- The phrase “Amazon Waters” quickly brings to mind sinuous rivers, and turbulent turns that cross a dense and permanent forest. Very rarely does one think that the Amazon waters come from the Andes, bringing great quantities of sediment across the basin to the Atlantic ocean that, together with the standing forest, play a decisive role in the water cycle of the South American tropics. In Peru, the Amazon waters are influenced directly by the Andes and form the largest system of headwaters in the western Amazon, with the greatest diversity of aquatic ecosystems. They are the base of the fisheries that feed the vast majority of the local population. In recent years, this region has received proposals for infrastructure projects, such as roads, hydroelectric projects, and hidrovías, that will have a direct effect on the natural dynamics, biodiversity, and environmental services that the Amazon Waters currently give the country.
In Peru, we carry out the Amazon Waters Initiative under an integrated vision through the following strategies:
Research
Policy and capacity development
Communal management
Top photo: Walter H. Wust