activates the continuity of the project and initiates the formalization before the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre - SERFOR).SERNANP) of the documentation required to move towards the definitive declaration of the area, consolidating Huata as a reference point for proactive community conservation in the Central Andes.
Citizen participation plays a key role in this process. Through community organization workshops held in December 2025, the women of Huata strengthened their leadership skills, collective decision-making and collaborative work. The participatory dynamics made it possible to organize roles, responsibilities and agreements, significantly increasing the participants' confidence in expressing ideas and managing community projects.
This organization is reflected in the management of the communal nursery, which continues to develop with a focus on production and restoration. Among the most recent technical achievements is the implementation of avocado grafting techniques to improve the productivity of communal plantations, as well as the production of native species such as the black walnut (Juglans neotropica), contributing to both local economic sustainability and landscape recovery.
Villager of the peasant community of Huata, doing grafting in the communal nursery. Photo: Isaac Tinoco Paucar
With the commitment agreement signed between Andinus and the Huata community, the project enters a crucial phase of formalization before SERNANP. The peasant community of Huata, in a more organized way, is positioning itself as a protagonist of conservation in this part of the Peruvian territory, demonstrating that the protection of biodiversity, water and ancestral culture can constitute a model of sustainable territorial development.
Huata will not only preserve the habitat of the priority Atlapetes melanopsis and the rich avifauna documented, but will ensure the water continuity of the Chilacamayo River, benefiting annexes such as Antacucho, Lauca, Huata, Andamarca, and contributing to the water network of the San Fernando River.
Meeting for the signing of the project ratification act. Photo: Jonathan Chancasana Villacorta
The project is part of the international initiative Preserves Birds, led by American Bird Conservancy (ABC), National Audubon Society (Audubon), BirdLife International and the Network of Environmental Funds of Latin America and the Caribbean (RedLAC), with the participation of ECOAN, Profonanpe y IDMA, and the financial backing of the Bezos Earth Fund.
